I'm compiling a large project (12 source files) using the Borland C++ 3.1 Integrated Development Environment (IDE). When I use the Make command from the Compile menu, the Compile Status window sometimes will display a large number of errors. Then, the IDE will come to a halt, forcing me to reboot the machine.
Typically, this happens immediately after I've changed a header file. As the compiler begins scanning the header files, there seems to be an error for each file.
Oddly enough, if I use the Build All command from the Compile
menu, the project will compile correctly. What's causing
the IDE to crash this way?
Diane Hendrix
Nashville, Tennessee
Diane, it sounds like the IDE doesn't have enough file handles available from DOS. When you choose Make from the Compile menu, the IDE maintains open file handles for its own working filesincluding the SYM file for the project that contains the precompiled header data.
When you make a change that forces the IDE to rebuild the precompiled header information, the IDE tries to allocate new file handles for the project's header files. If enough file handles aren't available, the IDE won't be able to open the header files (causing the errors) and will eventually lock up.
To fix the problem, make sure you're allocating enough
DOS file handles in your CONFIG.SYS file. For Borland C++, you
should include the line
FILES=20
in your CONFIG.SYS file. If this line already appears in your
CONFIG.SYS file, try increasing the value of FILES to
25. After you boot DOS with this change to your CONFIG.SYS file,
your IDE lockup problem should disappear.
Copyright (c) 1996 The Cobb Group, a division of Ziff-Davis Publishing Company. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium without express written permission of Ziff-Davis Publishing Company is prohibited. The Cobb Group and The Cobb Group logo are trademarks of Ziff-Davis Publishing Company.