You receive a C2653 or C2039 error message when you try to reference a function from the STD C++ library

Attempting to reference a function from the STD C++ library header <cstdlib> using the namespace STD (for example, std::exit(0)) causes the compiler to emit a C2653 or a C2039 (depending upon whether or not namespace "STD" is defined at the point where the error is emitted).

<cstdlib> does not define the namespace "STD". This is contrary to the VC++ documentation, which says:

To work around the problem, place the "#include <cstdlib>" in the namespace "STD".

Microsoft has confirmed that this is a bug in the Microsoft products that are listed in the "Applies to" section.

Attempting to compile the following will cause the compiler to display the following error: However, attempting to compile the following causes the compiler to display the following error:
In the first case, the C2653 is displayed, because the namespace "STD" has not been defined. In the second case, the C2039 is displayed, because the namespace "STD" has been defined (in the header <vector>), but the function exit is not part of that namespace. To work around the problem in either case, simply enclose the "#include <cstdlib>" in the namespace "STD", as follows: