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

ID: Q97809

The information in this article applies to:

The C/C++ Compiler (CL.EXE), included with:
- Microsoft C/C++ for MS-DOS, version 7.0
- Microsoft Visual C++ for Windows, 16-bit edition, versions 1.0, 1.5
- Microsoft Visual C++, 32-bit Editions, 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.

Copy STDIO.H to the root directory on your C drive.

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 query words: 1.00 1.50 7.00 8.00 8.00c

Keywords : kbCompiler
Version : 7.00 | 1.00 1.50 | 1.00
Platform : MS-DOS NT WINDOWS
Issue type :