I´m new at Visual Studio C++ and maybe I´m asking a very trivial question. I have a project/application but I have to add a few new features to it. When I open the project in MVS and in "dialog" folder there are windows (or dialogs?) used by application and I can modify them but I´m not allowed to add components/tools that I really need. I have only Dialog editor tools unlocked. I can compile an run application but When I try to add a form to project I´ll see a message:
You are adding a CLR component to a native project. Your project will be converted to have Common language runtime support.
I´ve googled some information about .NET forms and windows dialogs, but I do not know what to do next. If I choose "yes" (convert project) I cannot compile it anymore.
What can I do if I would like to use a ZedGraph controll to plot graphs from data in this app?
The C# GUI tools are different to the C++ tools (like MFC).
When you try to add C# tools to a C++ project the IDE warns you "You are adding a CLR component..."
Depending on which IDE you are using, when you bring up the resource view (http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/d4cfawwc.aspx) e.g. with ctrl + shift + E you should be able to find the existing dialogs and double click to edit them.
It seems that ZedGraph is a C# library (from the docs), so you will have to convert into a C# project in order to use it, which will not be straightforward, or use a suitable C++ one.
Related
There's a great article here that describes how to use native C++ libraries in Xamarin/C#, and I would assume that this would extend to MAUI: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/xamarin/cross-platform/cpp/
I followed these instructions, and put together an end-to-end demo solution of it here: https://github.com/whodges/bindingsample. This does require that you link Visual Studio to a MacBook to build the full solution.
That example essentially uses the default MAUI template, and modifies it slightly so that the actual 'click counter' value is set and retrieved from a native library on a per-platform basis. For Windows, that's a C++ DLL (works great). For Android, that's a .so library (works great). And for iOS, that's a static .a library, and here's where I'm running into trouble: when I try to launch this app using the iOS Simulator, it fails with a clang++ error, and something along the lines of "Could not extract the native library 'libCounteriOS.a' from .../obj/Debug/net6.0-ios/iossimulator-x64/linker-cache/libCounteriOS.a'. Please ensure the native library was properly embedded in the managed assembly (if the assembly was built using a binding project, the native library must be included in the project, and its Build Action must be 'ObjcBindingNativeLibrary')".
I created a C# .NET iOS Binding Library project (Counter.iOS in my example), and this is supposed to bundle libCounteriOS.a, which is generated when CounteriOS (a C++ project) is compiled. First, when Counter.iOS is built using Visual Studio on Windows, it fails to generate the Counter.resources folder in its 'bin' folder, along with the subsequent 'manifest' file. When I use Visual Studio for Mac, these files do get generated. So, I stuck with Visual Studio for Mac to build the iOS.Counter project (everything else is built with Visual Studio on Windows).
Regardless, I still get the "could not extract the native library" error I described. I've tried setting the library file's Build Action in Counter.iOS to ObjcBindingNativeLibrary, but that just results in an unhelpful "Build failed - see build log for details" error in Visual Studio for Mac, and I cannot find said log file for the life of me. On top of that, it's not an Objective C library anyway - it's a C++ one - so I'm not sure if this step is actually appropriate. Does it have to be Objective C? The Xamarin article suggests otherwise, and the native reference option 'Is C++' is there as well. I've also tried setting libCounteriOS.a's Build Action to 'BundleResource' - no luck with that either. I've tried it with .NET 7.0 as well - also no luck there.
I'm really at a loss. Is this even possible? It doesn't seem to work and I've been poking at it for weeks on it. That Xamarin article seems to suggest it should be possible. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
According to my client's demand, I am aiming to write a Internet Explorer BHO which on button click executes my custom Javascript. I have started with this link which contains an example BHO which is inplemented in C++,
http://www.codeproject.com/Articles/37044/Writing-a-BHO-in-Plain-C
But when I try to run it in Visual C++ 2010 Express, it doesnot build. I have these question regarding IE BHO:-
1) On which platform can I build and make changes to the above example code , in VC++ 2010 or Windows 7 SDK?
2) Any other tutorial you can refer me; which can guide me how to make BHO in C++ ?
3) I intend to make a button while using IE BHO, such that whenever it is clicked, my custom javascript is executed. Can anybody give me a general guidance on how to do this?
I have searched alot about this matter on Internet, but it seems that majority of the people are implementing BHO in C#. I am in need of some good suggestions.
First question: You should not ask a question saying "it does not build" and saying nothing about your build problem. Do you want us to download the project and guess what is Ok and what is not depending on VS and OS versions? Update your question with your build problem.
