How do I stop an IntelliSense PCH Warning?

Question

A few of my header files have no includes, so I receive this message in Visual Studio 2010:

IntelliSense: PCH warning: cannot find a suitable header stop location.  An intellisense PCH file was not generated.

If I add a single header, for instance:

#include <iostream>

It disappears. How can I stop this error from showing without adding (potentially unused) include>

Discontinuous

Answer 1

When adding a .cpp file it inherits the PCH settings of the project. More detailed explanation of the problem here

Solutions:

1. Add #pragma once at the start of the file.

It will cause your source file to be included only once in a single compilation, therefore the compiler will be satisfied and won't require additional #include

2. Setting your project to not use precompiled headers
3. Disable PCH usage for that one cpp file you've added, which will clear both IntelliSense and compiler warning/error.

Note! I'm including num 2, and 3 because some say it helped, but it only num 1 that did solve my case.

Wilsonwilt

I... don't even remember what project of mine this error is from. I'll just open every one in VS2010 until I receive this error and can try #pragma once. – Discontinuous

Only took me half a year, but I finally accepted your answer! :D – Discontinuous

can you please explain #pragma directive ?! why it solves the problem ? – Preexist

@GokulJai you can see what it means in here: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pragma_once and a discussion about its benifits in here: #1144436 – Doublet

Maybe this helps for headers, but it doesn't make sense to add this in a .c/.cpp file (nor does it resolve the error in such a case). Restarting VS did the trick for me (rebuilding and restarting the C++ IntelliSense parser service wasn't enough). – Laborsaving

I already had #pragma once in my file. Maybe you should explain what causes this error, rather than a single potential solution to it. – Townes

@Nic Hartley, try to setting your project to not use precompiled headers. As for explanation: connect.microsoft.com/VisualStudio/feedback/details/650359/… – Wilsonwilt

Updated the answer to provide possible problem explanation and solutions – Wilsonwilt

Answer 2

I suppose the problem is that you have precompiled header in your project (by default "stdafx.h") and to correctly solve the problem you should add

#include "stdafx.h"

at start of your header/source file.

Pachton

Well, I think he should have fixed his problem more than 3 years ago now. ;) – Penuche

I wrote this asnwer for other users who encounter this problem to know why this problem occurs. F.E. I had the same problem, I visited this question saw an anser that solves the problem, but I didnt know why it does, so I thinked and wrote another answer that also soves problem AND explains how it solves it. – Pachton

Answer 3

Go to project's property and under C/C++ => Precompiled Headers, find the option "Precompiled header".

Change it to "Not Using Precompiled Headers".

Orit

or also add #include "pch.h" in the beginning of your file – Fedak

Answer 4

Restart Visual Studio (close all active projects).

Nothing helped me except this

Anthropogenesis

Better as a comment – Sarsen

Answer 5

Closing the solution and deleting the .vs folder below the solution folder can often fix the problem. The .vs folder contains the intellisense database for the solution. Vs will be rebuild it the next time the solution is opened.

Kikelia