I'm confused in my understanding of the relationship between Visual Studio and .NET. I want to write a C++ application, but not a ".NET C++" application. By this, I mean that my understanding is that everything built in .NET land gets compiled to a CLI-compatible intermediary code (just like "JVM" languages like Java and Groovy compile to the same bytecode).
But I don't want my app compiled to an intermediary bytecode...I want it compiled down to raw binary!
Does Visual Studio do this? Or is .NET forced down my throat the minute I choose VS as my C++ IDE? If so, whats a "raw C++" alternative to VS?
Thanks in advance!
Visual Studio is an IDE, which is orthogonal to any specific language or compiler.
Visual C++ is a compiler that supports the C, C++, and C++/CLI languages.
In Visual Studio, create a Visual C++ project from one of the 'Win32' (as opposed to 'CLR') project templates and your program won't have any .NET dependency.
there is that /clr compiler switch when compiling a c++ app. Without it, you will get a pure native binary and cannot use any. NET specific features within your code.
By selecting a project template or by setting the corresponding project property, VS will automatically choose if the switch is on or off.
Visual Studio still supports 100% native C++ applications as will as managed applications. When creating a new app just choose the "Win32 Console Application" to create a native application. For existing applications you can change / verify by doing the following
Right Click on the project and select "Properties"
Navigate to Configuration Properties -> C/C++
Make sure that "Common Language Runtime Support" is set to "No Common Language Runtime Support"
Related
I am using VS10 C++ and try to convert Windows Forms Application project to executable file: this what I did
select project-> properties -> configuration properties -> C/C++
-> Code Generation -> Runtime library
then I select Multi-threaded Debug(/MTd)
when I built my project I got the following error
A Windows Forms application depends on classes from the .NET Framework Base Class Library. To develop a Windows desktop application in C++ that does NOT depend on .NET, you should use the project template for a Microsoft Foundation Classes (MFC) Application instead. This type of project will compile as a native .exe, instead of a .NET assembly. (By the way, not sure why you would still be using Visual Studio 2010 for C++ development, when the free VS 2015 Community Edition fully supports C++11 and many features of C++14. I do not yet recommend VS 2017 however, since it is still very buggy for C++ development.)
EDIT: In Visual Studio 2017, there is another option (which was not available in VS 2015). If you choose the Windows Desktop Application project template, you will get a project that depends on neither .NET (aka CLR support) nor MFC. I have never tried this approach, but on the surface, it looks very similar to MFC. Again, so far I have found VS 2017 for C++ to be very buggy, so you might have a better experience using MFC in VS 2015 instead.
Is it possible to write a c++ code in Visual Studio without using c++.net?
I'm learning c++ at the moment - Using a book.
But I like the Visual Studio IDE but I don't know if it supports c++ or just c++.net.
I usually create a new (empty) directory and copy the source file(s) into that directory, then when creating the Visual Studio project using the name of the directory. To create a standard C++ console program, choose "... console application", then click on next, clear the check boxes below "empty project", and check "empty project". Once you're into the project, click on project, and "add existing item" to add the source file name(s).
If you want 64 bit mode, you'll need to right click on the project name, then properties, then configuration manager, then new, and select x64. It doesn't matter if you do this for debug or release build, it will set x64 mode for both build modes.
Yes, you can. Visual studio supports two types of C++ applications:
C++/CLI (also called managed C++) - Under Visual Studio project wizard, these kind of projects are grouped under CLR
Native C++ - Under Visual Studio project wizard, these are the projects grouped under Win32, MFC, ATL
Note, however, that you can always turn a project from native to managed and vice versa by going into the project properties and switching on/off the Common Language Runtime Support (/clr), so make sure this option is turned off (No CLR).
Also, be aware that different C++ compilers not always support the same C++ features (even if they are part of the standard), and some C++ compilers implement their own extensions to the language. In the case of Visual Studio, it defines Microsoft Extensions to C and C++ that can be turned off (Za) to be more ANSI compliant.
Visual Studio is actually notoriously late when it comes to supporting the C++ standard. Even now, some C++11 features are not part of the latest Visual Studio so keep this in mind when wondering why something you read in a book does not work in Visual C++.
