New build environment problems when using an account with a user name containing spaces

NTDEV
1

Sorry if this might have been discussed previously.

Ok, after much frustration yesterday and then being up half the night
thinking about it, I finally determined the cause of a problem that I was
having with provisioning test systems.

My user name on my development system is “Jay Talbott”, which contains a
space, which appears to be the root of the problem.

When provisioning test systems, it stores information in my user profile
under

C:\Users\Jay Talbott\AppData.…

When the provisioning process gets to the point of configuring the test
system for debugging, it fails.

Digging through the provisioning logs, I found points where it was trying to
use C:\Users\Jay_Talbott\AppData.… (with an underscore). I resolved that
by manually creating a C:\Users\Jay_Talbott directory that contains a
symbolic link named AppData that links to C:\Users\Jay Talbott\AppData, but
unfortunately, that hack didn’t completely solve the problem. Ultimately, it
seems as the test system was being provisioned that the infrastructure was
failing to copy the .wtl files from the test machine into my profile because
of the space in the path to my profile due to the space contained in my user
name.

As a test I created a new user on my system, “Jay” (no spaces), and tried
using that user to do the provisioning, and, voila!, it works correctly.
Using this account, I was able to successfully provision my test system and
deploy my driver (and it even works on Win8, which is a nice bonus).
However, this is not a very useful solution for me, since my development
machine is used for many other things than just Win8 driver development, and
as such, everything else is already configured in my existing “Jay Talbott”
account, and so I’d have to constantly be switching users just to use this
new Win8 driver development environment.

As far as I’m concerned, this is a huge oversight on the part of Microsoft.
The Win8 WDK release notes don’t even mention this limitation (although they
do mention the fact that the path to your project can’t contain spaces
because the compiler tools choke on it, which was also the case with prior
versions of the WDK). How come the WDK has always been the bastard
step-child that can’t handle paths with spaces when virtually all other
Microsoft products have handled paths with spaces just fine for the last 15
years?

Is there some workaround for this that somebody else has figured out, or am
I relegated to having to spend my life constantly switching users if I want
to use this capability?

Any useful suggestions would be most appreciated.

Thanks,

  • Jay
2

Let me start by saying that I have nothing useful to add to help you with your problem.

In fact, the WDK has *not* been “the bastard step-child”… the problem with paths in file names is an inherent limitation in the build environment, which is Microsoft’s INTERNAL build environment (as we’ve all discussed numerous times). IIRC, the root of the problem goes back to a limitation in NMAKE. When I asked a buddy of mine once if he would fix this (that is, remove the “no spaces in a build path” restriction), I seem to recall him telling me that he looked at NMAKE and there was “no fucking way” he was going to try to fix anything in it, given its age and fragile state. I could be remembering wrong, but I remember this conversation very clearly. I was standing in front of building 26 drinking a latte at the time. I *really* was hoping to get this problem fixed for the community at the time, and I was pretty disappointed to hear that this would never happen.

Just another reason why having a CUSTOM build environment for driver developers in the community makes sense. We no longer have to live with the limitations (or changes) that come with Microsoft’s INTERNAL build enviornment.

Peter
OSR

3

> Just another reason why having a CUSTOM build environment for driver developers in the community makes sense

Is that the point you really tried to make? A custom build env is better than a publicly supported and maintained one (ie msbuild)?

Regardless, we are looking in to this issue. We did a TON of work to make paths with spaces work…the default wdk/sdk install path has spaces in it and crafting the right incantation of quotes to have cl, link, rc, mc, midl, etc all work with spaces was a ton of work. Spaces in the user name is probably a hole in our test plan. Account names at Microsoft are not allowed to have spaces in them and we may have not thought that a space is possible :slight_smile:

Thx
d

-----Original Message-----
From: xxxxx@lists.osr.com [mailto:xxxxx@lists.osr.com] On Behalf Of xxxxx@osr.com
Sent: Friday, August 17, 2012 12:15 PM
To: Windows System Software Devs Interest List
Subject: RE:[ntdev] New build environment problems when using an account with a user name containing spaces

Let me start by saying that I have nothing useful to add to help you with your problem.

