DOCUMENT:Q143208  03-AUG-2001  [visualc]
TITLE   :PRB: Using STL in Windows Program Can Cause Min/Max Conflicts
PRODUCT :Microsoft C Compiler
PROD/VER:4.0
OPER/SYS:
KEYWORDS:kb3rdparty

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

 - Microsoft Visual C++, version 4.0 
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SYMPTOMS
========

A windows-based program that uses the Standard Template Library (STL) will not
compile, and it generates several invalid parameter and syntax errors.

CAUSE
=====

The problem is caused by conflicting definitions of min and max. Min and max are
defined as macros in Windef.h as follows:

      #ifndef NOMINMAX
      #ifndef max
      #define max(a,b)  (((a) > (b)) ? (a) : (b))
      #endif

      #ifndef min
      #define min(a,b)  (((a) < (b)) ? (a) : (b))
      #endif
      #endif  /* NOMINMAX */ 

NOTE: Windef.h is included by Windows.h, which is included in nearly every
Windows-based program.

Min and max are defined as templated functions in the Standard Template Library
(STL). The following definitions of min and max can be found in the file
Algobase.h:

      template <class T>
      inline const T& min(const T& a, const T& b) {
          return b < a ? b : a;
      }
      template <class T, class Compare>
      inline const T& min(const T& a, const T& b, Compare comp) {
          return comp(b, a) ? b : a;
      }
      template <class T>
      inline const T& max(const T& a, const T& b) {
          return  a < b ? b : a;
      }
      template <class T, class Compare>
      inline const T& max(const T& a, const T& b, Compare comp) {
          return comp(a, b) ? b : a;
      }

Because the Windef.h definition is a macro, the function definitions cause syntax
errors when both Windef.h (or Windows.h) and Algobase.h (from the STL) are
included. The precise errors will depend on the order in which the two are
compiled.

RESOLUTION
==========

Simply define the NOMINMAX preprocessor symbol. This can be done in the
Developer Studio project under Build, Settings, on the C/C++ tab, in the
Preprocessor category. This will suppress the min and max definitions in
Windef.h.

STATUS
======

This behavior is by design.

Additional query words:

======================================================================
Keywords          : kb3rdparty 
Technology        : kbVCsearch kbVC400 kbAudDeveloper
Version           : 4.0
Issue type        : kbprb

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

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