Microsoft Keyboard Layout Creator is not letting me create my DLL file or setup package

Question

I am using the decade-old Microsoft Keyboard Layout Creator (MSKLC) 1.4 to create a custom keyboard. I have validated my keyboard within the software and no problems arose. I have also tested my keyboard (multiple times within the software) to make sure the corresponding base and shift keys are functioning properly. However, when I click the button under project to

"Build DLL and setup Package"

I get the following message:

"There was a problem building the keyboard file. Would you like to see warning/error information?"

After choosing "yes", I am presented with the following:

CL.EXE returned 1

RC.EXE returned 1

LINK.EXE returned 1

And an unsuccessful attempt at creating the keyboard layout.

Also, the "There was a problem building the keyboard file" message pops up four times. Clicking yes each time brings the same result as the above.

I am a noob in coding and do not know what any of this means, except that all of the three programs have returned a "No."

Here is the download link to the software I used: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/confirmation.aspx?id=22339 (btw, clicking it will automatically download the software)

Answer 1

I had the same problem. I was helped by this Google Groups thread. The problem is that MSKLC uses some nonstandard filename functionality when it detects spaces in its own filename, which fails and causes some I/O_ issues, which bubble up as three exit codes of 1.

To fix it, you can uninstall MSKLC from the "Add/Remove Programs" section of the Control Panel, and then reinstall it, but instead of installing to Program Files (x86), create a folder directly in C:/ without any spaces (I called mine C:/MSKLC/). After I did that, it worked perfectly for me.