Re: Undeclared identifier error in file "xlocnum"

I had issues with strcat and strcpy in 1975, and nothing in the intervening 30 years has
changed the fact that they are exceptionally poorly designed. I have never liked them, and
now that I have CString, I never use them (what never? Well, hardly ever...)

As I indicated, you have done something that includes the safe-string library; this
redefines all those crappy old functions to generate warning messages, and provides for
intelligently-designed alternatives. That's why a new project won't cause problems; but
include the safe-string library and you'll get the problems.

Note that when Microsoft did a code audit of Windows as part of their security effort,
several THOUSAND potential buffer overflow exploits were identified as the result of
strcpy and strcat. This came as no surprise to me. (I've heard numbers like 5000 and 8000
quoted in some newsgroups, but I have no inside information to verify any of these
numbers. But they are quite credible). Since there is little or no reason to use either
strcpy or strcat these days, it is better to adopt safe programming practices. I very
nearly have the safe-string strcpy and strcat memorized at this point, mostly because I so
rarely need them that I don't have to write such functions very often, and really don't
use strcpy/strcat any longer.
joe

On Wed, 6 Jul 2005 18:01:02 -0700, "Yasoo" <Yasoo@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

>Joe -
>
> Myself, I have no issues with strcat,strcpy,sprintf/etc. I actually like
>them. I still don't understadnd why I am getting the error - I never have
>before. I thought maybe installing the SDK might have something to do with
>it, but I can create a new project as usual and use strcat just fine.
>Something about the sample project? An include file that #defines something
>which in turn will give me that error. I went hand by hand and switched
>them, but I'd rather know how to tell it strcat is ok to use. Do you know
>how?
>
>"Joseph M. Newcomer" wrote:
>
>> Actually, you should not be using sprintf any longer. This antiquated and dangerous
>> function has now been replaced by the safe-string version. There is a redefinition of all
>> the antique unsafe functions if you include the safe-string library that causes this
>> message to be put out. Since you are already including the library (which causes this
>> message), the best solution would be to follow its advice and replace sprintf with the
>> safe-string version. For that matter, why are you using sprintf at all in an MFC program?
>> Use CString::Format!
>>
>> It is an apalling state of affairs when it took 30 years to replace sprtinf with something
>> intelligent. I was disgusted by strcat/strcpy/sprintf back in 1975 and I still am today.
>>
>> (In a fascinating exercise, I finally had to take a program I wrote in 1984, in C, and
>> rewrite it, since the old MS-DOS program it interfaced to no longer operates, and I've
>> lost the installation disks. What amazes me is the amount of effort I went through back
>> then to implement my own safe-string functions. There are even comments in it indicating
>> that sprintf is dangerous but I didn't know how to implement a safe-sprintf.)
>> joe
>>
>> On Wed, 6 Jul 2005 06:42:02 -0700, "Yasoo" <Yasoo@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>>
>> >I installed the Platform SDK and DX9.0 SDK. I am trying to compile a sample
>> >project and I get the following error:
>> >
>> >
>> >c:\program files\microsoft visual studio\vc98\include\xlocnum(481) : error
>> >C2065: 'sprintf_instead_use_StringCbPrintfA_or_StringCchPrintfA' : undeclared
>> >identifier
>> >c:\program files\microsoft visual studio\vc98\include\xlocnum(479) : while
>> >compiling class-template member function 'class
>> >std:streambuf_iterator<char,struct std::char_traits<char> > __thiscall
>> >std::num_put<char,class std:streambuf_itera
>> >tor<char,struct std::char_traits<char> > >::do_put(class
>> >std:streambuf_iterator<char,struct std::char_traits<char> >,class
>> >std::ios_base &,char,long) const'
>> >
>> >
>> >Anyone know what this might be? I put the xlocnum file that resides the PSDK
>> >subdirectory (it's a newer file) in the project directory thinking the newer
>> >xlocnum might work, but it returns the same errors.
>> >
>> >Also, I set up the search paths in "Options" on the "Directories" tab for
>> >the SDK directories, but it still finds the "xlocnum" file in my Visual
>> >Studio directory even though I moved the SDK directories to the top of the
>> >list (for includes, libraries, executables, and souce).
>>
>> Joseph M. Newcomer [MVP]
>> email: newcomer@xxxxxxxxxxxx
>> Web: http://www.flounder.com
>> MVP Tips: http://www.flounder.com/mvp_tips.htm
>>

Joseph M. Newcomer [MVP]
email: newcomer@xxxxxxxxxxxx
Web: http://www.flounder.com
MVP Tips: http://www.flounder.com/mvp_tips.htm
.

Relevant Pages

  • Re: Undeclared identifier error in file "xlocnum"
    ... there is still a reason to use those crappy old functions. ... >your code is used on other platforms and by other compilers you will ... >>strcpy or strcat these days, it is better to adopt safe programming practices. ...
    (microsoft.public.vc.mfc)
  • Re: Difference between strcpy() and strcat()?
    ... Leor Zolman wrote in message news:> "strcpy is safer than strcat because it is easier to check programmatically ... > length of the source string. ... With strcat, on the other hand, you have to ...
    (comp.lang.c)
  • Re: Undeclared identifier error in file "xlocnum"
    ... there is still a reason to use those crappy old functions. ... >strcpy or strcat these days, it is better to adopt safe programming practices. ...
    (microsoft.public.vc.mfc)
  • Re: Difference between strcpy() and strcat()?
    ... There's more "stuff" to think about when using strcat; ... I would never dream of using it "in place of" strcpy; ... std::string in C++ and try to avoid str*() whenever possible, ...
    (comp.lang.c)
  • Re: FindFirstFile, how much faster than FindNextFile?
    ... If you want to see really horrible, hair-raising code, open a recent CUJ ... and check how the guy is creating XML request strings. ... if you ever write strcpy or strcat, THINK REAL HARD ABOUT WHY YOU ...
    (microsoft.public.vc.mfc)