One last note. Avoid using ATL and MFC if you try to be cross-platform compatible. Even if you don't want to be cross-platform compatible, ATL and MFC are only supported by Visual C++ and using them will lock you to using Visual Studio. Now with the Community Edition, both ATL/MFC are available for free if you are an independent developer or a small company, while historically, ATL/MFC were paid-version only as they are not part of Visual Studio Express editions.
It depends on which variant of Visual Studio you're using. If Express edition you want "for Desktop" in order to do ordinary standard C++. With full Visual Studio there's no problem.
I am new to Visual Studio 2008 (.NET Framework 3.5) and am Developing a Windows Form application.
Starting the IDE, the only options for a New Project are under the categories:
Visual Basic
Visual C#
Visual C++
I did Visual C++ -> CLR -> Windows Forms Application
However, the template code is in the "Visual C++" syntx.
How do I create a new GUI project with plain vanilla C/C++ using Visual Studio 2008?
Please note, the last time I did this was with MFC in Visual Studio C++ 6.0
If I am missing the underlying principal please explain.
Thank You!
Example: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms235634%28v=vs.90%29.aspx
Long story short - you cannot.
Windows Forms is a .NET framework and not a C++ framework. This in turn means that you cannot use C++ to work with it. What Microsoft did is invented their own language that is C++-ish, but compiles into CLI bytecode (likely with native code mix-in, but I am not sure). Before it was "Managed C++", now it is C++/CLI (what you have linked as an example is not C++, but C++/CLI).
For plain C++ projects you have to choose "Win32 Project", "Win32 Console Application" or "Empty Project".. But then you cannot work with Windows Forms. Your options would be to use other GUI libraries like GTK, Qt, WxWidgets. There are tons of GUI frameworks. Or perhaps you would prefer sticking with Win32 API. My personal choice is Qt. And no Visual Studio at all.
Hope it clarifies things a bit for you. Good luck!
The "Visual" is just the name of the product. It's not a different language. c++/cli however, is a different language, and that's what you're seeing. If you want to make a Windows Form application, you will have to use .net. C++/cli is a .net language, C++ is not. You can make actual C++ applications with Visual C++, just not Windows Form applications.
First, there is no such thing as "Visual C++", in terms of a language. There is C++/CLI, which is a sort of variation of C++ that has extensions for building .NET libraries and programs using a C++-like language.
Windows Forms is a technology based on the CLR: common language runtime. AKA: .NET. You cannot build a Windows Forms application with just ISO C++. At some point, you have to talk to the CLR, which is at minimum going to require some COM support. And you'd probably be better off with C++/CLI and doing it that way.
Visual in this case means Windows Programming. And that include designing GUI (Graphical User Interface) for your application which will work in Windows environment. The language itself is C++.
You have two options available to develop Window Application.
Use Window API's only
Use a frame such as MFC,WPF etc
The language is always C++ but it has accommodation for Windows and therefore Visual C++.
Btw if you want plain C/C++, choose Visual C++ and start a console application. Make sure you select empty project.
I searched around for the answers to these questions, but I have had little luck. So, I thought I would post them here to get some clarification. If this is a duplicate, please let me know, and I will close this.
Okay, with that said, I would like to begin learning C++. I come from a C# background and I have a great respect for Visual Studio and what it can do. Now, my question is. How well does Visual Studio's compiler work for C++ as opposed to a non-Microsoft version (such as MinGW)?
My thing is this. I have nothing wrong with Microsoft, but I would really like to learn C++ in a "pure" form and not scewed by any particular implementation. How reliant is Visual C++ on the .NET Framework? Can a "pure" C++ application be created through Visual Studio without any .NET usage or overhead? Does the Visual Studio compiler compile C++ into CIL like it does with C#/VB, or does it compile it all the way down as others do?
Thanks for any help anyone can provide!
The Visual C++ compiler will compile C++ code into standalone EXEs that have nothing to do with the .NET framework.
The only way to get the .NET baggage thrown in is to compile the C++ as "managed".
If you create a new project (File|New|New Project) Then choose "Win32" from the Visual C++ submenu in the project types and choose "Win32 Console Application" Visual studio will create a simple project with a couple of source files that will compile to a little executable.
Most of the time, Visual C++ is very similar to other compilers. Avoid #pragmas, microsoft libraries (MFC, ATL) and you should be fine.
