FIX: MSDEV.EXE Application Error When Building an Application (165792)

The information in this article applies to:

Microsoft Visual C++, 32-bit Enterprise Edition 5.0
Microsoft Visual C++, 32-bit Professional Edition 5.0

This article was previously published under Q165792

SYMPTOMS

When you compile a file in Developer Studio, an error similar to the following may occur:

MSDEV.EXE - Application Error
The instruction at "0x500b153d" referenced memory at "0x100000c1.
The memory could not be "read".

-or-

Error executing ~vcecho!Compiling.

CAUSE

The install directory contains spaces and the root directory contains a file with the same name as the first part of the install directory, or the project directory contains an ampersand (&) in its name.

A common scenario follows.

Developer Studio was installed under the default Program Files directory and there is a file in the root directory with a filename of Program. For example:

   C:\Program

-or-

   C:\Program.exe

RESOLUTION

Rename the file.

-or-

Delete the file.

-or-

Uninstall Developer Studio and install it in a directory that doesn't contain spaces.

-or-

Uninstall Developer Studio and install it in a directory with spaces that doesn't have a file in the root directory with the same name as the first part of the install directory.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a bug in the Microsoft products listed at the beginning of this article. This bug has been corrected in Visual Studio 97 Service Pack 1.

For additional information about the Visual Studio 97 Service Pack 1, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

170365 INFO: Visual Studio 97 Service Packs - What, Where, and Why

MORE INFORMATION

If the file happens to be an executable such as C:\Program.exe, then program.exe will be executed instead of the build. If program.exe returns zero, then you will see any output from stdout in the build tab of the output window. If program.exe returns non-zero, then you will see the error message "Error executing ~vcecho!Compiling." in the build tab of the output window.

Modification Type:	Major	Last Reviewed:	10/24/2003
Keywords:	kbBug kberrmsg kbfix kbide kbProgramming kbVS97sp1fix KB165792