VC++ Exp Edition 2005 fails to compile with STL string

I don't care about all the new Managed C++, CLR stuff, etc ... not just yet. Right now, just want to compile the most basic, could't -be-simpler C++ program that most C++ compilers could already handle 10 or 15 years ago.   And surprisingly, VC++ 2005 EE fails to do that. Or if it can, the Microsoft VC team certainly do not make it easy. I love to be told that I'm wrong or missing something really stupid. That way, I am embarrased for 10 minutes but can still go on. The alternative is I'm right but get stuck for who-knows-how-long until the next fix, if any. I choose the former.

I tried Alt+F7 (configure project properties) and tried many different compiling options, but still, if I include <string>, then the compile fails. For now I give up and would like to ask everyone else. Why does MS have to ake it so hard

Here's the sample:

TestSTL.h
#ifndef __TEST_STL__
#define __TEST_STL__

class TestSTL
{
public:
    TestSTL();
    virtual ~TestSTL();

};

#endif

TestSTL.cpp
#include <string> //This is the killer
#include "TestSTL.h"

TestSTL::TestSTL()
{
//Do nothing
}

TestSTL::~TestSTL()
{
//Do nothing
}

int main(int argc, char **argv) {
    //Do nothing
    return 0;
}

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VC++ Exp Edition 2005 fails to compile with STL string

Luis Forero
The problem is not with your code: look at the path of the header files in the error messages: you are, somehow, including the Visual C++ 6.0 version of these header files. The Visual C++ 6.0 header files are definitely not conformant to the C++ Standard (they were developed in 1995) and so it is not suprising that the Visual C++ 2005 compiler is finding lots of errors.
James Liddell
Thanks for helping me figuring out the problem. What happened was I had VC6 previously installed on my machine. Once I installed VC2005 EE on the same machine, somehow (I think by default), in Tools->Options->Project and Solutions->VC++ Directories->Include Files, the path to VC6 include files was listed first in the list box. Therefore the VC++ 2005 compiler errors out as Jonathan pointed out. Thanks again.
Snadge
Visual C++ 6.0 header files This little program is pure C++, should be compilable by any C++ compiler. There's nothing in either of those 2 files (cpp or header) that is specific about VC6 or VC2005 or borland or GNU compiler or anything.   OK, so you mean there's some compile options or configurations in the Project properties settings that I need to do What is it I can't find it.

One way to reproduce this is fire up VC2005 EE, select New and use the "Empty Project" wizard and start adding or writing your own simple program with #include <string> in it. Make it even easier for yourself. Add one single cpp file called main.cpp as follow:

main.cpp
#include <string>
#include <iostream>
int main()
{
    std::string hello("Hello world");
    std::cout << hello << std::endl;
    return 0;
}

As you can see, absolutely there's no VC6 involved in those steps. You will see the compilation fails. So why is it
Markus Sch.
The compiling errors are as befow:

1>------ Build started: Project: TestSTL, Configuration: Debug Win32 ------
1>Compiling...
1>TestSTL.cpp
1>C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio\VC98\Include\utility(81) : warning C4346: '_It::iterator_category' : dependent name is not a type
1>        prefix with 'typename' to indicate a type
1>        C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio\VC98\Include\utility(84) : see reference to class template instantiation 'std::iterator_traits<_It>' being compiled
1>C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio\VC98\Include\utility(81) : error C2146: syntax error : missing ';' before identifier 'iterator_category'
1>C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio\VC98\Include\utility(81) : error C4430: missing type specifier - int assumed. Note: C++ does not support default-int
1>C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio\VC98\Include\utility(82) : warning C4346: '_It::value_type' : dependent name is not a type
1>        prefix with 'typename' to indicate a type
1>C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio\VC98\Include\utility(82) : error C2146: syntax error : missing ';' before identifier 'value_type'
1>C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio\VC98\Include\utility(82) : error C4430: missing type specifier - int assumed. Note: C++ does not support default-int
1>C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio\VC98\Include\utility(83) : warning C4346: '_It::distance_type' : dependent name is not a type
1>        prefix with 'typename' to indicate a type
1>C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio\VC98\Include\utility(83) : error C2146: syntax error : missing ';' before identifier 'distance_type'
1>C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio\VC98\Include\utility(83) : error C4430: missing type specifier - int assumed. Note: C++ does not support default-int
1>C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio\VC98\Include\utility(224) : warning C4348: 'std::istreambuf_iterator' : redefinition of default parameter : parameter 2
1>        C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio\VC98\Include\utility(279) : see declaration of 'std::istreambuf_iterator'
1>C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio\VC98\Include\utility(226) : warning C4346: '_Tr::off_type' : dependent name is not a type
1>        prefix with 'typename' to indicate a type
1>        C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio\VC98\Include\utility(279) : see reference to class template instantiation 'std::istreambuf_iterator<_E,_Tr>' being compiled
1>C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio\VC98\Include\utility(226) : error C2923: 'std::iterator' : '_Tr::off_type' is not a valid template type argument for parameter '_D'
1>C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio\VC98\Include\utility(226) : error C2955: 'std::iterator' : use of class template requires template argument list
1>        C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio\VC98\Include\utility(71) : see declaration of 'std::iterator'
1>C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio\VC98\Include\utility(231) : warning C4346: '_Tr::int_type' : dependent name is not a type
1>        prefix with 'typename' to indicate a type
1>C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio\VC98\Include\utility(231) : error C2146: syntax error : missing ';' before identifier 'int_type'
1>C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio\VC98\Include\utility(231) : error C4430: missing type specifier - int assumed. Note: C++ does not support default-int
1>C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio\VC98\Include\utility(289) : warning C4348: 'std::ostreambuf_iterator' : redefinition of default parameter : parameter 2
1>        C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio\VC98\Include\utility(318) : see declaration of 'std::ostreambuf_iterator'
1>C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio\VC98\Include\xstring(25) : warning C4346: '_A::size_type' : dependent name is not a type
1>        prefix with 'typename' to indicate a type
1>        C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio\VC98\Include\xstring(597) : see reference to class template instantiation 'std::basic_string<_E,_Tr,_A>' being compiled
1>C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio\VC98\Include\xstring(25) : error C2146: syntax error : missing ';' before identifier 'size_type'
1>C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio\VC98\Include\xstring(25) : error C4430: missing type specifier - int assumed. Note: C++ does not support default-int
1>C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio\VC98\Include\xstring(26) : warning C4346: '_A::difference_type' : dependent name is not a type
1>        prefix with 'typename' to indicate a type
1>C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio\VC98\Include\xstring(26) : error C2146: syntax error : missing ';' before identifier 'difference_type'
1>C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio\VC98\Include\xstring(26) : error C4430: missing type specifier - int assumed. Note: C++ does not support default-int
1>C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio\VC98\Include\xstring(27) : warning C4346: '_A::pointer' : dependent name is not a type
1>        prefix with 'typename' to indicate a type
1>C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio\VC98\Include\xstring(27) : error C2146: syntax error : missing ';' before identifier 'pointer'
1>C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio\VC98\Include\xstring(27) : error C4430: missing type specifier - int assumed. Note: C++ does not support default-int
1>C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio\VC98\Include\xstring(28) : warning C4346: '_A::const_pointer' : dependent name is not a type
1>        prefix with 'typename' to indicate a type
1>C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio\VC98\Include\xstring(28) : error C2146: syntax error : missing ';' before identifier 'const_pointer'
1>C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio\VC98\Include\xstring(28) : error C4430: missing type specifier - int assumed. Note: C++ does not support default-int
1>C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio\VC98\Include\xstring(29) : warning C4346: '_A::reference' : dependent name is not a type
1>        prefix with 'typename' to indicate a type
1>C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio\VC98\Include\xstring(29) : error C2146: syntax error : missing ';' before identifier 'reference'
1>C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio\VC98\Include\xstring(29) : error C4430: missing type specifier - int assumed. Note: C++ does not support default-int
1>C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio\VC98\Include\xstring(30) : warning C4346: '_A::const_reference' : dependent name is not a type
1>        prefix with 'typename' to indicate a type
1>C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio\VC98\Include\xstring(30) : error C2146: syntax error : missing ';' before identifier 'const_reference'
1>C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio\VC98\Include\xstring(30) : error C4430: missing type specifier - int assumed. Note: C++ does not support default-int
1>C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio\VC98\Include\xstring(31) : warning C4346: '_A::value_type' : dependent name is not a type
1>        prefix with 'typename' to indicate a type
1>C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio\VC98\Include\xstring(31) : error C2146: syntax error : missing ';' before identifier 'value_type'
1>C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio\VC98\Include\xstring(31) : error C4430: missing type specifier - int assumed. Note: C++ does not support default-int
1>C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio\VC98\Include\xstring(32) : warning C4346: '_A::pointer' : dependent name is not a type
1>        prefix with 'typename' to indicate a type
1>C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio\VC98\Include\xstring(32) : error C2144: syntax error : 'std::iterator' should be preceded by ';'
1>C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio\VC98\Include\xstring(32) : error C2208: 'std::iterator' : no members defined using this type
1>C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio\VC98\Include\xstring(32) : fatal error C1903: unable to recover from previous error(s); stopping compilation
1>Build log was saved at "file://c:\VcExpressWorkSpace\TestSTL\TestSTL\Debug\BuildLog.htm"
1>TestSTL - 27 error(s), 15 warning(s)
========== Build: 0 succeeded, 1 failed, 0 up-to-date, 0 skipped ==========
Przemys&#322;aw Rokicki
You are trying to compile Visual C++ 6.0 header files using the Visual C++ 2005 compiler - this won't work as the Visual C++ 2005 compiler is much, much stricter.
Olivier Georg
What error is there

