---
description: "Learn more about the section pragma directive in Microsoft C/C++"
title: "section pragma"
ms.date: 01/22/2021
f1_keywords: ["section_CPP", "vc-pragma.section"]
helpviewer_keywords: ["pragma, section", "section pragma"]
no-loc: ["pragma"]
---
# `section` pragma

Creates a section in an OBJ file.

## Syntax

> **`#pragma section( "`** *section-name* **`"`** [ **`,`** *attributes* ] **`)`**

## Remarks

The terms *segment* and *section* have the same meaning in this article.

Once a section is defined, it remains valid for the rest of the compilation. However, you must use [`__declspec(allocate)`](../cpp/allocate.md), or nothing is placed in the section.

*section-name* is a required parameter that becomes the name of the section. The name must not conflict with any standard section names. See [`/SECTION`](../build/reference/section-specify-section-attributes.md) for a list of names you shouldn't use when creating a section.

*attributes* is an optional parameter consisting of one or more comma-separated attributes to assign to the section. Possible *attributes* are:

| Attribute | Description |
|--|--|
| **`read`** | Allows read operations on data. |
| **`write`** | Allows write operations on data. |
| **`execute`** | Allows code to be executed. |
| **`shared`** | Shares the section among all processes that load the image. |
| **`nopage`** | Marks the section as not pageable. Useful for Win32 device drivers. |
| **`nocache`** | Marks the section as not cacheable. Useful for Win32 device drivers. |
| **`discard`** | Marks the section as discardable. Useful for Win32 device drivers. |
| **`remove`** | Marks the section as not memory-resident. For virtual device drivers (V*x*D) only. |

If you don't specify any attributes, the section has **`read`** and **`write`** attributes.

## Example

In this example, the first section pragma identifies the section and its attributes. The integer `j` isn't put into `mysec` because it wasn't declared using `__declspec(allocate)`. Instead, `j` goes into the data section. The integer `i` does go into `mysec` because of its `__declspec(allocate)` storage-class attribute.

```cpp
// pragma_section.cpp
#pragma section("mysec",read,write)
int j = 0;

__declspec(allocate("mysec"))
int i = 0;

int main(){}
```

## See also

[Pragma directives and the `__pragma` and `_Pragma` keywords](./pragma-directives-and-the-pragma-keyword.md)