Second question: Use Google: Building Browser Helper Objects with Visual Studio 2005 It's old now, but nothing has really changed since then. Alas, you must have an ATL capable version of VS, and the Express versions are not. Anyway,I very strongly discourage writing a C++ BHO without the help of ATL. You may get the ATL sources by downloading a recent SDK, but you will not have the wizards. If you have a "full" VS2008, it will do the job perfectly well.
Third question: general guidance is the IHTMLWindow2 execScript method
Previously I used Visual Studio for my C++ programmings. But some cost effects I had to change my IDE, so I chose Code::Clocks (12.11). But I can't find a way to develop GUI applications with C::B. Is there any way to develop GUIs with C::B?
Yes, You can develop GUIs with CodeBlocks if you have GTK+ or wxWidget Libraries. You can use one of them at your own choice. CodeBlocks can't use them until you download and install them, So you have to perform some actions to make them usable in CodeBlocks. For GTK+ configuration steps see this and for wxWidget see this.
I create Win32 gui apps all the time with Code::Blocks 20.3 (uses MinGW-W64 project compiler) because I code them using the Win32 api. This is the manual way of doing things, and it works great; the down-side is that you must learn the Win32 api. (its an aspiring challenge, but for an experienced C/C++ programmer and some google skills, its doable)
Many programmers believe that gui apps must be built with a graphical builder (GTK+, wxWidgets, etc) but not true. In fact, in the stock version of the 20.3 Code::Blocks one of the project options is Win32 app. It builds a 'very' minimal cpp file that displays a blank window and starts the message loop... this is a good place to start if you've never seen a gui cpp text file that produces a blank window. You will need to study the Win32 api and learn how to use the message loop, how to add controls (buttons etc) to your project, and how to debug it; its a learning curve, but it is rewarding education. Get the book, "Programming Windows" fifth edition--- make sure its the fifth edition only!
The Microsoft docs are pretty good for learning the Win32 api also, but the book is the best approach. Take a class.
marcus
If you want to start creating GUI programs with 'Code::Blocks' then using a 'Win32' approach looks promising.
I only recently installed 'Code::Blocks 20.03', using the defaults for the install directory, and type of installation( Full ), and was easily able to create a basic 'Win32 GUI project'.
NB: I was using Windows 10, and the basic project doesn't really do anything.
For some Microsoft documentation, see at
https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/win32/learnwin32/learn-to-program-for-windows
, please note at the bottom left of this page, a 'Download PDF' link.
You could start at page 18 of the pdf, which is where, 'Module 1. Your First Windows Program', starts, page 20 is illuminating.
For information on 'The Message Loop', mentioned in a previous answer, see page 24.
It might be worth bearing in mind 'Reply #3' to the question at
https://forums.codeblocks.org/index.php?topic=19537.0
I am currectly finishing my project in C++ and i'm looking for a way to create my own C++ installer file
which will create the project dll's and exe files into a specific path
what is the easier way to learn how to do it?
There are several ways to build an installer. While you can of course always make one yourself, you should google for something like "create an installer". Some prebuilt solutions include "InstallShield", or the ".msi" file format, which you can create on your own using something like "Advanced Installer".
Of course, if you want your users to build your project from source, then you need a makefile and to make sure you bundle all the libraries. There are also kits like autotools to do that for you.
If you use VS 2010, Installshield LE would suffice as it is integrated into VS 2010.
If you have access to Installshield IDE, there is nothing better available for your packaging needs.
There are two ways of packaging:
a) The LEGACY way
b) The Windows Installer way, Basic MSI is the keyword here.
The LEGACY way involves creating your own scripts for:
a) Installing the files to their locations
b) Writing registry entries, if needed
c) Registering COM components, if needed
d) Creating shortcuts etc...
Tools that can be used for LEGACY approach are:
a) NSIS - very good and has a scripting language of its own.
b) Installshield - has a project type called Installscript Project. Installscript is the scripting language to be used.
The Windows Installer way is a bit hard comapred to the LEGACY way.
One has to learn the basics of MSI technology which can be daunting.
The package created has .msi as extension. This file is a database that the developer configures and the Windows Installer takes care of all other things. This is called TRANSACTIONAL installation procedure.
Even the UI presented during install is configured in the Database using tables like Dialog, Controls etc...
Tools that can be used for Windows Installer approach are:
a) Installshield - has a project type called Basic MSI
b) Wix - Opensource and xml based. You configure appropriately named xml files and various utilities in the Wix package will help you to create an MSI package.