In fact, the WDK has *not* been “the bastard step-child”… the problem with paths in file names is an inherent limitation in the build environment, which is Microsoft’s INTERNAL build environment (as we’ve all discussed numerous times). IIRC, the root of the problem goes back to a limitation in NMAKE. When I asked a buddy of mine once if he would fix this (that is, remove the “no spaces in a build path” restriction), I seem to recall him telling me that he looked at NMAKE and there was “no fucking way” he was going to try to fix anything in it, given its age and fragile state. I could be remembering wrong, but I remember this conversation very clearly. I was standing in front of building 26 drinking a latte at the time. I *really* was hoping to get this problem fixed for the community at the time, and I was pretty disappointed to hear that this would never happen.

Just another reason why having a CUSTOM build environment for driver developers in the community makes sense. We no longer have to live with the limitations (or changes) that come with Microsoft’s INTERNAL build enviornment.

Peter
OSR

NTDEV is sponsored by OSR

For our schedule of WDF, WDM, debugging and other seminars visit:
http://www.osr.com/seminars

To unsubscribe, visit the List Server section of OSR Online at http://www.osronline.com/page.cfm?name=ListServer

4

People who use paths with spaces in them are criminals.

mm

-----Original Message-----
From: xxxxx@lists.osr.com
[mailto:xxxxx@lists.osr.com] On Behalf Of Doron Holan
Sent: Friday, August 17, 2012 12:21 PM
To: Windows System Software Devs Interest List
Subject: RE: RE:[ntdev] New build environment problems when using an account
with a user name containing spaces

Just another reason why having a CUSTOM build environment for driver
developers in the community makes sense

Is that the point you really tried to make? A custom build env is better
than a publicly supported and maintained one (ie msbuild)?

Regardless, we are looking in to this issue. We did a TON of work to make
paths with spaces work…the default wdk/sdk install path has spaces in it
and crafting the right incantation of quotes to have cl, link, rc, mc, midl,
etc all work with spaces was a ton of work. Spaces in the user name is
probably a hole in our test plan. Account names at Microsoft are not allowed
to have spaces in them and we may have not thought that a space is possible
:slight_smile:

Thx
d

-----Original Message-----
From: xxxxx@lists.osr.com
[mailto:xxxxx@lists.osr.com] On Behalf Of xxxxx@osr.com
Sent: Friday, August 17, 2012 12:15 PM
To: Windows System Software Devs Interest List
Subject: RE:[ntdev] New build environment problems when using an account
with a user name containing spaces

Let me start by saying that I have nothing useful to add to help you with
your problem.

In fact, the WDK has *not* been “the bastard step-child”… the problem with
paths in file names is an inherent limitation in the build environment,
which is Microsoft’s INTERNAL build environment (as we’ve all discussed
numerous times). IIRC, the root of the problem goes back to a limitation in
NMAKE. When I asked a buddy of mine once if he would fix this (that is,
remove the “no spaces in a build path” restriction), I seem to recall him
telling me that he looked at NMAKE and there was “no fucking way” he was
going to try to fix anything in it, given its age and fragile state. I
could be remembering wrong, but I remember this conversation very clearly.
I was standing in front of building 26 drinking a latte at the time. I
*really* was hoping to get this problem fixed for the community at the time,
and I was pretty disappointed to hear that this would never happen.

Just another reason why having a CUSTOM build environment for driver
developers in the community makes sense. We no longer have to live with the
limitations (or changes) that come with Microsoft’s INTERNAL build
enviornment.

