BUG: Deleting a Struct Typedef Causes C1059, C1063, or C1001

• Microsoft C/C++ Compiler (CL.EXE), included with:
  • Microsoft C/C++ for MS-DOS, version 7.0
  • Microsoft Visual C++ for Windows, versions 1.0, 1.5, 1.51, 1.52
  • Microsoft Visual C++ 32-bit Edition, versions 1.0, 2.0, 4.0, 4.1, 4.2, 5.0, 6.0

SYMPTOMS

The sample code fragment listed at the end of this article incorrectly deletes a typedef of a pointer to a structure, which generates the following compiler errors:

• - For Visual C++ 6.0 for Windows NT/Win 9x:

  error C2541: delete : cannot delete objects that are not pointers




• For Visual C++ 5.0 for Windows NT:

  fatal error C1001: INTERNAL COMPILER ERROR (compiler file '.\toil.c', line 3645)




• For Visual C++ 4.2 for Windows NT:

  fatal error C1001: INTERNAL COMPILER ERROR (compiler file 'toil.c', line 4094)




• For Visual C++ 4.1 for Windows NT:

  fatal error C1001: INTERNAL COMPILER ERROR (compiler file 'toil.c', line 4051)




• For Visual C++ 4.0 for Windows NT:

  fatal error C1001: INTERNAL COMPILER ERROR (compiler file 'toil.c', line 3128)




• For Visual C++ 2.x for Windows NT:

  fatal error C1001: INTERNAL COMPILER ERROR (compiler file 'toil.c', line 2847)




• For Visual C++ 1.0 for Windows NT:

  fatal error C1001: INTERNAL COMPILER ERROR (compiler file '@(#)main.c:1.82', line 289)




• For Visual C++ version 1.5x for Windows:

  fatal error C1059: compiler is out of near heap space




• For Visual C++ version 1.0 for Windows:

  fatal error C1063




• For C/C++ version 7.0:

  fatal error C1001: INTERNAL COMPILER ERROR (compiler file '2pass/getattr.c', line 346) Contact Microsoft Product Support Services

RESOLUTION

The above error messages are misleading and do not point out the real problem, which is that you cannot delete a typedef. Additionally, the operand of delete must be a pointer returned by the new operator. Using delete on a pointer to an object not allocated with new gives unpredictable results.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a bug in the Microsoft products listed at the beginning of this article.

MORE INFORMATION

Sample Code to Reproduce Problem

/* Compile options needed: none
*/ 

typedef struct {
   int x;
}MY_STRUCT, *LPMY_STRUCT;

LPMY_STRUCT  pMyStruct = new MY_STRUCT;

void MyTestFunction()
{
   delete pMyStruct;   // ok.
   delete LPMY_STRUCT; // Can not delete a type.
} 

Additional query words: 8.0 8.0c 8.00 8.00c 9.0 9.00 9.1 9.10 10.00 10.10 10.20

Keywords : kbCompiler kbCPPonly kbVC kbVC100bug kbVC150bug kbVC151bug kbVC152bug kbVC200bug kbVC210bug kbVC400bug kbVC410bug kbVC420bug kbVC500bug kbVC600bug
Version :
Platform : MS-DOS NT WINDOWS
Issue type : kbbug