In a GNU gettext build with MSVC 19.35 (Visual Studio 2022), I see
several compilation errors:
/home/bruno/msvc/compile cl -nologo -std:c11 -DHAVE_CONFIG_H -DEXEEXT=\".exe\"
-I. -I../../../gettext-runtime/gnulib-lib -I.. -I../intl
-DDEPENDS_ON_LIBICONV=1 -DDEPENDS_ON_LIBINTL=1 -D_WIN32_WINNT=_WIN32_WINNT_WIN7
-I/usr/local/msvc64/include -MD -c -o libgrt_a-fzprintf.obj `if test -f
'fzprintf.c'; then cygpath -w 'fzprintf.c'; else cygpath -w
'../../../gettext-runtime/gnulib-lib/fzprintf.c'; fi`
fzprintf.c
C:\cygwin64\home\bruno\gettext-20260512-static\gettext-runtime\gnulib-lib\fzprintf.c(51):
error C7700: type 'char' in _Generic association compatible with previous
association type 'char'
C:\cygwin64\home\bruno\gettext-20260512-static\gettext-runtime\gnulib-lib\fzprintf.c(51):
note: _Generic compatible type previously 'char' specified here
make[6]: *** [Makefile:4117: libgrt_a-fzprintf.obj] Error 2
libtool: compile: /home/bruno/msvc/compile cl -nologo -std:c11 -DHAVE_CONFIG_H
-DEXEEXT=\".exe\" -DEXEEXT=\".exe\" -DEXEEXT=\".exe\" -I.
-I../../../gettext-tools/gnulib-lib -I.. -I../../gettext-runtime/intl
-I../../../gettext-tools -DIN_LIBGETTEXTLIB -DDEPENDS_ON_LIBICONV=1
-DDEPENDS_ON_LIBINTL=1 -DLIBXML_STATIC -D_WIN32_WINNT=_WIN32_WINNT_WIN7
-I/usr/local/msvc64/include -MD -c -showIncludes
../../../gettext-tools/gnulib-lib/xstrtol.c -o libgettextlib_la-xstrtol.obj
xstrtol.c
../../../gettext-tools/gnulib-lib/xstrtol.c(52): error C7700: type 'char' in
_Generic association compatible with previous association type 'char'
../../../gettext-tools/gnulib-lib/xstrtol.c(52): note: _Generic compatible type
previously 'char' specified here
../../../gettext-tools/gnulib-lib/xstrtol.c(52): error C7700: type 'char' in
_Generic association compatible with previous association type 'char'
../../../gettext-tools/gnulib-lib/xstrtol.c(52): note: _Generic compatible type
previously 'char' specified here
../../../gettext-tools/gnulib-lib/xstrtol.c(77): error C7700: type 'char' in
_Generic association compatible with previous association type 'char'
../../../gettext-tools/gnulib-lib/xstrtol.c(77): note: _Generic compatible type
previously 'char' specified here
libtool: compile: /home/bruno/msvc/compile cl -nologo -std:c11 -DHAVE_CONFIG_H
-DEXEEXT=\".exe\" -DEXEEXT=\".exe\" -DEXEEXT=\".exe\" -I.
-I../../../gettext-tools/gnulib-lib -I.. -I../../gettext-runtime/intl
-I../../../gettext-tools -DIN_LIBGETTEXTLIB -DDEPENDS_ON_LIBICONV=1
-DDEPENDS_ON_LIBINTL=1 -DLIBXML_STATIC -D_WIN32_WINNT=_WIN32_WINNT_WIN7
-I/usr/local/msvc64/include -MD -c -showIncludes
../../../gettext-tools/gnulib-lib/xstrtoul.c -o libgettextlib_la-xstrtoul.obj
xstrtoul.c
C:\cygwin64\home\bruno\gettext-20260512-static\gettext-tools\gnulib-lib\xstrtol.c(52):
error C7700: type 'char' in _Generic association compatible with previous
association type 'char'
C:\cygwin64\home\bruno\gettext-20260512-static\gettext-tools\gnulib-lib\xstrtol.c(52):
note: _Generic compatible type previously 'char' specified here
C:\cygwin64\home\bruno\gettext-20260512-static\gettext-tools\gnulib-lib\xstrtol.c(52):
error C7700: type 'char' in _Generic association compatible with previous
association type 'char'
C:\cygwin64\home\bruno\gettext-20260512-static\gettext-tools\gnulib-lib\xstrtol.c(52):
note: _Generic compatible type previously 'char' specified here
C:\cygwin64\home\bruno\gettext-20260512-static\gettext-tools\gnulib-lib\xstrtol.c(77):
error C7700: type 'char' in _Generic association compatible with previous
association type 'char'
C:\cygwin64\home\bruno\gettext-20260512-static\gettext-tools\gnulib-lib\xstrtol.c(77):
note: _Generic compatible type previously 'char' specified here
make[5]: *** [Makefile:10374: libgettextlib_la-xstrtoul.lo] Error 1
/home/bruno/msvc/compile cl -nologo -std:c11 -DHAVE_CONFIG_H -I.