Peter
OSR

NTDEV is sponsored by OSR

For our schedule of WDF, WDM, debugging and other seminars visit:
http://www.osr.com/seminars

To unsubscribe, visit the List Server section of OSR Online at
http://www.osronline.com/page.cfm?name=ListServer

NTDEV is sponsored by OSR

For our schedule of WDF, WDM, debugging and other seminars visit:
http://www.osr.com/seminars

To unsubscribe, visit the List Server section of OSR Online at
http://www.osronline.com/page.cfm?name=ListServer

5

On 17/08/2012 20:15, xxxxx@osr.com wrote:

In fact, the WDK has *not* been “the bastard step-child”… the problem with paths in file names is an inherent limitation in the build environment, which is Microsoft’s INTERNAL build environment (as we’ve all discussed numerous times). IIRC, the root of the problem goes back to a limitation in NMAKE. When I asked a buddy of mine once if he would fix this (that is, remove the “no spaces in a build path” restriction), I seem to recall him telling me that he looked at NMAKE and there was “no fucking way” he was going to try to fix anything in it, given its age and fragile state. I could be remembering wrong, but I remember this conversation very clearly. I was standing in front of building 26 drinking a latte at the time. I *really* was hoping to get this problem fixed for the community at the time, and I was pretty disappointed to hear that this would never happen.

At least one issue with spaces in the path is listed as a bug in the
release notes at http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-US/windows/hardware/hh852362 .
Someone needs to s/Release Preview// on
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/hardware/gg487428.aspx :slight_smile:

–
Bruce Cran

6

I had hoped that the migration to a VS-based build environment would have
resolved the spaces-in-paths issues, not introduce new ones…

I learned to put my driver projects in directories with paths with no spaces
long, long ago…

But this is the first time that I’ve had any sort of app, development
environment, etc. have any issue with a space in my user name. If Windows
supports spaces in user names (as it has for a long time now), and thus the
corresponding spaces in user profile paths, then it’s not that unreasonable
to expect that all of Microsoft’s apps, development tools, etc. should all
work correctly for a user with a user name containing a space. And since
this deployment thing is a new feature, not something with decades of
history like NMAKE, it’s something they should be able to correct.

-----Original Message-----
From: xxxxx@lists.osr.com [mailto:bounce-511072-
xxxxx@lists.osr.com] On Behalf Of xxxxx@osr.com
Sent: Friday, August 17, 2012 12:15 PM
To: Windows System Software Devs Interest List
Subject: RE:[ntdev] New build environment problems when using an account
with a user name containing spaces

[quote]
How come the WDK has always been the bastard
step-child that can’t handle paths with spaces when virtually all other
Microsoft products have handled paths with spaces just fine for the last
15
years?
[/quote]

Let me start by saying that I have nothing useful to add to help you with
your
problem.

In fact, the WDK has *not* been “the bastard step-child”… the problem
with
paths in file names is an inherent limitation in the build environment,
which is
Microsoft’s INTERNAL build environment (as we’ve all discussed numerous
times). IIRC, the root of the problem goes back to a limitation in NMAKE.
When I asked a buddy of mine once if he would fix this (that is, remove
the
“no spaces in a build path” restriction), I seem to recall him telling me
that he
looked at NMAKE and there was “no fucking way” he was going to try to fix
anything in it, given its age and fragile state. I could be remembering
wrong,
but I remember this conversation very clearly. I was standing in front of
building 26 drinking a latte at the time. I *really* was hoping to get
this
problem fixed for the community at the time, and I was pretty disappointed
to hear that this would never happen.

Just another reason why having a CUSTOM build environment for driver
developers in the community makes sense. We no longer have to live with
the limitations (or changes) that come with Microsoft’s INTERNAL build
enviornment.

Peter
OSR

NTDEV is sponsored by OSR

For our schedule of WDF, WDM, debugging and other seminars visit:
http://www.osr.com/seminars

To unsubscribe, visit the List Server section of OSR Online at
http://www.osronline.com/page.cfm?name=ListServer

7

Spaces in user names have been allowed for a long time - at least since XP
was first released. I can’t remember off-hand if they were allowed before
that.

-----Original Message-----
From: xxxxx@lists.osr.com [mailto:bounce-511074-
xxxxx@lists.osr.com] On Behalf Of Doron Holan
Sent: Friday, August 17, 2012 12:21 PM
To: Windows System Software Devs Interest List
Subject: RE: RE:[ntdev] New build environment problems when using an
account with a user name containing spaces

> Just another reason why having a CUSTOM build environment for driver
developers in the community makes sense

Is that the point you really tried to make? A custom build env is better
than a
publicly supported and maintained one (ie msbuild)?

