FIX: Error Messages May Say "short" or "int" Instead of "enum"

 Last reviewed: September 11, 1997
Article ID: Q66778

The information in this article applies to:
  • The Microsoft C/C++ Compiler (CL.EXE) included with: - Microsoft C for MS-DOS, versions 6.0, 6.0a, 6.0ax - Microsoft C for OS/2, versions 6.0, 6.0a - Microsoft C/C++ for MS-DOS, version 7.0 - Microsoft Visual C++ for Windows, versions 1.0, 1.5 - Microsoft Visual C++ 32-bit Edition, versions 1.0, 2.0, 4.0

SYMPTOMS

Because an enumerated type is handled internally the same as a short type, certain compiler error messages may refer to a "short" even though the error involves an "enum". The following sample code contains an error to demonstrate this situation: 

   enum {A, B, C}      /* missing ';' at end */
   double y;
When the above code is compiled with the Microsoft C compiler, the following error message is generated: 

   error C2139: type following 'short' is illegal
Visual C++ for Windows and Visual C++ 32-bit Edition return: 

   error C2632: 'int' followed by 'double' is illegal
In this particular case, the error should say: 

   type following 'enum' is illegal"
However, the compiler does not keep track of whether or not an item was specified as an enum.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a bug in the Microsoft products listed at the beginning of this article. This bug was corrected in Visual C++ version 5.0.

Visual C++ 5.0 compiler generates the following error message: 

   error C2628: '__unnamed' followed by 'double' is illegal (did you forget
   a ';'?)

Additional query words: 8.00 8.00c 9.00
Keywords : CLIss vcfixlist500
Version : 6.0 6.0a 6.0ax 7.0 1.0 1.5 2.0 4
Platform : MS-DOS NT OS/2 WINDOWS
Issue type : kbbug
Solution Type : kbfix

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Last reviewed: September 11, 1997
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