The NULL device is missing from your system

[gowrishwar]

Hi,

I am learning DirectX using a tutorial and when I try to compile a code which has

#include <d3dx9.h>

I got the error as though I have Microsoft DirectX SDK (March 2009)

error PRJ0015 : The NULL device is missing from your system. We are unable to launch a build.

According to MSDN, I have closed all applications, restarted the computer.I am the admin of this machine. I have also checked my system for any trace of malware with "malwarebytes" and "GMER". I have not found any.

Can someone tall me what this error is and how to remove it.

// include the basic windows header files and the Direct3D header file
#include <windows.h>
#include <windowsx.h>
#include <d3d9.h>
#include <d3dx9.h>

// define the screen resolution and keyboard macros
#define SCREEN_WIDTH 800
#define SCREEN_HEIGHT 600
#define KEY_DOWN(vk_code) ((GetAsyncKeyState(vk_code) & 0x8000) ? 1 : 0)
#define KEY_UP(vk_code) ((GetAsyncKeyState(vk_code) & 0x8000) ? 0 : 1)

// include the Direct3D Library files
#pragma comment (lib, "d3d9.lib")
#pragma comment (lib, "d3dx9.lib")

// global declarations
LPDIRECT3D9 d3d;    // the pointer to our Direct3D interface
LPDIRECT3DDEVICE9 d3ddev;    // the pointer to the device class
LPDIRECT3DVERTEXBUFFER9 v_buffer = NULL;    // the pointer to the vertex buffer

// function prototypes
void initD3D(HWND hWnd);    // sets up and initializes Direct3D
void render_frame(void);    // renders a single frame
void cleanD3D(void);    // closes Direct3D and releases memory
void init_graphics(void);    // 3D declarations

struct CUSTOMVERTEX {FLOAT X, Y, Z; DWORD COLOR;};
#define CUSTOMFVF (D3DFVF_XYZ | D3DFVF_DIFFUSE)

// the WindowProc function prototype
LRESULT CALLBACK WindowProc(HWND hWnd, UINT message, WPARAM wParam, LPARAM lParam);


// the entry point for any Windows program
int WINAPI WinMain(HINSTANCE hInstance,
                   HINSTANCE hPrevInstance,
                   LPSTR lpCmdLine,
                   int nCmdShow)
{
    HWND hWnd;
    WNDCLASSEX wc;

    ZeroMemory(&wc, sizeof(WNDCLASSEX));

    wc.cbSize = sizeof(WNDCLASSEX);
    wc.style = CS_HREDRAW | CS_VREDRAW;
    wc.lpfnWndProc = WindowProc;
    wc.hInstance = hInstance;
    wc.hCursor = LoadCursor(NULL, IDC_ARROW);
    wc.lpszClassName = L"WindowClass";

    RegisterClassEx(&wc);

    hWnd = CreateWindowEx(NULL, (LPSTR)L"WindowClass", (LPSTR)L"Our Direct3D Program",
                          WS_OVERLAPPEDWINDOW, 0, 0, SCREEN_WIDTH, SCREEN_HEIGHT,
                          NULL, NULL, hInstance, NULL);

    ShowWindow(hWnd, nCmdShow);

    // set up and initialize Direct3D
    initD3D(hWnd);

    // enter the main loop:

    MSG msg;

    while(TRUE)
    {
        while(PeekMessage(&msg, NULL, 0, 0, PM_REMOVE))
        {
            TranslateMessage(&msg);
            DispatchMessage(&msg);
        }

        if(msg.message == WM_QUIT)
            break;

        render_frame();

        if(KEY_DOWN(VK_ESCAPE))
            PostMessage(hWnd, WM_DESTROY, 0, 0);
    }

    // clean up DirectX and COM
    cleanD3D();

    return msg.wParam;
}


// this is the main message handler for the program
LRESULT CALLBACK WindowProc(HWND hWnd, UINT message, WPARAM wParam, LPARAM lParam)
{
    switch(message)
    {
        case WM_DESTROY:
            {
                PostQuitMessage(0);
                return 0;
            } break;
    }

    return DefWindowProc (hWnd, message, wParam, lParam);
}


// this function initializes and prepares Direct3D for use
void initD3D(HWND hWnd)
{
    d3d = Direct3DCreate9(D3D_SDK_VERSION);

    D3DPRESENT_PARAMETERS d3dpp;

    ZeroMemory(&d3dpp, sizeof(d3dpp));
    d3dpp.Windowed = TRUE;
    d3dpp.SwapEffect = D3DSWAPEFFECT_DISCARD;
    d3dpp.hDeviceWindow = hWnd;
    d3dpp.BackBufferFormat = D3DFMT_X8R8G8B8;
    d3dpp.BackBufferWidth = SCREEN_WIDTH;
    d3dpp.BackBufferHeight = SCREEN_HEIGHT;

    // create a device class using this information and the info from the d3dpp stuct
    d3d->CreateDevice(D3DADAPTER_DEFAULT,
                      D3DDEVTYPE_HAL,
                      hWnd,
                      D3DCREATE_SOFTWARE_VERTEXPROCESSING,
                      &d3dpp,
                      &d3ddev);

    init_graphics();    // call the function to initialize the triangle

    d3ddev->SetRenderState(D3DRS_LIGHTING, FALSE);    // turn off the 3D lighting
}


// this is the function used to render a single frame
void render_frame(void)
{
    d3ddev->Clear(0, NULL, D3DCLEAR_TARGET, D3DCOLOR_XRGB(0, 0, 0), 1.0f, 0);

    d3ddev->BeginScene();

