How do I eliminate error C2859 when trying to use a precompiled header with VS2010 (VC100) in debug mode?

Question

I am trying to upgrade an old solution to use VS2010 (VC100).

I have it setup so that stdafx.cpp will create a precompiled header stdafx.pch from stdafx.h. Then all the other .cpp files that include stdafx.h are instructed to use the precompiled header.

These posts helped me get this far:

• Visual C++ Precompiled Headers errors
• Precompiled Headers

Now all is fine when I build in release mode. However when I try and build in debug mode I get a whole heap of errors saying:

Error 1 error C2859: [removed]\debug\vc100.idb is not the idb file that was used when this precompiled header was created, recreate the precompiled header.

I believe that this .idb file is an intermediate debug file created by Visual Studio.

Why am I getting this error? In other words why did it not use this .idb file when it created the precompiled header?

I'm not sure what further information you need to be able to give me answer so just ask if there is more information that I need to provide.

Answer 1

Thanks to a colleague I got the answer.

The problem was that stdafx.cpp had Debug Information Format set to Program Database (/Zi) where as all the other files had it set to Program Database for Edit and Continue (/ZI).

Changing them all to Program Database for Edit and Continue (/ZI) and doing a full rebuild solved the problem.

I guess the upgrade screwed it up somehow.

Answer 2

I've hit this error with VS2005 when compiling a project where the $(ProjectName) is different from the actual output file of the project (i.e. Linker > Output File isn't set to the default of $(OutDir)\$(ProjectName).exe but to something else, e.g. $(OutDir)\$(ProjectName)-custom_postfix.exe)

In this case, and apparently only when doing a Rebuild-Project-Only, the vc80.pdb seems to be looked up wrongly.

What helped me was to additionally set C/C++ > Output Files > Progam Database File Name to $(IntDir)\$(TargetName).pdb. (Instead of the default vc80.pdb)

Answer 3

select Disable for the Debug Information Format in the Properties page for stdafx.cpp, then go back and select Inherit from parent worked for me.