-I../../../../gettext-tools/libgrep/gnulib-lib -I../..
-I../../../gettext-runtime/intl -I../../gnulib-lib
-I../../../../gettext-tools/gnulib-lib -DIN_GETTEXT_TOOLS_LIBGREP=1
-D_WIN32_WINNT=_WIN32_WINNT_WIN7 -I/usr/local/msvc64/include -MD -c -o
libgnu_a-regex.obj `if test -f 'regex.c'; then cygpath -w 'regex.c'; else
cygpath -w '../../../../gettext-tools/libgrep/gnulib-lib/regex.c'; fi`
regex.c
.\wctype.h(1180): note: see previous definition of 'wctype_t'
C:\cygwin64\home\bruno\gettext-20260512-static\gettext-tools\libgrep\gnulib-lib\regcomp.c(2626):
error C7700: type 'char' in _Generic association compatible with previous
association type 'char'
C:\cygwin64\home\bruno\gettext-20260512-static\gettext-tools\libgrep\gnulib-lib\regcomp.c(2626):
note: _Generic compatible type previously 'char' specified here
make[7]: *** [Makefile:5076: libgnu_a-regex.obj] Error 2
/home/bruno/msvc/compile cl -nologo -std:c11 -DHAVE_CONFIG_H -DEXEEXT=\".exe\"
-DEXEEXT=\".exe\" -I. -I../../../gettext-tools/gnulib-tests -I..
-DIN_GETTEXT_TOOLS_GNULIB_TESTS=1 -I. -I../../../gettext-tools/gnulib-tests
-I.. -I../../../gettext-tools/gnulib-tests/.. -I../gnulib-lib
-I../../../gettext-tools/gnulib-tests/../gnulib-lib
-I../../gettext-runtime/intl -D_WIN32_WINNT=_WIN32_WINNT_WIN7
-I/usr/local/msvc64/include -MD -c -o dtotimespec.obj `cygpath -w
'../../../gettext-tools/gnulib-tests/dtotimespec.c'`
dtotimespec.c
C:\cygwin64\home\bruno\gettext-20260512-static\gettext-tools\gnulib-tests\dtotimespec.c(32):
error C7700: type 'char' in _Generic association compatible with previous
association type 'char'
C:\cygwin64\home\bruno\gettext-20260512-static\gettext-tools\gnulib-tests\dtotimespec.c(32):
note: _Generic compatible type previously 'char' specified here
C:\cygwin64\home\bruno\gettext-20260512-static\gettext-tools\gnulib-tests\dtotimespec.c(33):
error C7700: type 'char' in _Generic association compatible with previous
association type 'char'
C:\cygwin64\home\bruno\gettext-20260512-static\gettext-tools\gnulib-tests\dtotimespec.c(33):
note: _Generic compatible type previously 'char' specified here
C:\cygwin64\home\bruno\gettext-20260512-static\gettext-tools\gnulib-tests\dtotimespec.c(34):
error C7700: type 'char' in _Generic association compatible with previous
association type 'char'
C:\cygwin64\home\bruno\gettext-20260512-static\gettext-tools\gnulib-tests\dtotimespec.c(34):
note: _Generic compatible type previously 'char' specified here
C:\cygwin64\home\bruno\gettext-20260512-static\gettext-tools\gnulib-tests\dtotimespec.c(35):
error C7700: type 'char' in _Generic association compatible with previous
association type 'char'
C:\cygwin64\home\bruno\gettext-20260512-static\gettext-tools\gnulib-tests\dtotimespec.c(35):
note: _Generic compatible type previously 'char' specified here
make[6]: *** [Makefile:11164: dtotimespec.obj] Error 2
/home/bruno/msvc/compile cl -nologo -std:c11 -DHAVE_CONFIG_H -DEXEEXT=\".exe\"
-DEXEEXT=\".exe\" -I. -I../../../gettext-tools/gnulib-tests -I..