First after completing your project click save. Second click on file tab,Add,New Project.
In new Project Click other Project types , Setup and Deployment and in that You can click InstallShield LE or Visual Studio Installer.
Hope this Helped you
I always recommend NSIS. You might also investigate HM Nis Edit - it's an IDE for NSIS that has a useful wizard feature. It will generate an installer script for you which you can further customize. The documentation is extensive.
can't believe no one mentioned install creator pro(there is also a free version with a branded message that displays after installing). Its feature set is pretty limited, though it has options for writing registry values and specifying custom paths to %AppData% or any other place you may want to install some files. it also has an optional wizard interface, and with each step you have the oppurtunity to preview each individual page.
the paid version offers the option for adding serial number/registration to your program. i've never tried it so i'm not sure how effective it may be. its also quite and expensive little program, but i would recommend it atleast to the beginner or someone who is more concerned with maintaining the codebase of their program and less concerned with how fancy and decorated their installer program is.
i know its been a long time since this was posted but for future reference this program is far easier for any beginner to creating installation packages for the first time
I'm a hobbyist developer and have a background with Java (IDE of choice was Eclipse). I'm using Visual Studio Express 2010 and wanting to learn C++.
Few questions:
I create a "HelloWorld" in C++ and compiles/runs in VS/Windows. When I try to compile it under Linux/GCC, it obviously throws tons of errors. Default windows console project includes windows specific files; but if just create an "Empty Project" it throws tons of linker/build errors. What's the best practices here to keep my code portable?
Why is it creating 47 files for 8 lines of code?
How do you format code? You can do Edit->Format Selection, but the hotkeys don't work?
How do I output to VS's 'Output' Window? ( like eclipse does when you run a console java app )
It keeps reverting my "Project Location" to my "home directory" every time I restart. How do you change it? Is it a bug? Because it's Express edition?
Is there a way to keep it from switching to Debug view when it runs?
I create a "HelloWorld" in C++ and
compiles/runs in VS/Windows. When I
try to compile it under Linux/GCC, it
obviously throws tons of errors.
Default windows console project
includes windows specific files; but
if just create an "Empty Project" it
throws tons of linker/build errors.
What's the best practices here to keep
my code portable?
For portable code, avoid VS wizards entirely. Use Make/NMake if you're starting with rocks and sticks, or the portable build system of your preference (Ant, CMake, etc.) Some of these will spit out a VS solution/project file for you to use.
Why is it creating 47 files for 8
lines of code?
Wizards are magical like that.
How do you format code? You can do
Edit->Format Selection, but the
hotkeys don't work?
Ctrl-K Ctrl-F (under Edit, Advanced)
How do I output to VS's 'Output'
Window? ( like eclipse does when you
run a console java app )
Lookup OutputDebugString() for the debug window. Output window should get all cout/cerr output.
It keeps reverting my "Project
Location" to my "home directory" every
time I restart. How do you change it?
Is it a bug? Because it's Express
edition?
Probably hidden in options somewhere - don't know that one, sorry.
Is there a way to keep it from
switching to Debug view when it runs?
Launch using Ctrl+F5 to run without the debugger attached.
Have fun!
I create a "HelloWorld" in C++ and compiles/runs in VS/Windows. When I try to compile it under Linux/GCC, it obviously throws tons of errors. Default windows console project includes windows specific files; but if just create an "Empty Project" it throws tons of linker/build errors. What's the best practices here to keep my code portable?
It's fairly difficult to keep your code truly portable if you're writing Windows applications. Standard C++ will obviously work on either platform, but Linux can't run Windows applications, and vice versa. Remember that console applications are also considered Windows applications. They're not any more "pure" just because they are text-based, rather than graphical. Windows applications have their own entry point, different from the standard main function found in ANSI C++ (technically, main is still there, but it's hidden and called internally by the Windows libraries).
The best thing to do is not to link to any of the Windows headers. Unfortunately, you won't be very satisfied with the results. About all that you'll be able to generate is library code. You can't get a UI on the screen unless you use the Windows functions to do it.
An "Empty Project" is just what it says—empty. I assume the build errors are because you're trying to call functions that aren't defined anywhere. You'll find that you need to include windows.h to get off the ground, which instantly makes your code non-portable.
Why is it creating 47 files for 8 lines of code?
This is obviously an exaggeration; none of the wizards produce anywhere near that many code files. Especially not the "Empty Project", which doesn't create any at all.
