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I'm trying to get the Program Files path, append it another bit of path and then run it.

TCHAR programsdir[MAX_PATH];
SHGetFolderPath(NULL,CSIDL_PROGRAM_FILESX86,NULL,NULL,programsdir);
PathAppend(programsdir, TEXT("\\bin\\program.exe"));
LPCSTR pokerpath = TEXT(programsdir);
WinExec(pokerpath ,SW_SHOW);
return pokerpath;

Getting this error message when trying to run the above:

error C2065: 'Lprogramsdir' : undeclared identifier

Or Weinberger
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  • Which of those three steps are you having trouble with? Which line is causing the error? Have you tried creating a minimal example? How long did it take you to compose this question? – Beta Jul 11 '12 at 15:51
  • also mention whether this is a compile or runtime error_ – Moataz Elmasry Jul 11 '12 at 15:52
  • @MoatazElmasry: It's a compile error, see the C2065? –  Jul 11 '12 at 15:52
  • What did you expect this code to do: `LPCSTR pokerpath = TEXT(programsdir);`? Did you expect it to modify `programsdir`? Copy it? Cast it to a different type of pointer? – David Schwartz Jul 11 '12 at 16:04

2 Answers2

2

TEXT is a macro that should be L when you are compiling with unicode and nothing otherwise.

So in your case, TEXT(programsdir) becomes Lprogramsdir. That's why you have this error.

When you are using unicode strings, you have to prefix their declaration with a L as in L"My string content"

By writing TEXT("My string content"), you ensure that it become L"My string content" when using unicode and "My string content" otherwise. This macro allows you to use different encoding without having to modify your raw strings.

It's not used for copy or cast, if that's what you where trying to do.

Mesop
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  • It's hard to imagine what reasoning lead to this line: `LPCSTR pokerpath = TEXT(programsdir);` If a new object was being created, how was it to be freed? If not, what was the pointer supposed to point to? – David Schwartz Jul 11 '12 at 15:56
  • @DavidSchwartz: LPCSTR is a typedef for `const char *` –  Jul 11 '12 at 16:01
  • @0A0D: Right. So what was that line supposed to do? What was `pokerpath` supposed to point to after that line? A newly-created object? An existing object? Or what? Did the OP think it allocated a string? Did the OP think it changed the contents of `programsdir`? Or copied them? Or what? – David Schwartz Jul 11 '12 at 16:03
  • @DavidSchwartz: I think he thinks that it helps him, when he does not understand that they are just hidden types created by microsoft. TCHAR is a char and LPCSTR is a const char *, so all this funny business using TEXT is silly. –  Jul 11 '12 at 16:05
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TCHAR is a typedef for char.

LPCSTR is a typedef for const char *.

There is no need to call the TEXT macro (Which appends an L to your variable name apparently per @olchauvin).

You should be using strcpy(pokerpath, programsdir);

or just return programsdir. It will decay in to char * anyways.

I don't know if you are using UNICODE, so you may need to use one of the special UNICODE functions to copy the strings. Otherwise, just return it.