MFC compilation errors due to windows platform #defines. Struggling to diagnose reason.

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I am using the latest Visual Studio 2022 / C++ / MFC, Windows SDK 10.0, Platform toolset 10.0 (latest installed version), C++ Language Standard ISO C++ 17 Standard and building 64 bit.

I started with the standard MDI template, added some stuff (Scintilla edit control, which requires >= ISO C++ 17) and successfully compiled.

Now I'm integrating existing source code from previous development (which compiles under ISO C++ 14, but that may not be the explanation for what I'm about to describe).

My compile is now failing with the following errors:

Error	C1189	#error:  CTaskDialog is not supported on Windows versions prior to Vista.	Visual SQL Studio	C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio\2022\Professional\VC\Tools\MSVC\14.38.33130\atlmfc\include\afxtaskdialog.h	18

... and

Error	C2664	'INT getaddrinfo(PCSTR,PCSTR,const ADDRINFOA *,PADDRINFOA *)': cannot convert argument 1 from 'LPCTSTR' to 'PCSTR'	Visual SQL Studio	C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio\2022\Professional\VC\Tools\MSVC\14.38.33130\atlmfc\include\atlsocket.h	163

So, not in my code. In both cases, there is conditional compilation based on Windows version #defines. For example, for the first error, the code is:

#if (NTDDI_VERSION < NTDDI_VISTA) // min Windows Vista required
#error CTaskDialog is not supported on Windows versions prior to Vista.
#endif

My interpretation of this is that the compiler sees value of NTDDI_VERSION as less than the value of NTDDI_VISTA and therefore fires the error.

BUT, I am only using all of the defaults created by the project template for pch.h, framework.h and targetver.h, which (if my understanding is correct) equates to

#include <SDKDDKVer.h>

.

So, I'm scratching my head on the explanation or cure for this issue. I am definitely not redefining Windows version #defines elsewhere. However, I think

NTDDI_VERSION

is actually undefined at the point in the header file where the version test is applied, because this edit (sacrilege, I know) causes the compile to succeed:

#undef NTDDI_VERSION
#define NTDDI_VERSION NTDDI_WIN10

#if (NTDDI_VERSION < NTDDI_VISTA) // min Windows Vista required
#error CTaskDialog is not supported on Windows versions prior to Vista.
#endif

Clearly editing AfxTaskDialog.h is not an acceptable solution, so I'd be incredibly grateful for any suggestion on how to diagnose / resolve this issue.

Summary of framework/platfirm defines
pch.h - #include "framework.h" as first line.
framework.h - #include "targetver.h" as first line
targetver.h - #include <sdkddkver.h> as first line

What I have tried:

I have explicitly #defined NTDDI_VERSION in pch.h and / or framework.h and / or targetver.h. I have forced the NTDDI_VERSION to pass the #if (NTDDI_VERSION < NTDDI_VISTA) test by hard coding NTDDI_VERSION (which works but is not a viable solution).

Posted 23-Jan-24 23:44pm

peterboulton

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Maxim Kartavenkov · Accepted Answer · 2024-01-24T00:04:00

Solution 1

To figure out the first issue under compiler settings on C/C++ Advanced tab choose "show includes" and it display during build the includes sequence - this way you can find is the NTDDI_VERSION defined at all before the file you interested in, or it maybe undefined somewhere. Also be sure that SDKDDKVer.h included first - try to put it first in your precompiled header file (pch.h)
The second error comes that TCHAR defined as the UNICODE character but the function expect the CHAR. Change settings to the MBCS instead of UNICODE (General tab in properties and select "Character Set" value) - this may help if its not your code, otherwise you can figure out the passed parameter in code.

Hope this help.

Regards,
Maxim.

Posted 24-Jan-24 0:04am

Maxim Kartavenkov

Comments

peterboulton 24-Jan-24 6:32am

Hi Maxim. Many thanks for taking the trouble to answer my question - much appreciated. On the first issue, choosing "show includes", the first few lines of the compiler output are:

1>stdafx.cpp
1>Note: including file: G:\Visual Studio 2010 Projects\Visual SQL Studio (C++)\Visual SQL Studio\stdafx.h
1>Note: including file: G:\Visual Studio 2010 Projects\Visual SQL Studio (C++)\Visual SQL Studio\framework.h
1>Note: including file: G:\Visual Studio 2010 Projects\Visual SQL Studio (C++)\Visual SQL Studio\targetver.h
1>Note: including file: C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Kits\10\Include\10.0.22621.0\shared\SDKDDKVer.h
1>Note: including file: C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio\2022\Professional\VC\Tools\MSVC\14.38.33130\atlmfc\include\afxwin.h

So, they are compiled before the file which fires the compile error. I also tried moving SDKDDKVer.h to the first line of pch.h, but the error still fires.