Edit (thanks Cheeso) - Documentation of where Visual C++ diverges from standard.
In general I would advise using boost libraries for threads and networking because they work on many platforms (i.e linux). Also if your code can compile in GCC and Visual Studio then you are doing a good job keeping it portable.
The most recent versions of VC++ have become significantly more compliant to the C++ standard, so it's not really an issue to write "pure" C++ using Visual Studio, presuming that you stay out of the Windows API, COM+ and ATL. In fact, the documentation with Visual Studio is very rich, with details on the standard libraries and the STL, so it can help you learn a great deal. It can't teach you everything, but it's certainly loaded up with a wealth of information that is portable to any compiler and it is very easily accessbible inside the IDE.
If you create a new solution you should choose new Win32 Project, or Win32 Console Application, and check the 'Empty Project' option. Then you can add a main.cpp file, and add your standard C++ code.
If you like Visual Studio, go ahead and use it to learn C++ -- I haven't used the very latest version, but even the previous one was pretty standards-compliant, C++-wise, and I assume the latest one can only have gotten better. You can have many different kinds of project in Visual Studio, including "console apps", which are the "plain vanilla" kind you could make on any platform, and also many other kinds, such as, windows apps using the good old win32 api, ones made with MFC or other frameworks older than .NET, .NET ones using "managed code", etc.
Just make sure you always work in a "console app" project, and you'll be operating pretty closely to how you would be on other platforms and/or with other C++ IDEs.
If you limit yourself to writing ANSI C++ compliant code then what you write in VS will work in other compilers, until you have to interact with a graphic interface or IO. Then you need to make certain that you are using something that is portable, such as OpenGL, and not DirectX.
To set your project the steps here may be useful:
http://bytes.com/topic/net/answers/447572-strict-ansi-c
Microsoft Visual Studio 2005 comes with a very good, C++98 standard compliant pure C++ compiler. If you are interested in pure C++, don't forget to disable language extensions in project settings and you are good to go. Nobody is going to force you to use .NET framework, MFC or anyting like that. Just pure core C++ language and C++ standard library.
Of course, just like any other compiler, it has known non-compliance issues, but in general it is, again, surprisingly good. Older versions of their compiler (MS VS 6.0 specifically) suffered from many non-compliance problems and could not even compile its own header files with language extensions disabled. In 2005 version they fixed a lot of these issues.
After creating a standard Win32 project, you can turn up the compliance a bit more. On the project properties sheet, there's a C/C++ category, with a Language entry. This lists a number of cases where VC++ can differ from the standard. Here, you'd want to turn OFF language extensions, and turn ON "wchar_t as built-in type", "for-loop conformance" and "RTTI support".
I am writing a plain vanilla c++ console app using VS 2008. When I create the project, the IDE gives me a choice of .net versions. There is no option for 'none'. When I look at the project properties page, the Targeted Framework has whatever value I chose and is greyed out.
When I try and run the app on a windows machine without the clr, it gives me a setup error and quits.
There is nothing in my code that has anything to do with .net. How can I escape the clutches of .net and the clr?
How are you creating the project? If I start Visual Studio 2008 and go File / New / Project... / Other languages / Visual C++ / Win32 / Win32 Console Application, I get a plain old C++ project with no .net dependency.
Make sure that you chose the "Win32 Console Application" project type. This will give you a C++ only project. Most of the other console options will bind the project to .Net.
Just choose Win32 Console Application. The drop down at the top of the window is irrelevant.
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The problem (based on your comment under the question) has nothing to do with .NET.
The problem is most likely how you link to the C runtime library.
Visual Studio defaults to using the dynamically linked (dll) version, which means that dll has to be present on the target machine.
The simple fix is to change your project to use the statically linked version.
Under project properties -> C/C++ -> Code Generation, set Runtime Library to Multi-Threaded or Multi-Threaded Debug (but not Multi-Threaded (debug) DLL).
Alternatively, you have to deploy the runtime dll along with your program.
Also if you right click the project in the solution explorer and go to Properties->Configuration Properties->General
You should be satisfied to see that the "Common language support" field should be set to "No common language support" if you followed the above advice i.e. compiling with no clr !
Use Dependency Walker to find out which DLLs are needed to yours program. May be problem is not with .NET, and with Runtime or ATL libraries. Did you used static linkage?