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/diagnostics (Compiler diagnostic options)

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Use the /diagnostics compiler option to specify the display of error and warning location information.

Syntax

/diagnostics:{caret|classic|column}

Remarks

This option is supported in Visual Studio 2017 and later.

The /diagnostics compiler option controls the display of error and warning information.

The /diagnostics:classic option is the default, which reports only the line number where the issue was found.

The /diagnostics:column option also includes the column where the issue was found. This can help you identify the specific language construct or character that is causing the issue.

The /diagnostics:caret option includes the column where the issue was found and places a caret (^) under the location in the line of code where the issue was detected.

Note that in some cases, the compiler does not detect an issue where it occurred. For example, a missing semicolon may not be detected until other, unexpected symbols have been encountered. The column is reported and the caret is placed where the compiler detected that something was wrong, which is not always where you need to make your correction.

The /diagnostics option is available starting in Visual Studio 2017.

To set this compiler option in the Visual Studio development environment

  1. Open your project's Property Pages dialog box.

  2. Under Configuration Properties, expand the C/C++ folder and choose the General property page.

  3. Use the dropdown control in the Diagnostics Format field to select a diagnostics display option. Choose OK or Apply to save your changes.

See also

MSVC Compiler Options
MSVC Compiler Command-Line Syntax