BUG: Mpw2lib Fails on Long File Names

The information in this article applies to:

• Microsoft Visual C++ 2.0 Cross-Development Edition for Macintosh

SYMPTOMS

When converting MPW-formatted object files for file names longer than the standard 8.3 MS-DOS format, Mwp2lib may generate an application error similar to one of these:

   The instruction at xxxx referenced memory at xxxx. The memory
   could not be written.

   -or-

   The instruction at xxxx referenced memory at xxxx. The memory
   could not be read.

CAUSE

Mpw2lib cannot handle an object file that has a file name longer than the standard 8.3 MS-DOS format.

RESOLUTION

Truncate the object file name to eight characters.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a bug in the Microsoft products listed at the beginning of this article. We are researching this problem and will post new information here in the Microsoft Knowledge Base as it becomes available.

MORE INFORMATION

Mpw2lib is a Windows utility used to convert MPW (Macintosh Programmer's Workbench) formatted object files to COFF (Common Object File Format) library files. The resulting file can be linked with code generated by Visual C++ for Macintosh. The file is transferred from the Macintosh to the Windows system using the Mfile utility. Windows NT allows you to preserve the long file names of the Macintosh in most cases.

You may not receive the error message for long file names. The problem appears to be inconsistent and can appear more frequently with longer file names. Occasionally, you may generate the following error instead of the previously listed error messages:

   Fatal error M2L1003: Can't open file "xxx.o"

REFERENCES

68K Programmer's Guide, Appendix E: MFILE Technical Reference 68K Programmer's Guide, Appendix F: MPW2LIB Technical Reference