FIX: C1024 or C1083 Error When INCLUDE Set to Root Directory

 Last reviewed: September 16, 1997
Article ID: Q97809
7.00 | 1.00 1.50 | 1.00 
MS-DOS | WINDOWS   | WINDOWS NT
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The information in this article applies to:

  • The Microsoft C/C++ Compiler (CL.EXE), included with: 

        - Microsoft C/C++ for MS-DOS, versions 7.0
    - Microsoft Visual C++ for Windows, versions 1.0 and 1.5
    - Microsoft Visual C++ 32-bit Edition, version 1.0

SYMPTOMS

An attempt to compile an application fails and Microsoft C/C++ generates one of the following messages. For version 8.0: 

   fatal error C1083: Cannot open include file: 'stdio.h':
       Permission denied
For version 7.0: 

   fatal error C1024: cannot open include file 'stdio.h'
The application compiles correctly in Microsoft C version 6.0 for MS-DOS.

CAUSE

The INCLUDE environment variable specifies the root directory of a drive and a required header file is located in the root directory. This occurs most often when the MS-DOS SUBST command creates a drive letter for a subdirectory on a drive.

RESOLUTION

To work around this problem, edit your AUTOEXEC.BAT file to replace the backslash character (\) in the directory specification with a forward slash character (/). For example, the modified SET statement would appear as follows: 

   set INCLUDE=C:/
For a drive letter created with the SUBST command, omitting the backslash character entirely also works. For example: 

   set INCLUDE=M:

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a bug in the products listed at the beginning of this article. This bug was corrected in C/C++ version 9.0, included with Visual C++ 32-bit Edition, version 2.0.

MORE INFORMATION

Perform the following two steps to demonstrate this problem.

  1. Copy STDIO.H to the root directory on your C drive.
2. Enter the following at the MS-DOS command prompt: 

   set INCLUDE=C:\
   cl TEST.C
If your C/C++ INCLUDE directory is C:\C700\INCLUDE, the error also occurs if you enter the following at the MS-DOS command prompt: 

   subst M: C:\C700\INCLUDE
   set INCLUDE=M:\
   cl TEST.C
The compiler uses the INCLUDE environment variable to specify the directories it searches for header files listed in the #include statement.

The MS-DOS SUBST command can be used to substitute a drive letter for a directory path. For more information on the SUBST command, please refer to your "MS-DOS User's Guide and Reference" manual. Also note that the online help for MS-DOS version 6.0 states "Do not use the SUBST command when you are running Windows."

Sample Code

/*
 * Compile options needed: none
 */

#include <stdio.h>

void main (void)
{ 
   printf("Hello World\n");
}

Additional reference words: 1.00 1.50 7.00 8.00 8.00c
KBCategory: kbtool kbfixlist kbbuglist
KBSubcategory: CLIss
Keywords : CLIss kbbuglist kbfixlist kbtool
Version : 7.00 | 1.00 1.50 | 1.00
Platform : MS-DOS NT WINDOWS
Solution Type : kbfix

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Last reviewed: September 16, 1997
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