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Message compiler task

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The Windows Driver Kit (WDK) provides the MessageCompiler task so that you can run the MC.exe tool when you build your driver using MSBuild. For information about using MC.exe, see Message Compiler (MC.exe).

MSBuild uses the MessageCompile Item to send the parameters for the MessageCompiler task. The MessageCompile item accesses the item metadata for mc.exe in project files.

The following example shows how to edit the metadata in the .vcxproj file.

<ItemGroup>
    <MessageCompile Include="a.mc">
      <GenerateBaselineResource>true</GenerateBaselineResource>
      <BaselineResourcePath>c:\test\</BaselineResourcePath>
    </MessageCompile>
</ItemGroup>

The following example shows the command-line invocation:

mc.exe –s "c:\test\" a.mc

In the example above, MSBuild invokes mc.exe on the file a.mc, with the –s switch because the metadata GenerateBaselineResource is set to true. Also, MSBuild uses the BaselineResourcePath metadata to specify the argument for –s switch.

MessageCompiler Task Parameter Item Metadata Tool Switch
Sources

Optional string parameter. Specifies the name of the manifest file to compile. Specifies the name of a message file to compile.

 @(MessageCompile)

<filename.man>

<filename.mc>
ANSIInputFile

Specifies that the Input file is ANSI (default).

 %(MessageCompile.ANSIInputFile) -a
ANSIMessageInBinFile

Specifies that the messages in the .BIN file should be ANSI.

 %(MessageCompile.ANSIMessageInBinFile) -A
EnableDebugOutputPath

If this is set to true, it enables the –x switch.

 %(MessageCompile.EnableDebugOutputPath)
DebugOutputPath

Specifies the folder into which the compiler places the .dbg C include file. The .dbg file maps message IDs to their symbolic names.

 %(MessageCompile.DebugOutputPath) -x<path>
EnableCallOutMacro

Adds callout macro to invoke user code during logging. This switch is not valid for C# and is ignored.

 %(MessageCompile.EnableCallOutMacro) -co
EventmanPath

Specifies the path to eventman.xsd file.

 %(MessageCompile.EventmanPath) -w<file>
GenerateBaselineResource

If this is set to true, it enables -s switch.

 %(MessageCompile.GenerateBaselineResource)
BaselineResourcePath

Generates binary resource per provider. Generates summary global resource MCGenResource.BIN.

 %(MessageCompile.BaselineResourcePath) -s<path>
GenerateC#LoggingClass

Generates C# (managed) logging class based on FX3.5 Eventing class.

 %(MessageCompile.GenerateC#LoggingClass) -cs<namespace>
GenerateC#StaticLoggingClass

Generates static C# (managed) logging class based on FX3.5 Eventing class.

 %(MessageCompile.GenerateC#StaticLoggingClass) -css<namespace>
GeneratedFilesBaseName

Specifies the base name of the generated files. The default is the basename of input file.

 %(MessageCompile.GeneratedFilesBaseName) -z<basename>
GeneratedHeaderPath

If this is set to true, it enables -h switch.

 %(MessageCompile.GeneratedHeaderPath)
HeaderFilePath

Specifies the path of where to create the C include file. The default is ..

 %(MessageCompile.HeaderFilePath) -h<path>
GeneratedRcAndMessagesPath

If this is set to true, it enables the -r switch.

 %(MessageCompile.GeneratedRcAndMessagesPath)
RCFilePath

Specifies the path of the RC includes file and the binary message resource files that it includes. The default is ..

 %(MessageCompile.RCFilePath) -r<path>
GenerateKernelModeLoggingMacros

Generates Kernel Mode logging macros.

 %(MessageCompile.GenerateKernelModeLoggingMacros) -km
GenerateMOFFile

Generates down-level support for all functions and macros that are generated. The MOF file is generated from the manifest. The MOF file is placed in the location specified by the "-h" switch.

 %(MessageCompile.GenerateMOFFile) -mof
GenerateOLE2Header

Generates the OLE2 header file. Uses the HRESULT definition instead of the status code definition.

 %(MessageCompile.GenerateOLE2Header) -o
GenerateUserModeLoggingMacros

Generates User Mode logging macros.

 %(MessageCompile.GenerateUserModeLoggingMacros) -um
HeaderExtension

Specifies the extension for the header file (1-3 chars).

 %(MessageCompile.HeaderExtension) -e<extension>
MaximumMessageLength

Generates a warning if the size of any message exceeds <length> characters.

 %(MessageCompile.MaximumMessageLength) -m<length>
PrefixMacroName

Defines the macro name prefix that is applied to each generated logging macro. The default is "EventWrite".

 %(MessageCompile PrefixMacroName) -p<prefix>
RemoveCharsFromSymbolName

Defines the text at the start of each event symbol name to remove before forming the macro names. The default is NULL.

 %(RemoveCharsFromSymbolName) -P<prefix>
SetCustomerbit

Sets the Customer bit in the entire message Ids.

 %(MessageCompile.SetCustomerbit) -c
TerminateMessageWithNull

Terminates all strings with null characters in the message tables.

 %(MessageCompile.TerminateMessageWithNull) -n
UnicodeInputFile

Input file is Unicode.

 %(MessageCompile.UnicodeInputFile) -u
UnicodeMessageInBinFile

Messages in .BIN file should be Unicode (default).

 %(MessageCompile.UnicodeMessageInBinFile) -U
UseBaseNameOfInput

Specifies that the .BIN filename should have .mc filename included for uniqueness.

 %(MessageCompile. UseBaseNameOfInput) -b
UseDecimalValues

Specifies the FACILTY and SEVERITY values in header file in decimal. Sets message values in header to decimal initially.

 %(MessageCompile.UseDecimalValues) -d
ValidateAgainstBaselineResource

If this is set to true, then it generates the -t switch.

 %(MessageCompile.ValidateAgainstBaselineResource)
BaselinePath

Validates against the baseline resource.

 %(MessageCompile.BaselinePath) -t<path>
Verbose

Specifies verbose output.

 %(MessageCompile.Verbose) -v
WinmetaPath

Specifies the path to the winmeta.xml file.

 %(MessageCompile.WinmetaPath) -W<file>

Message Compiler (MC.exe)