On the second error, I would like to stay UNICODE and am not even aware of any of my code calling getaddrinfo(). I didn't paste in the code that triggers the error, which is from atlsocket.h. But it's the same sort of error on the version #defines as my first error. The code in AtlSocket.h is:

#if _WIN32_WINNT < 0x0502
#ifdef _UNICODE
USES_CONVERSION_EX;
const char * pszHost = W2CA_EX(szHost, _ATL_SAFE_ALLOCA_DEF_THRESHOLD);
const char * pszPortOrServiceName = W2CA_EX(szPortOrServiceName, _ATL_SAFE_ALLOCA_DEF_THRESHOLD);
if(pszHost == NULL || pszPortOrServiceName == NULL )
{
WSASetLastError(WSA_NOT_ENOUGH_MEMORY);
return SOCKET_ERROR;
}
#else
const char * pszHost = szHost;
const char * pszPortOrServiceName = szPortOrServiceName;
#endif
return ::GetAddrInfo(pszHost, pszPortOrServiceName, &hints, &m_pAddrs);
#else
return ::GetAddrInfo(szHost, szPortOrServiceName, &hints, &m_pAddrs);
#endif

If the #define was successfully defined as >= 0x502 then the other version of the function would be compiled and (I think) I would not get this compile error.

Thank you, again, for your help.

Maxim Kartavenkov 24-Jan-24 6:47am

Maybe WIN32_WINNT / NTDDI_VERSION like the UNICODE defined in the project settings directly for your configuration? Try to check in there: preprocessor definitions and additional options of the command line

peterboulton 24-Jan-24 6:58am

Hi Maxim, the C/C++ project settings command line is:

/JMC /Yu"stdafx.h" /ifcOutput "x64\Debug\" /GS /W3 /wd"4996" /Zc:wchar_t /I"G:\Visual Studio 2022 Projects\Visual SQL Studio (C++)\ScriptDomUtils" /ZI /Gm- /Od /sdl /Fd"x64\Debug\vc143.pdb" /Zc:inline /fp:precise /D "_WINDOWS" /D "_DEBUG" /D "_USE_PCH" /D "_CRT_SECURE_NO_WARNINGS" /D "_VS2008_" /D "_UNICODE" /D "UNICODE" /D "_AFXDLL" /errorReport:prompt /WX- /Zc:forScope /RTC1 /Gd /showIncludes /MDd /std:c++17 /FC /Fa"x64\Debug\" /EHsc /nologo /Fo"x64\Debug\" /Fp"x64\Debug\Visual SQL Studio.pch" /diagnostics:column

I can't see an issue there... can you?

Thanks again for your kindness.

Maxim Kartavenkov 24-Jan-24 7:02am

also - try to remove "_VS2008_" definition - project not from VS2022 - looks like it's even from VS2008

peterboulton 24-Jan-24 7:16am

Yes, but the _VS2008_ is my 'invention' and only used for conditional compilation of my known code. I don't believe it has any other function in the code.

My other projects also define it and compile correctly (though for C++ ISO 14, not 17).

Maxim Kartavenkov 24-Jan-24 7:31am

If that involved by you - then it's Ok. What about definition in the fie: "G:\Visual Studio 2010 Projects\Visual SQL Studio (C++)\Visual SQL Studio\targetver.h"?

Maxim Kartavenkov 24-Jan-24 6:49am

It is Visual Studio 2010 project - so it is possible that is have Vista or XP version defined

peterboulton 24-Jan-24 6:54am

Hi Maxim. The project was created from Visual Studio 2022, current version.

Maxim Kartavenkov 24-Jan-24 6:58am

Look at the definition in the:
"G:\Visual Studio 2010 Projects\Visual SQL Studio (C++)\Visual SQL Studio\targetver.h":

peterboulton 24-Jan-24 8:38am

Sorry... CodeProject appears to let me edit your posts! I hope I've restored it, and sorry!

My targetver.h content is:

#pragma once

// Including SDKDDKVer.h defines the highest available Windows platform.

// If you wish to build your application for a previous Windows platform, include WinSDKVer.h and
// set the _WIN32_WINNT macro to the platform you wish to support before including SDKDDKVer.h.
#include <sdkddkver.h>

That seems correct?

I'm sorry this is so convoluted and really appreciate your help. I know it will most likely be something basic but I've been banging my head against a brick wall for a couple of days on this!

Maxim Kartavenkov 24-Jan-24 8:44am

try to define it by your own in the first line of precompiled header.

peterboulton 24-Jan-24 8:56am

You mean, like this (in stdafx.h, which I'm using instead of pch.h [changed in precompiled header settings section]):

// stdafx.h: This is a precompiled header file.
// Files listed below are compiled only once, improving build performance for future builds.
// This also affects IntelliSense performance, including code completion and many code browsing features.
// However, files listed here are ALL re-compiled if any one of them is updated between builds.
// Do not add files here that you will be updating frequently as this negates the performance advantage.

