__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.

Syntax

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.

See also

Global variables
main function and command-line arguments (C++)
Using wmain instead of main