Regardless, we are looking in to this issue. We did a TON of work to make
paths with spaces work…the default wdk/sdk install path has spaces in it
and
crafting the right incantation of quotes to have cl, link, rc, mc, midl,
etc all
work with spaces was a ton of work. Spaces in the user name is probably a
hole in our test plan. Account names at Microsoft are not allowed to have
spaces in them and we may have not thought that a space is possible :slight_smile:

Thx
d

-----Original Message-----
From: xxxxx@lists.osr.com [mailto:bounce-511072-
xxxxx@lists.osr.com] On Behalf Of xxxxx@osr.com
Sent: Friday, August 17, 2012 12:15 PM
To: Windows System Software Devs Interest List
Subject: RE:[ntdev] New build environment problems when using an account
with a user name containing spaces

Let me start by saying that I have nothing useful to add to help you with
your
problem.

In fact, the WDK has *not* been “the bastard step-child”… the problem
with
paths in file names is an inherent limitation in the build environment,
which is
Microsoft’s INTERNAL build environment (as we’ve all discussed numerous
times). IIRC, the root of the problem goes back to a limitation in NMAKE.
When I asked a buddy of mine once if he would fix this (that is, remove
the
“no spaces in a build path” restriction), I seem to recall him telling me
that he
looked at NMAKE and there was “no fucking way” he was going to try to fix
anything in it, given its age and fragile state. I could be remembering
wrong,
but I remember this conversation very clearly. I was standing in front of
building 26 drinking a latte at the time. I *really* was hoping to get
this
problem fixed for the community at the time, and I was pretty disappointed
to hear that this would never happen.

Just another reason why having a CUSTOM build environment for driver
developers in the community makes sense. We no longer have to live with
the limitations (or changes) that come with Microsoft’s INTERNAL build
enviornment.

Peter
OSR

NTDEV is sponsored by OSR

For our schedule of WDF, WDM, debugging and other seminars visit:
http://www.osr.com/seminars

To unsubscribe, visit the List Server section of OSR Online at
http://www.osronline.com/page.cfm?name=ListServer

NTDEV is sponsored by OSR

For our schedule of WDF, WDM, debugging and other seminars visit:
http://www.osr.com/seminars

To unsubscribe, visit the List Server section of OSR Online at
http://www.osronline.com/page.cfm?name=ListServer

8

I didn’t say it was something new we weren’t aware of, what I am saying it was probably just oversight and a hole in our test plan.

d

-----Original Message-----
From: xxxxx@lists.osr.com [mailto:xxxxx@lists.osr.com] On Behalf Of Jay Talbott
Sent: Friday, August 17, 2012 1:26 PM
To: Windows System Software Devs Interest List
Subject: RE: RE:[ntdev] New build environment problems when using an account with a user name containing spaces

Spaces in user names have been allowed for a long time - at least since XP was first released. I can’t remember off-hand if they were allowed before that.

-----Original Message-----
From: xxxxx@lists.osr.com [mailto:bounce-511074-
xxxxx@lists.osr.com] On Behalf Of Doron Holan
Sent: Friday, August 17, 2012 12:21 PM
To: Windows System Software Devs Interest List
Subject: RE: RE:[ntdev] New build environment problems when using an
account with a user name containing spaces

> Just another reason why having a CUSTOM build environment for driver
developers in the community makes sense

Is that the point you really tried to make? A custom build env is
better
than a
publicly supported and maintained one (ie msbuild)?

