INFO: Compile and Link Requirements for MFC Applications (88113)


The information in this article applies to:

  • The Microsoft Foundation Classes (MFC), when used with:
    • Microsoft C/C++ 7.0
    • Microsoft Visual C++ for Windows, 16-bit edition 1.0
    • Microsoft Visual C++ for Windows, 16-bit edition 1.5
    • Microsoft Visual C++ for Windows, 16-bit edition 1.51
    • Microsoft Visual C++ for Windows, 16-bit edition 1.52
    • Microsoft Visual C++, 32-bit Editions 1.0
    • Microsoft Visual C++, 32-bit Editions 2.0
    • Microsoft Visual C++, 32-bit Editions 2.1
    • Microsoft Visual C++, 32-bit Editions 4.0
This article was previously published under Q88113

SUMMARY

The Microsoft Foundation Classes (MFC) samples provide an excellent starting point for learning basic, intermediate, and advanced MFC application programming techniques. Although these samples are easily built in the development environment with which they are shipped, the general requirements for building MFC applications are not clearly outlined in the documentation of the products listed above. This article elaborates on the process.

The requirements for compiling and linking MFC applications are similar to those of their non-MFC counterparts. In addition to the usual includes and libraries, MFC programs must also include an MFC header, and link with an appropriate MFC library. MFC programs may require that certain symbols be defined.

MORE INFORMATION

When building MFC applications, make sure #include "stdafx.h" is the first line of the .cpp file. This file includes most of the classes needed for MFC Windows-based applications. It also includes AFX.H, which contains declarations for CObject and other basic classes, data types, and macros. The AFX.H file does not include the additional Windows and Windows NT specific classes needed for these types of applications, and is often used instead of AFXWIN.H for MS-DOS programs.

NOTE: For Windows NT console applications, you must determine whether you need to include AFXWIN.H, because console applications can create windows as well as Windows programs.

You may also need to include AFXCOLL.H, AFXDLG.H, or one of the other headers from the ...\MFC\INCLUDE directory if you are using the MFC Collection classes, Common Dialog classes, or other special MFC classes.

In addition, you must specify an MFC library when linking your application. The MFC library, for MS-DOS and Windows, must match the memory model of the program (that is, small, medium, compact, or large).

The following describes the naming conventions of the Windows NT MFC libraries included with Visual C++ 32-bit Edition, versions 1.0 through 2.x: 
   NAFX {C|D} {W|R} [D]

   {C|D}     = C application or DLL
   {W|R}     = Windows or Console
   [D]       = Debugging and possibly CodeView information
The following describes the naming conventions of the Win32 MFC libraries included with Visual C++ 32-bit Edition, versions 4.0: 
   {N|U} AFXCW [D]

   {N|U}     = ANSI (N) or Unicode (U)
   [D]       = Debugging and possibly CodeView information
Although the libraries necessary for building the sample programs are provided, additional variants must be built if required. This process is explained in the README.TXT file contained by default in the ...\MFC\SRC directory.

In addition to the library variants above, Visual C++ contains DLL versions of the MFC classes. These are explained in MFC Technote #33.

The following command lines build a medium model 16-bit Windows-based application:

Debug:

cl /c /GA /GEs /Zp /Od /Zi /AM /D_DEBUG hello.cpp
rc /r hello.rc
link /NOD /ALIGN:16 /CO hello,,,mafxcwd mlibcew libw,hello.def
rc hello.res

Release:

cl /c /GA /GEs /Zp /AM hello.cpp
rc /r hello.rc
link /NOD /ALIGN:16 hello,,,mafxcw mlibcew libw,hello.def
rc hello.res

The /NOD link option is recommended to prevent accidentally linking with an MS-DOS version of the C run-time library.

The following command lines build a Win32-based application:

Debug:

cl /c /Od /Zi /D_DEBUG /D_X86_ /D_WINDOWS hello.cpp
rc /r hello.rc
link hello.obj hello.res nafxcwd.lib gdi32.lib shell32.lib advapi32.lib comdlg32.lib

Release:

cl /c /D_X86_ /D_WINDOWS hello.cpp
rc /r hello.rc
link hello.obj hello.res nafxcw.lib gdi32.lib shell32.lib advapi32.lib comdlg32.lib

In Visual C++ 4.0, _X86_ has been replace by _M_IX86. More importantly, with MFC version 3.0 and later (Visual C++ 2.0 and later), it is no longer necessary to manually specify the version of the MFC library. Instead, the included MFC header files automatically determine the correct version of the MFC library. For more information, see the "Library Versions" topic of "Programming with MFC: Encyclopedia" in the Visual C++ 4.0 Books Online.

The MFC libraries should be specified as the first library on your link line for all applications.

Notice that if you link with a debug variant of an MFC library ("D" suffix), you must also define _DEBUG during compilation. For more information on this subject, query on the following words in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

mfc and safxcrd and _debug and libraries

Although the compile and link lines must be modified appropriately for MS- DOS-based or Win32-based console applications, the same guidelines apply. The Resource Compiler can be used with console applications, but doesn't have to be. Also, _CONSOLE must be defined instead of _WINDOWS (This is not necessary with Visual C++ 4.0.) With MS-DOS programs, the Resource Compiler is not used, and _DOS must be defined instead of _WINDOWS.

In the Windows example above, the compiler option /GA defines the constant _WINDOWS; however, if other compiler options are used, _WINDOWS may need to be defined in your code. (Including the file AFXWIN.H in your application will cause _WINDOWS to be defined.)
Modification Type:MajorLast Reviewed:12/11/2003
Keywords:kbinfo KB88113
©2003 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.