#include <windows.h> causes a lot of syntax errors - c++

Question

My program uses Qt and OpenGL. It compiles correctly under Linux and Mac.
When compiled on windows, I need to #include windows.h in order to use OpenGL, the code is like following,
#if defined(_WIN32) || defined(_WIN64) || defined(WIN32) || defined(WIN64)
#include <windows.h>
#endif
#ifdef __APPLE__
#include <OpenGL/glu.h>
#include <GLUT/glut.h>
#else
#include <GL/glu.h>
#include <GL/glut.h>
#endif
However, there are a lot of error messages like
C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Kits\8.1\include\shared\rpcdcep.h(167) : error C2146: syntax error : missing ')' before identifier 'PRPC_MESSAGE'
C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Kits\8.1\include\shared\rpcdcep.h(167) : error C2165: 'left-side modifier' : cannot modify pointers to data
C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Kits\8.1\include\shared\rpcdcep.h(167) : error C2513: 'void *' : no variable declared before '='
C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Kits\8.1\include\shared\rpcdcep.h(167) : error C2440: 'initializing' : cannot convert from 'std::ostream' to 'void *'
No user-defined-conversion operator available that can perform this conversion, or the operator cannot be called
C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Kits\8.1\include\shared\rpcdcep.h(168) : error C2059: syntax error : ')'
C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Kits\8.1\include\shared\rpcdcep.h(226) : error C2146: syntax error : missing ')' before identifier 'RPC_MESSAGE'
C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Kits\8.1\include\shared\rpcdcep.h(226) : warning C4229: anachronism used : modifiers on data are ignored
C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Kits\8.1\include\shared\rpcdcep.h(226) : error C2491: 'I_RpcNegotiateTransferSyntax' : definition of dllimport data not allowed
C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Kits\8.1\include\shared\rpcdcep.h(227) : error C2059: syntax error : ')'
C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Kits\8.1\include\shared\rpcdcep.h(235) : error C2146: syntax error : missing ')' before identifier 'RPC_MESSAGE'
C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Kits\8.1\include\shared\rpcdcep.h(235) : warning C4229: anachronism used : modifiers on data are ignored
C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Kits\8.1\include\shared\rpcdcep.h(235) : error C2491: 'I_RpcGetBuffer' : definition of dllimport data not allowed
C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Kits\8.1\include\shared\rpcdcep.h(236) : error C2059: syntax error : ')'
C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Kits\8.1\include\shared\rpcdcep.h(242) : error C2146: syntax error : missing ')' before identifier 'RPC_MESSAGE'
C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Kits\8.1\include\shared\rpcdcep.h(242) : warning C4229: anachronism used : modifiers on data are ignored
C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Kits\8.1\include\shared\rpcdcep.h(242) : error C2491: 'I_RpcGetBufferWithObject' : definition of dllimport data not allowed
C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Kits\8.1\include\shared\rpcdcep.h(244) : error C2059: syntax error : ')'
C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Kits\8.1\include\shared\rpcdcep.h(251) : error C2146: syntax error : missing ')' before identifier 'RPC_MESSAGE'
C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Kits\8.1\include\shared\rpcdcep.h(251) : warning C4229: anachronism used : modifiers on data are ignored
C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Kits\8.1\include\shared\rpcdcep.h(251) : error C2491: 'I_RpcSendReceive' : definition of dllimport data not allowed
C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Kits\8.1\include\shared\rpcdcep.h(252) : error C2059: syntax error : ')'
C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Kits\8.1\include\shared\rpcdcep.h(259) : error C2146: syntax error : missing ')' before identifier 'RPC_MESSAGE'
C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Kits\8.1\include\shared\rpcdcep.h(259) : warning C4229: anachronism used : modifiers on data are ignored
C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Kits\8.1\include\shared\rpcdcep.h(259) : error C2491: 'I_RpcFreeBuffer' : definition of dllimport data not allowed
C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Kits\8.1\include\shared\rpcdcep.h(260) : error C2059: syntax error : ')'
C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Kits\8.1\include\shared\rpcdcep.h(267) : error C2146: syntax error : missing ')' before identifier 'PRPC_MESSAGE'
C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Kits\8.1\include\shared\rpcdcep.h(267) : warning C4229: anachronism used : modifiers on data are ignored
C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Kits\8.1\include\shared\rpcdcep.h(267) : error C2491: 'I_RpcSend' : definition of dllimport data not allowed
C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Kits\8.1\include\shared\rpcdcep.h(268) : error C2059: syntax error : ')'
C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Kits\8.1\include\shared\rpcdcep.h(275) : error C2146: syntax error : missing ')' before identifier 'PRPC_MESSAGE'
C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Kits\8.1\include\shared\rpcdcep.h(275) : warning C4229: anachronism used : modifiers on data are ignored
C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Kits\8.1\include\shared\rpcdcep.h(275) : error C2491: 'I_RpcReceive' : definition of dllimport data not allowed
C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Kits\8.1\include\shared\rpcdcep.h(277) : error C2059: syntax error : ')'
C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Kits\8.1\include\shared\rpcdcep.h(284) : error C2146: syntax error : missing ')' before identifier 'RPC_MESSAGE'
C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Kits\8.1\include\shared\rpcdcep.h(284) : warning C4229: anachronism used : modifiers on data are ignored
C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Kits\8.1\include\shared\rpcdcep.h(284) : error C2491: 'I_RpcFreePipeBuffer' : definition of dllimport data not allowed
C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Kits\8.1\include\shared\rpcdcep.h(285) : error C2059: syntax error : ')'
C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Kits\8.1\include\shared\rpcdcep.h(302) : error C2146: syntax error : missing ')' before identifier 'I_RPC_MUTEX'
C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Kits\8.1\include\shared\rpcdcep.h(302) : warning C4229: anachronism used : modifiers on data are ignored
C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Kits\8.1\include\shared\rpcdcep.h(302) : error C2182: 'I_RpcRequestMutex' : illegal use of type 'void'
C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Kits\8.1\include\shared\rpcdcep.h(302) : error C2491: 'I_RpcRequestMutex' : definition of dllimport data not allowed
C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Kits\8.1\include\shared\rpcdcep.h(303) : error C2059: syntax error : ')'
C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Kits\8.1\include\shared\rpcdcep.h(438) : error C2061: syntax error : identifier 'cout'
C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Kits\8.1\include\shared\rpcdcep.h(453) : error C2061: syntax error : identifier 'cout'
C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Kits\8.1\include\shared\rpcdcep.h(479) : error C2061: syntax error : identifier 'cout'
C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Kits\8.1\include\shared\rpcdcep.h(487) : error C2061: syntax error : identifier 'cout'
C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Kits\8.1\include\shared\rpcdcep.h(534) : error C2061: syntax error : identifier 'cout'
C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Kits\8.1\include\shared\rpcdcep.h(542) : error C2061: syntax error : identifier 'cout'
C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Kits\8.1\include\shared\rpcdcep.h(728) : error C2061: syntax error : identifier 'cout'
C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Kits\8.1\include\shared\rpcdcep.h(744) : error C2061: syntax error : identifier 'cout'
C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Kits\8.1\include\shared\rpcdcep.h(754) : error C2146: syntax error : missing ')' before identifier 'UUID'
C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Kits\8.1\include\shared\rpcdcep.h(754) : warning C4229: anachronism used : modifiers on data are ignored
C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Kits\8.1\include\shared\rpcdcep.h(754) : error C2491: 'I_UuidCreate' : definition of dllimport data not allowed
C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Kits\8.1\include\shared\rpcdcep.h(755) : error C2059: syntax error : ')'
C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Kits\8.1\include\shared\rpcdcep.h(763) : error C2061: syntax error : identifier 'cout'
C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Kits\8.1\include\shared\rpcdcep.h(771) : error C2061: syntax error : identifier 'cout'
C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Kits\8.1\include\shared\rpcdcep.h(779) : error C2061: syntax error : identifier 'cout'
C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Kits\8.1\include\shared\rpcdcep.h(838) : error C2061: syntax error : identifier 'cout'
C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Kits\8.1\include\shared\rpcdcep.h(848) : error C2061: syntax error : identifier 'cout'
C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Kits\8.1\include\shared\rpcdcep.h(873) : error C2144: syntax error : 'unsigned long' should be preceded by ')'
C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Kits\8.1\include\shared\rpcdcep.h(873) : error C2448: 'I_RpcConnectionInqSockBuffSize' : function-style initializer appears to be a function definition
C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Kits\8.1\include\shared\rpcdcep.h(874) : error C2144: syntax error : 'unsigned long' should be preceded by ';'
C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Kits\8.1\include\shared\rpcdcep.h(874) : fatal error C1903: unable to recover from previous error(s); stopping compilation
If I don't #include windows.h, then those errors will not appear.
I am using VS2013 with Qt 5.3.