-DIN_GETTEXT_TOOLS_GNULIB_TESTS=1 -I. -I../../../gettext-tools/gnulib-tests
-I.. -I../../../gettext-tools/gnulib-tests/.. -I../gnulib-lib
-I../../../gettext-tools/gnulib-tests/../gnulib-lib
-I../../gettext-runtime/intl -D_WIN32_WINNT=_WIN32_WINNT_WIN7
-I/usr/local/msvc64/include -MD -c -o timespec-add.obj `cygpath -w
'../../../gettext-tools/gnulib-tests/timespec-add.c'`
timespec-add.c
C:\cygwin64\home\bruno\gettext-20260512-static\gettext-tools\gnulib-tests\timespec-add.c(41):
error C7700: type 'char' in _Generic association compatible with previous
association type 'char'
C:\cygwin64\home\bruno\gettext-20260512-static\gettext-tools\gnulib-tests\timespec-add.c(41):
note: _Generic compatible type previously 'char' specified here
C:\cygwin64\home\bruno\gettext-20260512-static\gettext-tools\gnulib-tests\timespec-add.c(41):
error C7700: type 'char' in _Generic association compatible with previous
association type 'char'
C:\cygwin64\home\bruno\gettext-20260512-static\gettext-tools\gnulib-tests\timespec-add.c(41):
note: _Generic compatible type previously 'char' specified here
C:\cygwin64\home\bruno\gettext-20260512-static\gettext-tools\gnulib-tests\timespec-add.c(43):
error C7700: type 'char' in _Generic association compatible with previous
association type 'char'
C:\cygwin64\home\bruno\gettext-20260512-static\gettext-tools\gnulib-tests\timespec-add.c(43):
note: _Generic compatible type previously 'char' specified here
C:\cygwin64\home\bruno\gettext-20260512-static\gettext-tools\gnulib-tests\timespec-add.c(48):
error C7700: type 'char' in _Generic association compatible with previous
association type 'char'
C:\cygwin64\home\bruno\gettext-20260512-static\gettext-tools\gnulib-tests\timespec-add.c(48):
note: _Generic compatible type previously 'char' specified here
make[6]: *** [Makefile:11164: timespec-add.obj] Error 2
/home/bruno/msvc/compile cl -nologo -std:c11 -DHAVE_CONFIG_H -DEXEEXT=\".exe\"
-DEXEEXT=\".exe\" -I. -I../../../gettext-tools/gnulib-tests -I..
-DIN_GETTEXT_TOOLS_GNULIB_TESTS=1 -I. -I../../../gettext-tools/gnulib-tests
-I.. -I../../../gettext-tools/gnulib-tests/.. -I../gnulib-lib
-I../../../gettext-tools/gnulib-tests/../gnulib-lib
-I../../gettext-runtime/intl -D_WIN32_WINNT=_WIN32_WINNT_WIN7
-I/usr/local/msvc64/include -MD -c -o timespec-sub.obj `cygpath -w
'../../../gettext-tools/gnulib-tests/timespec-sub.c'`
timespec-sub.c
C:\cygwin64\home\bruno\gettext-20260512-static\gettext-tools\gnulib-tests\timespec-sub.c(42):
error C7700: type 'char' in _Generic association compatible with previous
association type 'char'
C:\cygwin64\home\bruno\gettext-20260512-static\gettext-tools\gnulib-tests\timespec-sub.c(42):
note: _Generic compatible type previously 'char' specified here
C:\cygwin64\home\bruno\gettext-20260512-static\gettext-tools\gnulib-tests\timespec-sub.c(42):
error C7700: type 'char' in _Generic association compatible with previous
association type 'char'
C:\cygwin64\home\bruno\gettext-20260512-static\gettext-tools\gnulib-tests\timespec-sub.c(42):
note: _Generic compatible type previously 'char' specified here
C:\cygwin64\home\bruno\gettext-20260512-static\gettext-tools\gnulib-tests\timespec-sub.c(44):
error C7700: type 'char' in _Generic association compatible with previous
association type 'char'
C:\cygwin64\home\bruno\gettext-20260512-static\gettext-tools\gnulib-tests\timespec-sub.c(44):
note: _Generic compatible type previously 'char' specified here
C:\cygwin64\home\bruno\gettext-20260512-static\gettext-tools\gnulib-tests\timespec-sub.c(49):
error C7700: type 'char' in _Generic association compatible with previous
association type 'char'
C:\cygwin64\home\bruno\gettext-20260512-static\gettext-tools\gnulib-tests\timespec-sub.c(49):
note: _Generic compatible type previously 'char' specified here
make[6]: *** [Makefile:11164: timespec-sub.obj] Error 2
In other words, all uses of the macros
TYPE_MAXIMUM
TYPE_MINIMUM
TYPE_SIGNED
generate errors.
