H2INC Does Not Initialize Variables During Conversion (73194)

SUMMARY

The Microsoft C to MASM Include File Translator (H2INC) can be used to convert C header files to MASM include files. In most cases, it will convert all C data types and structures into their MASM equivalent. However, H2INC will not convert initialized C variables to initialized MASM variables.

MORE INFORMATION

Page 441 of the "Microsoft Macro Assembler Programmer's Guide" states that H2INC will not translate static variables, but does not mention that initialized variables are not translated either. When a variable is initialized in a C header file, H2INC translates it to an external MASM declaration, rather than creating a MASM declaration with the initial value.

For example, a C header file of the form

   char a = 'a';
   int  b = 100;
   .
   .
   .

is converted to a MASM include file of the form:

EXTERNDEF     a:SBYTE
EXTERNDEF     b:SWORD
   .
   .
   .

This is expected behavior for H2INC.