PRB: L2029/L2001 Unsized Array Declaration at File Scope [utilities]

• The Linker (LINK.EXE), included with:
  • Microsoft Visual C++ for Windows, 16-bit edition, versions 1.0, 1.5
  • Microsoft Visual C++, 32-bit Editions, versions 1.0, 2.0, 4.0, 5.0, 6.0
  • Microsoft C for MS-DOS, versions 5.1, 5.1a, 6.0, 6.0a, 6.0ax
  • Microsoft C for OS/2, versions 5.1, 6.0, 6.0a
  • Microsoft C/C++ for MS-DOS, version 7.0

SYMPTOMS

An attempt to link an application fails and Microsoft LINK generates the following messages.

With Microsoft C/C++ 16-bit compilers:

L2029: unresolved external

With Microsoft C/C++ 32-bit compilers:

LNK2001: unresolved external symbol

CAUSE

The application declares an unsized array at file scope, and does not contain another declaration at file scope that specifies the size for the array.

RESOLUTION

Modify the source code of one of the modules to declare the array with its correct size at file scope.

MORE INFORMATION

Because an unsized array declaration at file scope is considered external, the C compiler cannot determine whether or not the size is omitted intentionally, and the compiler does not generate an error message.

The following sample code demonstrates this situation:

Sample Code

int Array[];

void main(void)
{
   printf("%d.\n", Array);
} 

Additional query words:

Keywords : kbVC100 kbVC150 kbVC200 kbVC500 kbVC600 LinkIss
Version : winnt:1.0,2.0,4.0,5.0,6.0
Platform : winnt
Issue type : kbprb