Regardless, we are looking in to this issue. We did a TON of work to
make paths with spaces work…the default wdk/sdk install path has
spaces in it
and
crafting the right incantation of quotes to have cl, link, rc, mc,
midl,
etc all
work with spaces was a ton of work. Spaces in the user name is
probably a hole in our test plan. Account names at Microsoft are not
allowed to have spaces in them and we may have not thought that a
space is possible :slight_smile:

Thx
d

-----Original Message-----
From: xxxxx@lists.osr.com [mailto:bounce-511072-
xxxxx@lists.osr.com] On Behalf Of xxxxx@osr.com
Sent: Friday, August 17, 2012 12:15 PM
To: Windows System Software Devs Interest List
Subject: RE:[ntdev] New build environment problems when using an
account with a user name containing spaces

Let me start by saying that I have nothing useful to add to help you
with
your
problem.

In fact, the WDK has *not* been “the bastard step-child”… the
problem
with
paths in file names is an inherent limitation in the build
environment,
which is
Microsoft’s INTERNAL build environment (as we’ve all discussed
numerous times). IIRC, the root of the problem goes back to a limitation in NMAKE.
When I asked a buddy of mine once if he would fix this (that is,
remove
the
“no spaces in a build path” restriction), I seem to recall him telling
me
that he
looked at NMAKE and there was “no fucking way” he was going to try to
fix anything in it, given its age and fragile state. I could be
remembering
wrong,
but I remember this conversation very clearly. I was standing in
front of building 26 drinking a latte at the time. I *really* was
hoping to get
this
problem fixed for the community at the time, and I was pretty
disappointed to hear that this would never happen.

Just another reason why having a CUSTOM build environment for driver
developers in the community makes sense. We no longer have to live
with the limitations (or changes) that come with Microsoft’s INTERNAL
build enviornment.

Peter
OSR

NTDEV is sponsored by OSR

For our schedule of WDF, WDM, debugging and other seminars visit:
http://www.osr.com/seminars

To unsubscribe, visit the List Server section of OSR Online at
http://www.osronline.com/page.cfm?name=ListServer

NTDEV is sponsored by OSR

For our schedule of WDF, WDM, debugging and other seminars visit:
http://www.osr.com/seminars

To unsubscribe, visit the List Server section of OSR Online at
http://www.osronline.com/page.cfm?name=ListServer

NTDEV is sponsored by OSR

For our schedule of WDF, WDM, debugging and other seminars visit:
http://www.osr.com/seminars

To unsubscribe, visit the List Server section of OSR Online at http://www.osronline.com/page.cfm?name=ListServer

9

Yes, but you misunderstood what I said.

What I was trying to say, however inartfully, is the ability to address these issues – such as spaces in paths or whatever – is POSSIBLE because it’s a CUSTOM development environment your team has created for the community, and NOT tied to the internal build environment.

I was giving you props, Doron… take a pat on the back once in while :slight_smile:

Peter
OSR

P.S. Lest there be any doubt MM is, of course, right. People with spaces in their path names are quite obviously seditious. Probably terrorists.

10

Thanks for the clarification :stuck_out_tongue:

d

debt from my phone

From: xxxxx@osr.com
Sent: 8/17/2012 1:54 PM
To: Windows System Software Devs Interest List
Subject: RE:[ntdev] New build environment problems when using an account with a user name containing spaces

Yes, but you misunderstood what I said.

What I was trying to say, however inartfully, is the ability to address these issues – such as spaces in paths or whatever – is POSSIBLE because it’s a CUSTOM development environment your team has created for the community, and NOT tied to the internal build environment.

I was giving you props, Doron… take a pat on the back once in while :slight_smile:

Peter
OSR

P.S. Lest there be any doubt MM is, of course, right. People with spaces in their path names are quite obviously seditious. Probably terrorists.

NTDEV is sponsored by OSR

For our schedule of WDF, WDM, debugging and other seminars visit:
http://www.osr.com/seminars

To unsubscribe, visit the List Server section of OSR Online at http://www.osronline.com/page.cfm?name=ListServer

11

Well, you did say, " we may have not thought that a space is possible "…

I appreciate any efforts that could go into fixing any remaining
spaces-in-paths issues. I do realize that this new dev environment was a
monumental effort and there’s bound to still be a few things to get worked
out.