    // select which vertex format we are using
    d3ddev->SetFVF(CUSTOMFVF);

    // SET UP THE PIPELINE

    D3DXMATRIX matRotateY;    // a matrix to store the rotation information

    static float index = 0.0f; index+=0.05f;    // an ever-increasing float value

    // build a matrix to rotate the model based on the increasing float value
    D3DXMatrixRotationY(&matRotateY, index);

    // tell Direct3D about our matrix
    d3ddev->SetTransform(D3DTS_WORLD, &matRotateY);

    D3DXMATRIX matView;    // the view transform matrix

    D3DXMatrixLookAtLH(&matView,
                       &D3DXVECTOR3 (0.0f, 0.0f, 10.0f),    // the camera position
                       &D3DXVECTOR3 (0.0f, 0.0f, 0.0f),    // the look-at position
                       &D3DXVECTOR3 (0.0f, 1.0f, 0.0f));    // the up direction

    d3ddev->SetTransform(D3DTS_VIEW, &matView);    // set the view transform to matView

    D3DXMATRIX matProjection;     // the projection transform matrix

    D3DXMatrixPerspectiveFovLH(&matProjection,
                               D3DXToRadian(45),    // the horizontal field of view
                               (FLOAT)SCREEN_WIDTH / (FLOAT)SCREEN_HEIGHT, // aspect ratio
                               1.0f,    // the near view-plane
                               100.0f);    // the far view-plane

    d3ddev->SetTransform(D3DTS_PROJECTION, &matProjection);    // set the projection

    // select the vertex buffer to display
    d3ddev->SetStreamSource(0, v_buffer, 0, sizeof(CUSTOMVERTEX));

    // copy the vertex buffer to the back buffer
    d3ddev->DrawPrimitive(D3DPT_TRIANGLELIST, 0, 1);

    d3ddev->EndScene();

    d3ddev->Present(NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL);
}


// this is the function that cleans up Direct3D and COM
void cleanD3D(void)
{
    v_buffer->Release();    // close and release the vertex buffer
    d3ddev->Release();    // close and release the 3D device
    d3d->Release();    // close and release Direct3D
}


// this is the function that puts the 3D models into video RAM
void init_graphics(void)
{
    // create the vertices using the CUSTOMVERTEX struct
    CUSTOMVERTEX vertices[] =
    {
        { 3.0f, -3.0f, 0.0f, D3DCOLOR_XRGB(0, 0, 255), },
        { 0.0f, 3.0f, 0.0f, D3DCOLOR_XRGB(0, 255, 0), },
        { -3.0f, -3.0f, 0.0f, D3DCOLOR_XRGB(255, 0, 0), },
    };

    // create a vertex buffer interface called t_buffer
    d3ddev->CreateVertexBuffer(3*sizeof(CUSTOMVERTEX),
                               0,
                               CUSTOMFVF,
                               D3DPOOL_MANAGED,
                               &v_buffer,
                               NULL);

    VOID* pVoid;    // a void pointer

    // lock v_buffer and load the vertices into it
    v_buffer->Lock(0, 0, (void**)&pVoid, 0);
    memcpy(pVoid, vertices, sizeof(vertices));
    v_buffer->Unlock();
}

[olivthill2]

A "build" is an attempt to compile and link the files of your project.

The "null device" exists on Unix machines, but I don't remember having seen it with Windows. The null device is a kind of dustbin where messages are redirected when we don't want to see them.

The source code looks good. It is in the makefile that the problem resides. It must have something like ">/dev/null 2>&1" somewhere, which is the source of your error message. The makefile depends on the options of your project.

[Rehorav]

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/libr...y4(VS.80).aspx

Visual C++ Concepts: Building a C/C++ Program
Project Build Error PRJ0015

Error Message

The NULL device is missing from your system. We are unable to launch a build.

This error can be caused by low system resources. Close some applications or reboot.
It can also be caused if you do not have sufficient privileges to the NULL device on the computer.

[gowrishwar]

Thanks for your reply and I have found that it was a problem with my windows OS. I have reinstalled whole OS and then I am able to see NULL device in device manager.

Looks like now I am stuck with an another problem.

When I try to run it in Debug mode I am getting an error message saying "Unhandled exception at 0x004013be in EDxL1.exe: 0xC0000005: Access violation reading location 0x00000000."

VS is pointing out to the block of

void init_graphics(void)
{
    // create the vertices using the CUSTOMVERTEX struct
    CUSTOMVERTEX vertices[] =
    {
        { 3.0f, -3.0f, 0.0f, D3DCOLOR_XRGB(0, 0, 255), },
        { 0.0f, 3.0f, 0.0f, D3DCOLOR_XRGB(0, 255, 0), },
        { -3.0f, -3.0f, 0.0f, D3DCOLOR_XRGB(255, 0, 0), },
    };

    // create a vertex buffer interface called t_buffer
   d3ddev->CreateVertexBuffer(3*sizeof(CUSTOMVERTEX),
                               0,
                               CUSTOMFVF,
                               D3DPOOL_MANAGED,
                               &v_buffer,
                               NULL);
    VOID* pVoid;    // a void pointer

    // lock v_buffer and load the vertices into it
    v_buffer->Lock(0, 0, (void**)&pVoid, 0);
    memcpy(pVoid, vertices, sizeof(vertices));
    v_buffer->Unlock();
}

Can someone please help me with this.

Thanks in advance.