__argc, __argv, __wargv
The __argc global variable is a count of the number of command-line arguments passed to the program. __argv is a pointer to an array of single-byte-character or multi-byte-character strings that contain the program arguments, and __wargv is a pointer to an array of wide-character strings that contain the program arguments. These global variables provide the arguments to main or wmain.
extern int __argc;
extern char ** __argv;
extern wchar_t ** __wargv;
Remarks
In a program that uses the main function, __argc and __argv are initialized at program startup by using the command line that's used to start the program. The command line is parsed into individual arguments, and wildcards are expanded. The count of arguments is assigned to __argc and the argument strings are allocated on the heap, and a pointer to the array of arguments is assigned to __argv. In a program compiled to use wide characters and a wmain function, the arguments are parsed and wildcards are expanded as wide-character strings, and a pointer to the array of argument strings is assigned to __wargv.
For portable code, we recommend you use the arguments passed to main to get the command-line arguments in your program.
Generic-Text Routine Mappings
Tchar.h routine |
_UNICODE not defined |
_UNICODE defined |
|---|---|---|
__targv |
__argv |
__wargv |
Requirements
Global variable |
Required header |
|---|---|
__argc, __argv, __wargv |
<stdlib.h>, <cstdlib> (C++) |
__argc, __argv, and __wargv are Microsoft extensions. For compatibility information, see Compatibility.