FIX: C1024 or C1083 Error When INCLUDE Set to Root Directory (97809)

SYMPTOMS

An attempt to compile an application fails and Microsoft C/C++ generates one of the following messages. For version 8.0:

fatal error C1083: Cannot open include file: 'stdio.h':
Permission denied

For version 7.0:

fatal error C1024: cannot open include file 'stdio.h'

The application compiles correctly in Microsoft C version 6.0 for MS-DOS.

RESOLUTION

To work around this problem, edit your AUTOEXEC.BAT file to replace the backslash character (\) in the directory specification with a forward slash character (/). For example, the modified SET statement would appear as follows:

   set INCLUDE=C:/

For a drive letter created with the SUBST command, omitting the backslash character entirely also works. For example:

   set INCLUDE=M:

MORE INFORMATION

Perform the following two steps to demonstrate this problem.

Copy STDIO.H to the root directory on your C drive.

Enter the following at the MS-DOS command prompt: set INCLUDE=C:\ cl TEST.C

If your C/C++ INCLUDE directory is C:\C700\INCLUDE, the error also occurs if you enter the following at the MS-DOS command prompt: subst M: C:\C700\INCLUDE set INCLUDE=M:\ cl TEST.C The compiler uses the INCLUDE environment variable to specify the directories it searches for header files listed in the #include statement.

The MS-DOS SUBST command can be used to substitute a drive letter for a directory path. For more information on the SUBST command, please refer to your "MS-DOS User's Guide and Reference" manual. Also note that the online help for MS-DOS version 6.0 states "Do not use the SUBST command when you are running Windows."

Sample Code

/*
 * Compile options needed: none
 */ 

#include <stdio.h>

void main (void)
{
   printf("Hello World\n");
}