Browsing the Message List

The Message List in the PREfast for Drivers Defect Log is a table that displays the warnings that PREfast for Drivers reported when it analyzed the driver code. By browsing the message list, you can assess the number and severity of the warnings.

To examine any instance of a warning in detail, double-click the warning row. This opens the Annotated Source Window for the warning.

The following screen shot shows a Message List in the PREfast Defect Log dialog box.

Screen shot showing a Message List in the PREfast Defect Log dialog box

Message List Columns

The Message List includes a row for each instance of a reported warning and the following columns. You might have to adjust the width of the columns to see all of the columns in the Message List.

  • #
    A unique identification number that PREfast for Drivers assigns to the instance of the warning. This number does not represent the order in which PREfast for Drivers reported the warning, and it is not related to the warning number.

  • Description
    A description of the warning.

    The warning descriptions include values that are substituted for variables in the generic warning description. For example, the generic description of Warning 6011 is Dereferencing NULL pointer <pointer>. When the warning appears in the Message List, the variable pointer is replaced by the name of the pointer that was dereferenced, such as Dereferencing NULL pointer 'p'.

    The (PFD) preface in the warning description indicates that PREfast for Drivers has reported a driver-specific version of this general warning.

  • Warning
    The warning number of the warning. You can use the warning number to identify the warning and to help you find the explanation of the warning in PREfast for Drivers Warnings.

  • Source Path
    The complete path to the directory of the source file that is the subject of the warning.

  • Source Location
    The source code file and line number of the source code that is the subject of the warning. The line number appears in parentheses.

  • In Function
    The name of the function in which the source code that is the subject of the warning is located.

Message List Actions

You can perform the following actions in the message list.

  • Sort. To sort the message list by the values in a column, click the column title. Clicking repeatedly toggles the column values from ascending to descending order.

  • Filter. To filter the message list, click Filter. For details, see Filtering the Defect Log.

  • Adjust column width. To adjust the width of columns in the message list, click and drag the border of the column title cell.

  • View annotated source window. To view the annotated source window for a warning, double-click anywhere in the warning row.

 

 

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Build date: 5/3/2011