PNDIS_GENERIC_OBJECT error C2061

Question

I get compiler errors after declaring the PNDIS_GENERIC_OBJECT variable. Why does this happen, and how can I avoid it?

#include <ntddk.h>
#include <ndis.h>

PNDIS_GENERIC_OBJECT gNdisGenericObj;

VOID DriverUnload(IN PDRIVER_OBJECT driverObject){
        UNREFERENCED_PARAMETER(driverObject);   
}


NTSTATUS DriverEntry(   IN  PDRIVER_OBJECT  driverObject,
                        IN  PUNICODE_STRING registryPath)
{
    NTSTATUS status = STATUS_SUCCESS;


    if (driverObject != NULL)
        driverObject->DriverUnload = DriverUnload;

    return status;
}

error C2061: syntax error : identifier 'gNdisGenericObj'

error C2059: syntax error : ';'

Answer 1

You must compile your code with the appropriate NDIS version definition. I'll quote from the top of NDIS.H in the Windows Developer Preview version:

/*
Before including this header, you must define one or more macros.  In all
examples, "630" can be any version number (as explained later).

1.  If you are compiling a kernel-mode miniport driver, define:
        #define NDIS_MINIPORT_DRIVER 1
        #define NDIS630_MINIPORT 1
    Additionally, if you are compiling a WDM or WDF (i.e., KMDF) driver,
    you must include wdm.h/wdf.h before including ndis.h, and also define:
        #define NDIS_WDM

2.  If you are compiling any other kernel-mode code (including protocol
    drivers, lightweight filters, or generic code not using the NDIS
    driver model), define:
        #define NDIS630

3.  An IM driver, because it is both a protocol and a miniport, should
    follow both 1. and 2. above.

4.  If you would like to use NDIS definitions from user-mode, do not
    include this ndis.h header.  Instead, include ntddndis.h from the SDK.
    Before including it, include windows.h, and define:
        #define UM_NDIS630

Definitions with NDIS version numbers may use any of the following:

    Version     First available in
    ------------------------------------------------------------------
    630         Windows "8" / Windows Server "8"
    620         Windows 7 / Windows Server 2008 R2
    61          Windows Vista SP1 / Windows Server 2008 RTM
    60          Windows Vista RTM
    52          Windows Server 2003 R2 / Windows Server 2003 + SNP
    51          Windows XP / Windows Server 2003
    50          Windows 2000
    40          Windows 95

Code should define only the versions it explicitly supports at runtime.  In
most cases, this is exactly one version (e.g., your driver only defines
NDIS630 and no other versions).  But if you have a driver that can register
either a 6.0 or a 6.20 protocol at runtime based on the results of
NdisGetVersion(), then you may define support for multiple macros (e.g.,
define both NDIS60 and NDIS630).
*/

So in summary, compile with a flag like -DNDIS60=1, and you should be good to go.