KnowledgeBase Archive

An Archive of Early Microsoft KnowledgeBase Articles

View on GitHub

Q193000: PRB: Compiling a VB Project Generates "Fatal Error C1083"

Article: Q193000
Product(s): Microsoft Visual Basic for Windows
Version(s): WINDOWS:5.0,6.0
Operating System(s): 
Keyword(s): kbGrpDSVB
Last Modified: 11-JAN-2001

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

- Microsoft Visual Basic Learning Edition for Windows, versions 5.0, 6.0 
- Microsoft Visual Basic Professional Edition for Windows, versions 5.0, 6.0 
- Microsoft Visual Basic Enterprise Edition for Windows, versions 5.0, 6.0 
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

SYMPTOMS
========

Attempting to compile a Visual Basic project residing on a network that only
supports 8.3 filenames may generate the following error:

  "fatal error C1083: Cannot open compiler generated file:
  '[path to file]\[projectname]1.OBJ': No such file or directory."

CAUSE
=====

If there are N modules in a project, Visual Basic will create N + 1 object
files; one for each module and one for the project as a whole. The names are
derived from either the module name or, for the project, the EXE name. The name
used is either "<basename>.obj" or "<basename><number>.obj." A
number is added if the base names of the N + 1 files have naming conflicts (such
as test.bas and test.frm).

Therefore, even if the project name may be fewer than 8 characters, the Visual
Basic compiler/linker generates object files with the name
<projectname>1.OBJ when a conflict is detected, resulting in 9-character
filenames.

In a network environment that does not support long filenames, such as a Novell
network, the above error will occur.

RESOLUTION
==========

Create shorter names for your form, module, and project so that if a name
conflict occurs, the appended number will not violate the short filename
requirement of your network environment.

STATUS
======

This behavior is by design.

REFERENCES
==========

For additional information, please see the following articles in the Microsoft
Knowledge Base:

  Q152789 : HOWTO: Install Visual Basic to a Network Using 8.3 File Names

  Q191902 : PRB: Errors Using Setup Wizard on Novell Network

Additional query words: kbdss kbDSupport kbVBp kbCompiler kbVBp600 kbVBp500 kberrmsg

======================================================================
Keywords          : kbGrpDSVB 
Technology        : kbVBSearch kbAudDeveloper kbZNotKeyword6 kbZNotKeyword2 kbVB500Search kbVB600Search kbVBA500 kbVBA600 kbVB500 kbVB600
Version           : WINDOWS:5.0,6.0
Issue type        : kbprb

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

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.