PRB: C Pragma Comment & #ident Strings Missing from Executable

 Last reviewed: July 22, 1997
Article ID: Q65979
3.00 3.10 WINDOWS kbtool kbprg kbprb

The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Windows Software Development Kit (SDK) for Windows versions 3.0 and 3.1

SYMPTOMS

After compiling an application developed for Windows version 3.0 or 3.1 from code that uses the comment pragma feature or the #ident preprocessor directive of the Microsoft C Compiler, the comment string is missing from the final executable file.

CAUSE

The Resource Compiler in the Windows Software Development Kit (SDK) version 3.0 or 3.1 removes the comment string from the executable.

RESOLUTION

Declare the comment as a static string variable, as follows: 

   static char CommentString[] = _FILE_" = $Revision:   1.2   $";
This will embed the desired information in the .EXE file; however, when the program is run, the application will load the string with the program's other variables. This will take up some storage in the local data space.

MORE INFORMATION

This behavior is an unavoidable consequence of the method the Microsoft C compiler uses to store comment strings in an executable file. Placing the strings outside all segments is not consistent with the Windows segment- executable format, which places all code and data into segments that can be loaded separately. The Resource Compiler cannot preserve comment data stored outside any segment.

Additional reference words: 3.00 3.10
KBCategory: kbtool kbprg kbprb
KBSubcategory: TlsRc
Keywords : kb16bitonly

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Last reviewed: July 22, 1997
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