KnowledgeBase Archive

An Archive of Early Microsoft KnowledgeBase Articles

View on GitHub

Q32448: INFO: Specifying .DEF Files on the CL Command Line

Article: Q32448
Product(s): Microsoft C Compiler
Version(s): MS-DOS:6.0,6.00a,6.00ax,7.0; OS/2:6.0,6.00a; WINDOWS:1.0,1.5; WINDOWS NT:1.0,2.0,4.0,5.
Operating System(s): 
Keyword(s): kbCompiler kbVC100 kbVC150 kbVC200 kbVC400 kbVC500 kbVC600
Last Modified: 22-JUL-2001

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The information in this article applies to:

- The C/C++ Compiler (CL.EXE), included with:
   - Microsoft C for MS-DOS, versions 6.0, 6.0a, 6.0ax 
   - Microsoft C for OS/2, versions 6.0, 6.0a 
   - Microsoft C/C++ for MS-DOS, version 7.0 
   - Microsoft Visual C++ for Windows, 16-bit edition, versions 1.0, 1.5 
   - Microsoft Visual C++, 32-bit Editions, versions 1.0, 2.0, 4.0, 5.0, 6.0 
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY
=======

The Microsoft C and C/C++ compiler command lines can include files with the
.DEF, .LIB, and .OBJ filename extensions.

If you specify one or more of these files on the command line, the CL driver
passes them appropriately as arguments to LINK.EXE. If the name of a file does
not have an extension, CL treats it as a .OBJ file and appropriately passes it
to the linker.

The following command line builds an application called MYAPP.EXE by compiling
MYAPP.C into MYAPP.OBJ, then linking MYAPP.OBJ and MYSUB.OBJ with the MYLIB.LIB
library and the MYDEF.DEF module definition file:

  cl myapp.c mysub mylib.lib mydef.def

Additional query words: 8.00 8.00c 9.00

======================================================================
Keywords          : kbCompiler kbVC100 kbVC150 kbVC200 kbVC400 kbVC500 kbVC600 
Technology        : kbVCsearch kbAudDeveloper kbCVCComp
Version           : MS-DOS:6.0,6.00a,6.00ax,7.0; OS/2:6.0,6.00a; WINDOWS:1.0,1.5; WINDOWS NT:1.0,2.0,4.0,5.0
Issue type        : kbinfo

=============================================================================

THE INFORMATION PROVIDED IN THE MICROSOFT KNOWLEDGE BASE IS PROVIDED "AS IS" WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND. MICROSOFT DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. IN NO EVENT SHALL MICROSOFT CORPORATION OR ITS SUPPLIERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DAMAGES WHATSOEVER INCLUDING DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, LOSS OF BUSINESS PROFITS OR SPECIAL DAMAGES, EVEN IF MICROSOFT CORPORATION OR ITS SUPPLIERS HAVE BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES. SOME STATES DO NOT ALLOW THE EXCLUSION OR LIMITATION OF LIABILITY FOR CONSEQUENTIAL OR INCIDENTAL DAMAGES SO THE FOREGOING LIMITATION MAY NOT APPLY.

Copyright Microsoft Corporation 1986-2002.