error RC2104: undefined keyword or key name: DS_SETFONT

Question

I am starting to learn about the Windows API. So I opened up Microsoft Visual C++ and created a new project. I chose Win32 project and it started up. I then clicked build and run before typing anything and I came up with this error:

error RC2104: undefined keyword or key name: DS_SETFONT....

The error told me it was in the windows resource file that I cannot edit. I looked on-line and I couldn't find anything on this topic.

How would I go about fixing this?

Have you added any custom code to the project yet? It doesn't sound like it, but I want to be sure. — user1201210, Sep 28 '12 at 20:54
Hrm. Does the auto-generated code have the line `#include ` in it? If so, are you familiar with how to check the "include directories" settings in MSVC? — user1201210, Sep 28 '12 at 21:13
I am sort of familiar with it, I used it when learning some OpenGL. — Wp3Dev, Sep 28 '12 at 21:16
Check the listed "include directories" in the settings to make sure one of the directories contains the file `windows.h`. — user1201210, Sep 28 '12 at 21:58

score 12 · Answer 1 · edited Jul 22 '13 at 06:39

12

When the solution is generated, it removes #include <windows.h>.

Simply adding #include <windows.h> will fix it.

In my case, I added it in the *.rc file.

edited Jul 22 '13 at 06:39

Cody Gray - on strike

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answered Jul 22 '13 at 06:29

Wasim A.

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It probably has something to do with your decision *not* to use precompiled headers. Normally, the RC file includes the pre-compiled header, named `stdafx.h` by default. That in turn includes ``. If you've disabled pre-compiled headers and deleted `stdafx.h`, then you're not including the Windows headers in your resource file. However, I would advise *against* editing the RC file by hand--it's regenerated on demand by the designer. – Cody Gray - on strike Jul 22 '13 at 06:40

score 0 · Answer 2 · answered Jul 26 '21 at 09:27

For others encountering this problem: my issue seems to have originated in that I was working on an old project where the resource files were not generated in Visual Studio and the normal Wizard setups had not been completed.

I was attempting to add/change controls to the MYAPP.RC files defining the menu etc but was getting an error "RC2104 undefined keyword or keyname: DS_SETFONT." This is because the Symbol Directives needed the header # include "windows.h"

I figured this out and added # include "windows.h" to the resource.h file. Trouble is both the MYAPP.RC and resource.h files are auto generated and any manually inserted # include "windows.h" gets dumped each time.

This Microsoft Help page put me straight and I went to the Resource View -> Resource Includes -> Read-only symbol directives window and inserted: # include "windows.h"

Can now edit Resources no problem.

error RC2104: undefined keyword or key name: DS_SETFONT

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