I had VC Exp Edition 2005 installed, but did not use it, instead, I used my VC6.0 in the same machine to compile, and here it goes:

Q:\peter\STL>cl testSTL.cpp
Microsoft (R) 32-bit C/C++ Optimizing Compiler Version 12.00.8804 for 80x86
Copyright (C) Microsoft Corp 1984-1998. All rights reserved.

testSTL.cpp
H:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio\VC98\include\istream(547) : warning C45
30: C++ exception handler used, but unwind semantics are not enabled. Specify -G
X
H:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio\VC98\include\ostream(234) : warning C45
30: C++ exception handler used, but unwind semantics are not enabled. Specify -G
X
        H:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio\VC98\include\ostream(229) : whi
le compiling class-template member function 'class std::basic_ostream<char,struc
t std::char_traits<char> > &__thiscall std::basic_ostream<char,struct std::char_
traits<char> >::put(char)'
H:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio\VC98\include\ostream(234) : warning C45
30: C++ exception handler used, but unwind semantics are not enabled. Specify -G
X
        H:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio\VC98\include\ostream(229) : whi
le compiling class-template member function 'class std::basic_ostream<unsigned s
hort,struct std::char_traits<unsigned short> > &__thiscall std::basic_ostream<un
signed short,struct std::char_traits<unsigned short> >::put(unsigned short)'
H:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio\VC98\include\istream(46) : warning C453
0: C++ exception handler used, but unwind semantics are not enabled. Specify -GX

        H:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio\VC98\include\istream(41) : whil
e compiling class-template member function 'bool __thiscall std::basic_istream<c
har,struct std::char_traits<char> >::ipfx(bool)'
H:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio\VC98\include\istream(46) : warning C453
0: C++ exception handler used, but unwind semantics are not enabled. Specify -GX

        H:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio\VC98\include\istream(41) : whil
e compiling class-template member function 'bool __thiscall std::basic_istream<u
nsigned short,struct std::char_traits<unsigned short> >::ipfx(bool)'
H:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio\VC98\include\xstring(525) : warning C45
30: C++ exception handler used, but unwind semantics are not enabled. Specify -G
X
        H:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio\VC98\include\xstring(521) : whi
le compiling class-template member function 'void __thiscall std::basic_string<c
har,struct std::char_traits<char>,class std::allocator<char> >::_Copy(unsigned i
nt)'
Microsoft (R) Incremental Linker Version 6.00.8447
Copyright (C) Microsoft Corp 1992-1998. All rights reserved.

/out:testSTL.exe
testSTL.obj

Q:\peter\STL>cl testSTL.cpp -GX
Microsoft (R) 32-bit C/C++ Optimizing Compiler Version 12.00.8804 for 80x86
Copyright (C) Microsoft Corp 1984-1998. All rights reserved.

testSTL.cpp
Microsoft (R) Incremental Linker Version 6.00.8447
Copyright (C) Microsoft Corp 1992-1998. All rights reserved.

/out:testSTL.exe
testSTL.obj

As you can see, there are no errors.   I am quite disappointed with the level of support provided by Jonathan Caves....
BeerBecks
SO... what/where is the failure !!!
VC++ Exp Edition 2005 fails to compile with STL string

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