A Win32 console application includes the following 5 files:
stdafx.h and stdafx.cpp — these files are used to enable "precompiled headers", meaning that Visual Studio will compile all of your headers once, and only recompile them when they change, rather than recompiling them each time you build the project. This used to provide enormous speed boosts, and still does on large projects. You probably don't need or care about this for small projects, but it's not a bad idea to get familiar with their usage if you're going to be developing in Visual Studio.
A targetver.h file, whose only purpose is to specify the earliest version of Windows that you want your application to run on. This is necessary because later versions of Windows add additional functionality that wasn't available in previous versions. Your app won't run if you link to functions or libraries that don't exist. Set this up once and then forget about it.
A <projectname>.cpp file, which is the implementation code for your application. This is pretty standard stuff—it includes the _tmain function, which is the entry point for a console app.
A ReadMe.txt file, which you can immediately delete. It contains some introductory information and describes the files that have been added to your project. (Yes, reading this yourself could have answered this question.)
A Win32 application would have a few more files, but most of the same ones as well. In particular, you'll see a resource file (with the extension .rc) that contains the icons, dialogs, bitmaps, cursors, etc. used in your program.
If you don't like this structure, you can either forgo the use of a wizard, or modify it yourself. There's nothing set in stone about it.
How do you format code? You can do Edit->Format Selection, but the hotkeys don't work?
Formatting code works fine. I'm not sure why people are telling you that Visual Studio doesn't support this, or that you'll need a third-party plug-in. There's no "Format Document" command as there is in C#, but the "Format Selection" command works just fine. The only difference is, you have to select something in order for it to be enabled.
The default keyboard extension for that command is CtrlK, Ctrl+F. It also works fine, right out of the box. My typical workflow is to hit Ctrl+A first to select all.
How do I output to VS's 'Output' Window? ( like eclipse does when you run a console java app )
I don't know what Eclipse does, nor do I know anything about Java. What do you want this to do? When and what things do you want to get written to the "Output" window? A console application will run in a console window, not in the "Output" window. That's not what it's for.
It's intended for debugging purposes. The OutputDebugString function is one way of utilizing it. The output of the standard cerr keyword should be automatically redirected to the "Output" window.
It keeps reverting my "Project Location" to my "home directory" every time I restart. How do you change it? Is it a bug? Because it's Express edition?
This isn't a bug, it's a feature. Visual Studio is designed for working with projects and solutions, not one-off code files. So by default, it prompts you to specify a project folder, a location to store your files. And what better place for the default location than your home folder?
If you don't like that location, you can change it. Under the "Tools" menu, select "Options". Expand the "Projects and Solutions" category, and click the "General" item. Then, change the path of the "Projects location" (the top textbox). Couldn't get much simpler than that.
Is there a way to keep it from switching to Debug view when it runs?
I frankly don't understand how this question makes any sense at all. When you run an application with the debugger attached, Visual Studio switches to a different window layout specifically optimized for debugging. I just answered a similar question. The upshot is that there's no way of telling Visual Studio to use the same window layout for both design and debug view, but I also can't imagine why you'd want to, either. Different things are useful, depending on what you're currently doing.
The two window layouts are customizable, and your changes are remembered. I've customized mine heavily from the defaults; it's very likely that your tastes vary as well. There are lots of great features, like the "Locals" window, which shows a listing of all the values of the local variables in scope at the point where you break into your program's execution.
Also remember that the default "Debug" and "Release" build configurations have nothing to do with whether or not Visual Studio automatically attaches the debugger to your application's process. If you want to start your app without the debugger attached, select "Start without Debugging" from the Debug menu, or press Ctrl+F5. There are lots of side effects to this though, and it's probably not what you wanted. Without the debugger attached, you lose most of what Visual Studio provides to you as an IDE. You might as well just run the app from Windows Explorer without even launching VS.
Finally, if you prefer Eclipse (or at least are already accustomed to its nuances and prefer not to learn Visual Studio's), you can still use it for C++ development. Download it here.
If you're just wanting to learn C++ and you don't necessarily care about the platform, I would probably avoid using Visual Studio to start with. Visual Studio provides some functionality for managing projects and builds, but honestly, I think you're better off learning how to manage code files and use the compiler on the command line first, then working up from there.
If you're on Windows, I'd recommend installing Cygwin and getting the GNU compiler tools through the Cygwin setup utility (gcc or g++).
This is a bit of an opinionated answer, but my experience with C++ on Windows leads me to believe that you'd be better served trying to learn C++ from more of a unix-like angle. Windows C++ adds a whole layer of crap that will just confuse you when you're getting started.