Q40160: PRB: C2001: Newline in Constant for a String on Multiple Lines

Article: Q40160
Product(s): Microsoft C Compiler
Version(s): 
Operating System(s): 
Keyword(s): kbCompiler kbprb
Last Modified: 25-JUL-2001

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The information in this article applies to:

- Microsoft 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++, versions 1.0, 1.50, 1.51 
   - *EDITOR Please do not choose this product*Microsoft Visual C++ 32-bit Edition* use 241, 265, 225, versions 1.0, 2.0, 2.1 
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SYMPTOMS
========

If program contains a string literal that is incorrectly split over multiple
lines the following error will occur:

  error C 2001: newline in constant

Several other errors may be caused by this also. This sample will also give
errors C2065, C2121, C2143, and C2198 as a result of the newline errors.

CAUSE
=====

This is a common programming mistake. Special considerations must be taken to
split a constant string over several lines.

RESOLUTION
==========

The best method is to change the format string, as in the following example
(this works because strings separated only by spaces, tabs, and/or newlines are
concatenated as specified by the ANSI standard):

     printf("\n %s"
            " %s"
            " %s",
            "this", "is", "it");

The older and less-preferred method is to use continuation lines by typing a
backslash followed by a carriage return at the end of a line, as in the
following example:

     printf("\n %s\ 
            %s\ 
            %s",
            "this", "is", "it");

This is not as good as the previous example because the spaces at the beginning
of the continuation line become part of the string, unlike the first example.

MORE INFORMATION
================

Sample Code
-----------

  #include <stdio.h>
  void main()
  {
     printf("\n %s"
            " %s"
            " %s",
            "this", "is", "it");
  }


Additional query words: 1.00 1.50 2.00 2.10 6.00 6.00a 6.00ax 7.00 8.00 8.00c 9.00 9.10

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Keywords          : kbCompiler kbprb 
Technology        : kbVCsearch kbAudDeveloper kbCVCComp
Issue type        : kbprb

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