This is obviously caused by the commit "intprops: ignore -Wuseless-cast less
often".
The conflict is between 'char' and 'signed char'. ('bool' is fine.)
"/home/bruno/msvc/compile cl -nologo -std:c11" (which translates to
"cl -std:c11") apparently defines __STDC_VERSION__ to 201112, but without
implementing _Generic correctly regarding 'char' vs. 'signed char'.
It is fine with newer MSVC (14.44, cf. the table at
<https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/cpp/overview/compiler-versions>),
i.e. with _MSC_VER >= 1944.
This patch fixes all the errors.
2026-05-13 Bruno Haible <[email protected]>
intprops: Fix compilation error in MSVC.
* lib/intprops.h (TYPE_IS_INTEGER, TYPE_MINIMUM, TYPE_MAXIMUM): Don't
use _Generic to distinguish between 'char' and 'signed char' with MSVC
before version 14.44.
* lib/intprops-internal.h (_GL_TYPE_SIGNED): Likewise.
diff --git a/lib/intprops-internal.h b/lib/intprops-internal.h
index f569d94a06..1fb3b79901 100644
--- a/lib/intprops-internal.h
+++ b/lib/intprops-internal.h
@@ -50,7 +50,8 @@
e.g., in Cray C 5.0.3.0. */
/* True if the standard integer or standard real type T is signed. */
-#if __STDC_VERSION__ < 201112 || _GL__GENERIC_BOGUS
+#if (__STDC_VERSION__ < 201112 || (defined _MSC_VER && _MSC_VER < 1944) \
+ || _GL__GENERIC_BOGUS)
# define _GL_TYPE_SIGNED(t) (! ((t) 0 < (t) -1))
#else
/* Pacify -Wuseless-cast, but do not default to the simpler expression;
diff --git a/lib/intprops.h b/lib/intprops.h
index ed6df2dbc3..8279cd73e3 100644
--- a/lib/intprops.h
+++ b/lib/intprops.h
@@ -25,7 +25,8 @@
/* True if the arithmetic type T is an integer type. bool counts as
an integer. */
-#if __STDC_VERSION__ < 201112 || _GL__GENERIC_BOGUS
+#if (__STDC_VERSION__ < 201112 || (defined _MSC_VER && _MSC_VER < 1944) \
+ || _GL__GENERIC_BOGUS)
# define TYPE_IS_INTEGER(t) ((t) 1.5 == 1)
#else
/* Pacify -Wuseless-cast and do not default to the simpler expression;
@@ -62,7 +63,8 @@
#define TYPE_WIDTH(t) _GL_TYPE_WIDTH (t)
/* The maximum and minimum values for the standard integer type T. */
-#if __STDC_VERSION__ < 201112 || _GL__GENERIC_BOGUS
+#if (__STDC_VERSION__ < 201112 || (defined _MSC_VER && _MSC_VER < 1944) \
+ || _GL__GENERIC_BOGUS)
# define TYPE_MINIMUM(t) ((t) ~ TYPE_MAXIMUM (t))
# define TYPE_MAXIMUM(t) \
((t) (! TYPE_SIGNED (t) \
