DOC: Visual Editors Do Not Use INCLUDE Environment Variable

ID: Q85956

The information in this article applies to:

The Visual Workbench
- Microsoft Visual C++ for Windows, 16-bit edition, versions 1.0, 1.5
- Microsoft Visual C++, 32-bit Editions, versions 1.0, 2.0, 2.1, 4.0, 5.0, 6.0

SUMMARY

The online help provides the following information about the #include preprocessor directive:

If the file is still not found or if the path-spec is enclosed in angle brackets, the next directories searched are the ones specified using the /I custom compiler option. After those have been searched, the compiler searches the directories specified in the INCLUDE environment variable.

This documentation is correct if the compiler is invoked from the command line. However, from within the Visual WorkBench, the INCLUDE environment variable is ignored. Instead, the directories searched are those set by choosing Directories from the Options menu in Visual C++ for Windows and in Visual C++ 32-bit edition versions 1.0 and 2.x, or by choosing the Directories Tab from the Options dialog box in Visual C++ version 4.x. This information also applies to the LIB environment variable.

To set the directories searched for include files in Visual C++ version 4.x, use the following steps:

Select Options... from the Tools menu.

Select the Directories tab in the Options dialog box.

Select the appropriate platform (e.g., Win32) in the Platform drop-down list box. The directories to be searched will be specific to this platform.

Select "Include files" in the Show directories for drop-down list box.

Enter the full paths of the directories to be searched in the Directories editable list box, one directory per line. The directories will be searched in the order listed.

Press OK to confirm the selections.

For more information on setting directories in Visual C++ version 4.x, search for "Setting Directories" in the Books Online. For more information on the #include preprocessor directive, search the online documentation for "#include".

Additional query words: on-line

Keywords : kbdocerr kbClassView kbide kbVC100 kbVC150 kbVC200 kbVC210 kbVC400 kbVC410 kbVC500 kbVC600
Version : WINDOWS: 1.0; WINDOWS NT: 1.0, 4.0, 4.1, 5.0
Platform : NT WINDOWS
Issue type :