Thread: Problem building a Release

Hi CondorMan

I have Visual C++ Express Edition and can't compile this code. It says that stdafx.h does not exist. If I comment out that line, it says that it can't find windows.h.

I have (now - had) quite the same annoying thing,
but I could compile the code though.

But now you mentioned it here, I too now have chosen:
"Not Using Precompiled Headers"

But we'll have to remember as Mario F. said:

On those next projects you come to create, make sure you uncheck the tick box "use precompiled headers" on the project creation screen.

Thanks for bringing up the subject

Hi ConderMan


Yes, I see the code doesn't need it obviously.
When I set "Not Using Precompiled Headers" and leave the reference to stdafx.h it compile fine.

But the opposite, if I set it to "use Precompiled Headers", and remove the reference to stdafx.h, I get an error !



regards,


The SharK

If you look inside the stdafx.h file, you will see why the compiler doesn't bother you with any errors.

Hi Mario F.

If you look inside the stdafx.h file, you will see why the compiler doesn't bother you with any errors.

hmm... what exactly is it I should be seeing/noticeing

My stdafx.h Header file looks like this:

Code:

// stdafx.h : include file for standard system include files,
// or project specific include files that are used frequently, but
// are changed infrequently
//

#pragma once


#define WIN32_LEAN_AND_MEAN		// Exclude rarely-used stuff from Windows headers
#include <stdio.h>
#include <tchar.h>



// TODO: reference additional headers your program requires here

Well, let's take a look at it...

#pragma once is a C++ 2005 compiler instruction that replaces the #ifndef and #define pair as header guards. So basically this is simply an header guard to ensure the header is only included once.

#define WIN32_LEAN_AND_MEAN instructs the compiler to use shorter versions of certain win32 header files, making the code smaller in return.

So far, none of these directives are capable of producing errors. They are simple instructions to the compiler. Next comes the includes...

Code:

#include <stdio.h>
#include <tchar.h>

There isn't even the need to analyze these one by one. Suffice to say that all standard and C++ 2005 header files have header guards included. So, even if you used these same headers in your project, they wouldn't be included twice.

This is why including the stdafx header when "don't use precompiled headers" is turned on, doesn't produce errors. This header file is pretty much innocuous.