Thanks,

  • Jay

-----Original Message-----
From: xxxxx@lists.osr.com [mailto:bounce-511083-
xxxxx@lists.osr.com] On Behalf Of Doron Holan
Sent: Friday, August 17, 2012 1:38 PM
To: Windows System Software Devs Interest List
Subject: RE: RE:[ntdev] New build environment problems when using an
account with a user name containing spaces

I didn’t say it was something new we weren’t aware of, what I am saying it
was probably just oversight and a hole in our test plan.

d

-----Original Message-----
From: xxxxx@lists.osr.com [mailto:bounce-511082-
xxxxx@lists.osr.com] On Behalf Of Jay Talbott
Sent: Friday, August 17, 2012 1:26 PM
To: Windows System Software Devs Interest List
Subject: RE: RE:[ntdev] New build environment problems when using an
account with a user name containing spaces

Spaces in user names have been allowed for a long time - at least since XP
was first released. I can’t remember off-hand if they were allowed before
that.

> -----Original Message-----
> From: xxxxx@lists.osr.com [mailto:bounce-511074-
> xxxxx@lists.osr.com] On Behalf Of Doron Holan
> Sent: Friday, August 17, 2012 12:21 PM
> To: Windows System Software Devs Interest List
> Subject: RE: RE:[ntdev] New build environment problems when using an
> account with a user name containing spaces
>
> > Just another reason why having a CUSTOM build environment for driver
> developers in the community makes sense
>
> Is that the point you really tried to make? A custom build env is
> better
than a
> publicly supported and maintained one (ie msbuild)?
>
> Regardless, we are looking in to this issue. We did a TON of work to
> make paths with spaces work…the default wdk/sdk install path has
> spaces in it
and
> crafting the right incantation of quotes to have cl, link, rc, mc,
> midl,
etc all
> work with spaces was a ton of work. Spaces in the user name is
> probably a hole in our test plan. Account names at Microsoft are not
> allowed to have spaces in them and we may have not thought that a
> space is possible :slight_smile:
>
> Thx
> d
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: xxxxx@lists.osr.com [mailto:bounce-511072-
> xxxxx@lists.osr.com] On Behalf Of xxxxx@osr.com
> Sent: Friday, August 17, 2012 12:15 PM
> To: Windows System Software Devs Interest List
> Subject: RE:[ntdev] New build environment problems when using an
> account with a user name containing spaces
>
> [quote]
> How come the WDK has always been the bastard step-child that can’t
> handle paths with spaces when virtually all other Microsoft products
> have handled paths with spaces just fine for the last 15 years?
> [/quote]
>
> Let me start by saying that I have nothing useful to add to help you
> with
your
> problem.
>
> In fact, the WDK has *not* been “the bastard step-child”… the
> problem
with
> paths in file names is an inherent limitation in the build
> environment,
which is
> Microsoft’s INTERNAL build environment (as we’ve all discussed
> numerous times). IIRC, the root of the problem goes back to a
limitation in
NMAKE.
> When I asked a buddy of mine once if he would fix this (that is,
> remove
the
> “no spaces in a build path” restriction), I seem to recall him telling
> me
that he
> looked at NMAKE and there was “no fucking way” he was going to try to
> fix anything in it, given its age and fragile state. I could be
> remembering
wrong,
> but I remember this conversation very clearly. I was standing in
> front of building 26 drinking a latte at the time. I *really* was
> hoping to get
this
> problem fixed for the community at the time, and I was pretty
> disappointed to hear that this would never happen.
>
> Just another reason why having a CUSTOM build environment for driver
> developers in the community makes sense. We no longer have to live
> with the limitations (or changes) that come with Microsoft’s INTERNAL
> build enviornment.
>
> Peter
> OSR
>
> —
> NTDEV is sponsored by OSR
>
> For our schedule of WDF, WDM, debugging and other seminars visit:
> http://www.osr.com/seminars
>
> To unsubscribe, visit the List Server section of OSR Online at
> http://www.osronline.com/page.cfm?name=ListServer
>
>
>
> —
> NTDEV is sponsored by OSR
>
> For our schedule of WDF, WDM, debugging and other seminars visit:
> http://www.osr.com/seminars
>
> To unsubscribe, visit the List Server section of OSR Online at
> http://www.osronline.com/page.cfm?name=ListServer