Answer 1

OpenGL on Microsoft Windows is tied to WGL, which is in turn tied to GDI.
As a result, you cannot #include <gl/gl.h> (you are indirectly doing this by including <GL/glu.h>) without first including some Windows-specific header that defines GDI/Windows pre-processor tokens such as WINGDIAPI and APIENTRY. But that is actually the extent to which any OpenGL program on Windows is tied to anything Windows-specific (header wise).
WinDef.h defines APIENTRY and WinGDI.h defines WINGDIAPI - including Windows.h brings in both of those headers (and a lot of other garbage unfortunately). So including Windows.h is mostly a convenience; to minimally compile OpenGL software on Windows you should #include <WinDef.h> followed by #include <WinGDI.h> and then finally #include <GL/gl.h>.
Alternatively, you can #define WIN32_LEAN_AND_MEAN just prior to #include <Windows.h> and it will significantly reduce the number of unrelated things that are brought in by including that header. Many Visual C++ projects actually define that pre-processor definition by default when they are first created, you might want to see if your project is configured that way.

Answer 2

windows.h clutter the global namespace with tons of bad things like ERROR, Rectangle ...
One way around the problem is to declare needed functions your self (I guess this is not too mutch work since you will not need more than 10 functions or so). You can call the include file wgl.h or something.
__declspec(dllimport) void* __stdcall wglCreateContext(void* hdc);
//... Other functions you need
The OpenGL API is defined outside windows.h so no problem there