You receive an "unresolved external symbol _WinMain@16" error message when you try to build an MFC application with Unicode support in Visual C++ (125750)

The information in this article applies to:

The C Run-Time (CRT), when used with:
- Microsoft Visual C++, 32-bit Editions 2.0
- Microsoft Visual C++, 32-bit Editions 2.1
- Microsoft Visual C++, 32-bit Editions 4.0
- Microsoft Visual C++, 32-bit Enterprise Edition 5.0
- Microsoft Visual C++, 32-bit Enterprise Edition 6.0
- Microsoft Visual C++, 32-bit Professional Edition 5.0
- Microsoft Visual C++, 32-bit Professional Edition 6.0
- Microsoft Visual C++, 32-bit Learning Edition 6.0
- Microsoft Visual C++ .NET (2002)
- Microsoft Visual C++ .NET (2003)

This article was previously published under Q125750

NOTE: Microsoft Visual C++ NET (2002) supported both the managed code model that is provided by the .NET Framework and the unmanaged native Windows code model. The information in this article applies to unmanaged Visual C++ code only.

SYMPTOMS

The linker generates the following error, when you build an MFC application with UNICODE support using the Microsoft products listed at the beginning of this article:

msvcrt.lib(crtexew.obj) : error LNK2001: unresolved external
symbol "_WinMain@16"

Visual C++ .NET:

error LNK2019: unresolved external symbol _WinMain@16 referenced in function _WinMainCRTStartup
fatal error LNK1120: 1 unresolved externals

CAUSE

MFC UNICODE applications use wWinMainCRTStartup as the entry point.

RESOLUTION

In the Output category of the Link tab in the Project Settings dialog box, set the Entry Point Symbol to wWinMainCRTStartup.

For Visual C++ .NET: In the Advanced category of the Linker folder in the Project Properties dialog box, set the Entry Point to wWinMainCRTStartup.

STATUS

This behavior is by design.

REFERENCES

The above information is documented in Books Online under this structure:

 - C/C++
    - Programming Techniques
       - Chapter 12 Developing for International Markets
          - Support for Unicode
             - Unicode Programming: Summary

This reference also lists the additional steps that you need to consider to take advantage of the MFC and C run-time support for Unicode.

Modification Type:	Major	Last Reviewed:	5/31/2005
Keywords:	kbtshoot kberrmsg kbprb KB125750 kbAudDeveloper