NTDEV is sponsored by OSR

For our schedule of WDF, WDM, debugging and other seminars visit:
http://www.osr.com/seminars

To unsubscribe, visit the List Server section of OSR Online at
http://www.osronline.com/page.cfm?name=ListServer

NTDEV is sponsored by OSR

For our schedule of WDF, WDM, debugging and other seminars visit:
http://www.osr.com/seminars

To unsubscribe, visit the List Server section of OSR Online at
http://www.osronline.com/page.cfm?name=ListServer

12

An example would be really really nice for a CUSTOM build. msbuild in way
depends on nmake technology, or does it? If not, then nmake is no longer
relevant.

As for my experiences CUSTOM build is magical/mystical enough room for job
securities. Well unless, it can be debugged ( i.e. runtime debug) like
Powershell etc.

Batchfile etc., can get very very ugly. Two places where [ugly|clean] has
just bipolar states are: Scripts, and asm. When clean, they are really
clean, when ugly they are really …

Lex/Yacc??? they seem to have the same bipolar states.

-pro

> Just another reason why having a CUSTOM build environment for driver
> developers in the community makes sense

Is that the point you really tried to make? A custom build env is better
than a publicly supported and maintained one (ie msbuild)?

Regardless, we are looking in to this issue. We did a TON of work to make
paths with spaces work…the default wdk/sdk install path has spaces in it
and crafting the right incantation of quotes to have cl, link, rc, mc,
midl, etc all work with spaces was a ton of work. Spaces in the user name
is probably a hole in our test plan. Account names at Microsoft are not
allowed to have spaces in them and we may have not thought that a space is
possible :slight_smile:

Thx
d

-----Original Message-----
From: xxxxx@lists.osr.com
[mailto:xxxxx@lists.osr.com] On Behalf Of xxxxx@osr.com
Sent: Friday, August 17, 2012 12:15 PM
To: Windows System Software Devs Interest List
Subject: RE:[ntdev] New build environment problems when using an account
with a user name containing spaces

Let me start by saying that I have nothing useful to add to help you with
your problem.

In fact, the WDK has *not* been “the bastard step-child”… the problem
with paths in file names is an inherent limitation in the build
environment, which is Microsoft’s INTERNAL build environment (as we’ve all
discussed numerous times). IIRC, the root of the problem goes back to a
limitation in NMAKE. When I asked a buddy of mine once if he would fix
this (that is, remove the “no spaces in a build path” restriction), I seem
to recall him telling me that he looked at NMAKE and there was “no fucking
way” he was going to try to fix anything in it, given its age and fragile
state. I could be remembering wrong, but I remember this conversation
very clearly. I was standing in front of building 26 drinking a latte at
the time. I *really* was hoping to get this problem fixed for the
community at the time, and I was pretty disappointed to hear that this
would never happen.

Just another reason why having a CUSTOM build environment for driver
developers in the community makes sense. We no longer have to live with
the limitations (or changes) that come with Microsoft’s INTERNAL build
enviornment.

Peter
OSR

NTDEV is sponsored by OSR

For our schedule of WDF, WDM, debugging and other seminars visit:
http://www.osr.com/seminars

To unsubscribe, visit the List Server section of OSR Online at
http://www.osronline.com/page.cfm?name=ListServer

NTDEV is sponsored by OSR

For our schedule of WDF, WDM, debugging and other seminars visit:
http://www.osr.com/seminars

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http://www.osronline.com/page.cfm?name=ListServer

13

MSBuild doesn’t depend on nmake (unless you’re using an nmake project in
VS).

mm

-----Original Message-----
From: xxxxx@lists.osr.com
[mailto:xxxxx@lists.osr.com] On Behalf Of xxxxx@garlic.com
Sent: Friday, August 17, 2012 2:55 PM
To: Windows System Software Devs Interest List
Subject: RE: RE:[ntdev] New build environment problems when using an account
with a user name containing spaces

An example would be really really nice for a CUSTOM build. msbuild in way
depends on nmake technology, or does it? If not, then nmake is no longer
relevant.