#define _WIN32_WINNT 0x0a00

Unfortunately, same issues. :-((

Maxim Kartavenkov 24-Jan-24 9:06am

You defining _WIN32_WINNT but error cause from the NTDDI_VERSION so you need to include sdkddkver.h right after.
Also try to output definition from each include header starts during compile time by using the #pragma message:
https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/cpp/preprocessor/message?view=msvc-170
You need at least few headers to see what is the value.

peterboulton 25-Jan-24 12:00pm

Hi Maxim - many thanks for your patience with me!
So, the compile order is:
stdafx.cpp
stdafx.h
framework.h
targetver.h
SDKDDKVer.h

stdafx.h includes framework.h which includes targetver.h.

Following your suggestions, I have the following in targetver.h:

#define _WIN32_WINNT _WIN32_WINNT_WIN10
#define NTDDI_VERSION NTDDI_WIN10_RS5
#include <sdkddkver.h>

// Echo #define value to compiler output
#define STRINGIFY(x) #x
#define TOSTRING(x) STRINGIFY(x)
#pragma message("Targetver.h: NTDDI_VERSION = " TOSTRING(NTDDI_VERSION) ", _WIN32_WINNT = " TOSTRING(_WIN32_WINNT))

In the build log, this results in:

Targetver.h: NTDDI_VERSION = 0x0A000006, _WIN32_WINNT = 0x0A00

... which is right, yes? I want to build for Windows 10 forwards.

If I re-use the same approach by editing the afxtaskdialog.h (a Microsoft file):

#define STRINGIFY(x) #x
#define TOSTRING(x) STRINGIFY(x)
#pragma message("afxtaskdialog.h: NTDDI_VERSION = " TOSTRING(NTDDI_VERSION) ", _WIN32_WINNT = " TOSTRING(_WIN32_WINNT))

#if (NTDDI_VERSION < NTDDI_VISTA) // min Windows Vista required
#error CTaskDialog is not supported on Windows versions prior to Vista.
#endif

... I get this in the build output:

afxtaskdialog.h: NTDDI_VERSION = NTDDI_VERSION, _WIN32_WINNT = 0x0A00

My take on this is that NTDDI_VERSION has been #undef'd somewhere (not in my code). Do you agree?

In which case, I am baffled as to where it is being #undef'd or how to locate it. If you have any suggestions I would (continue to be) so, so grateful!

Many thanks.

Maxim Kartavenkov 25-Jan-24 12:31pm

hm, NTDDI_VERSION should not have the 0x0A00 value, as it's 4 bytes long - so yes it redefined somewhere. You can try to choose different sdk version in the project settings - try different versions. And/or search for NTDDI_VERSION in the Visual C++ Include directories and in project source files - this can be done in Ctrl+Shift+F and select all include directories - this way you can find where it was changed, if there wasn't used any macro.

peterboulton 25-Jan-24 13:01pm

Hi Maxim, actually from my last post, NTDDI_VERSION is logged at 0x0A000006 from my targetver.h compilation, not 0x0A00 (which is what I'm setting _WIN32_WINNT to). Therefore, I think the defines are right from my targetver.h, BUT by the time the compiler gets to afxtaskdialog.h the _WIN32_WINNT is still 0x0A00 but NTDDI_VERSION is now undefined. I'm at a loss to understand why or how to trace the #undef. I just searched for the text "#undef NTDDI_VERSION" in "C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Kits\10\Include\10.0.22621.0" but there were no results. :-((

Maxim Kartavenkov 25-Jan-24 13:28pm

Interesting what if you define the different value of the _WIN32_WINNT - is it remains the same?

Maxim Kartavenkov 25-Jan-24 13:35pm

You may need to arrange includes in a different way and order - for example in one VS version I adding includes of some header files or even define some additional things to make any third party code works. if you code not huge you can mail it to me so I can look at the settings and try to build - you can make just simple cut of things which just reproduce the error.

peterboulton 25-Jan-24 13:59pm

I have (finally) diagnosed the issue. I noticed that the following header file is being logged in my compile output:

C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio\2022\Professional\VC\Tools\MSVC\14.38.33130\atlmfc\src\mfc\stdafx.h

Line 21 of that file is "#undef NTDDI_VERSION".

Line 21 is the only reference to NTDDI_VERSION in the file. Not sure why it's there.

Comparing the 'Include Directories' list in Project Settings I noticed that $(IncludePath) and $(SourcePath) appeared at the top of the list of include directories referencing the existing source files I'd added to the project. I moved them to the bottom of the list, and now the project compiles! Phew.

Maxim, many thanks for all your help with this one. I would never have got to this point without your wisdom and suggestions. I will mark your response as the solution, and many thanks again!

Maxim Kartavenkov 26-Jan-24 1:38am

Nice to hear that. Yes, usually the solution is closer than we think.

Maxim Kartavenkov 24-Jan-24 9:17am

One time I had similar issue with old project file which were imported from old version of Visual Studio and the reason was that windows version were defined in the project configuration as additional argument, but I were always looking at the wrong configuration platform - maybe that similar in your case?

peterboulton 25-Jan-24 12:08pm

Hi Maxim. This was a new project. It compiled fine until I added the existing source files from another project... but only .cpp and .h files, so I would assume my problem is not caused by old project files.