As for my experiences CUSTOM build is magical/mystical enough room for job
securities. Well unless, it can be debugged ( i.e. runtime debug) like
Powershell etc.

Batchfile etc., can get very very ugly. Two places where [ugly|clean] has
just bipolar states are: Scripts, and asm. When clean, they are really
clean, when ugly they are really …

Lex/Yacc??? they seem to have the same bipolar states.

-pro

> Just another reason why having a CUSTOM build environment for driver
> developers in the community makes sense

Is that the point you really tried to make? A custom build env is
better than a publicly supported and maintained one (ie msbuild)?

Regardless, we are looking in to this issue. We did a TON of work to
make paths with spaces work…the default wdk/sdk install path has
spaces in it and crafting the right incantation of quotes to have cl,
link, rc, mc, midl, etc all work with spaces was a ton of work. Spaces
in the user name is probably a hole in our test plan. Account names at
Microsoft are not allowed to have spaces in them and we may have not
thought that a space is possible :slight_smile:

Thx
d

-----Original Message-----
From: xxxxx@lists.osr.com
[mailto:xxxxx@lists.osr.com] On Behalf Of
xxxxx@osr.com
Sent: Friday, August 17, 2012 12:15 PM
To: Windows System Software Devs Interest List
Subject: RE:[ntdev] New build environment problems when using an
account with a user name containing spaces

Let me start by saying that I have nothing useful to add to help you
with your problem.

In fact, the WDK has *not* been “the bastard step-child”… the
problem with paths in file names is an inherent limitation in the
build environment, which is Microsoft’s INTERNAL build environment (as
we’ve all discussed numerous times). IIRC, the root of the problem
goes back to a limitation in NMAKE. When I asked a buddy of mine once
if he would fix this (that is, remove the “no spaces in a build path”
restriction), I seem to recall him telling me that he looked at NMAKE
and there was “no fucking way” he was going to try to fix anything in
it, given its age and fragile state. I could be remembering wrong,
but I remember this conversation very clearly. I was standing in
front of building 26 drinking a latte at the time. I *really* was
hoping to get this problem fixed for the community at the time, and I
was pretty disappointed to hear that this would never happen.

Just another reason why having a CUSTOM build environment for driver
developers in the community makes sense. We no longer have to live
with the limitations (or changes) that come with Microsoft’s INTERNAL
build enviornment.

Peter
OSR

NTDEV is sponsored by OSR

For our schedule of WDF, WDM, debugging and other seminars visit:
http://www.osr.com/seminars

To unsubscribe, visit the List Server section of OSR Online at
http://www.osronline.com/page.cfm?name=ListServer

NTDEV is sponsored by OSR

For our schedule of WDF, WDM, debugging and other seminars visit:
http://www.osr.com/seminars

To unsubscribe, visit the List Server section of OSR Online at
http://www.osronline.com/page.cfm?name=ListServer

NTDEV is sponsored by OSR

For our schedule of WDF, WDM, debugging and other seminars visit:
http://www.osr.com/seminars

To unsubscribe, visit the List Server section of OSR Online at
http://www.osronline.com/page.cfm?name=ListServer

14

Hello,

Jay, hope the below solution works for you…assuming it’s the space in your profile name that is causing the problem.

(: *Disclaimer* *At your own risk* :slight_smile:

  1. Either create a new “Administrator-level” user and login or use the default “Administrator” account.

  2. Copy your existing profile folder “Jay Talbott” to a new folder "JayTalbott.
    Old => C:\Users\Jay Talbott
    New => C:\Users\JayTalbott

  3. Navigate to the registry key “HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\ProfileList<your sid>”

    4. Change the registry value “ProfileImagePath” to point to your new profile directory.

    5. Log off, and log back in with your account.

    Thanks,
    Arvind