I have a VS2008 solution containing two C++ projects. One is a Win32/console .dll and the other is a tester program to test that dll, also a Win32 console app.
When I build the solution, even with a clean build and with the Debug Command set to the hardcoded path to the executable, trying to debug presents a messagebox saying,
"the specified file is an unrecognized or unsupported binary format".
The program it is trying to execute is the source of tester.cpp.
Can someone suggest a cure? What information may I provide to help solve this problem?
Please make sure that your test application (it should be an executable: .exe) is the one you're running and not the DLL. Set it as the "startup project" for example.
You can do so from within your Solution Explorer by right-clicking the appropriate project and selecting "Set as startup project".
I have a VS2010 solution containing two C++ projects:
one project generates a .lib file and the another project (which contains"main.cpp") is used to test the functionality provided by the .lib file.
for that, I go to the solution explorer, right click '2nd Project' and go to References. when you click "Add new reference", it already contains references to the First Project. Select it.
Now, I need to set the '2nd Project' (which contains "main.cpp") as start-up project so that I can debug the code. for that, again, go to the solution explorer, right click '2nd Project' and go to Set as StartUp Project
The easiest way to solve this issue, is to delete the .suo file and re-build the project.
First, you have to change your folder options, to show hidden files (as the .suo file is generally hidden). If you are not sure how to do it, refer to http://windows.microsoft.com/en-sg/windows/show-hidden-files#show-hidden-files=windows-7
Secondly, browse to the location where the respective Visual Studio Solution file is saved and delete the .suo file. If you need to know more about the .suo files, please refer to http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb165909.aspx
Finally, re-build your project.
This method, generally has solved most of similar issues which occurred to me.
Hope this helps!
Related
My goal is to compile existing C++ classes (legacy code, stored in a set of *.h files) into a DLL so that it can be further integrated into a C# application.
For that purpose, it seems best to use MS Visual Studio. I have no experience with this environment, so I tried the naive approach found on MSDN and other SO answers:
File | New | Project from existing code
selected Visual C++
selected file location that is base for include references used in those .h files
specified a project name
let the wizard find and add all C++ files below the directory
selected "Use Visual Studio" for build, with project type "Dynamically Linked Library (DLL) project"
checked none of the checkboxes below (ATL, MFC, CLR)
specified . dir in the "Include search paths (/I)" in Debug settings
checked "Same as Debug configuration" in "Release settings"
clicked Finish button
This creates couple of VS files in the directory:
mylibrary.sln
mylibrary.vcxproj
mylibrary.vcxproj.filters
mylibrary.vcxproj.user
With a project created this way, I press F6 or select Build | Rebuild solution from the menu.
Then I expect the build to produce the .dll file somewhere, but it does not appear. Only these files appear:
.vs/mylibrary/v15/.suo
.vs/mylibrary/v15/Browse.VC.db
.vs/mylibrary/v15/Browse.VC.opendb
.vs/mylibrary/v15/ipch/AutoPCH/efad7c74cd39331b/EXAMPLE.ipch
Debug/mylibrary.log
Debug/mylibrary.tlog/mylibrary.lastbuildstate
Next, I decided to try creating a fresh new library project, just to observe the differences to get some hints, but that did not help - there were too many differences, even in the file structure...
My questions are:
is my choice of MS Visual C++ a good one for given purpose?
if so, what am I doing wrong here?
I think your steps are probably correct and I think that the right approach to use the code from a C# application. You definitely can call a C++ library from C# by importing the methods.
You missed only to export the methods that you want to use from your library. try using __declspec(dllexport) with these methods. please check this link:
https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/a90k134d.aspx.
Also, the output should be at the build folder, not the source code folder
Compiling .h files into libraries is ok, the compiler does not care - however, the UI does.
Still, you can tweak this by directly editing the .vcxproj file.
While doing so, make sure that the <ClCompile> sections contain:
<RuntimeLibrary>MultiThreadedDLL</RuntimeLibrary>
Note that you can use commandline for building the DLL project:
"%ProgramFiles(x86)%\Microsoft Visual Studio\2017\Community\MSBuild\15.0\Bin\MSBuild.exe" -target:Clean,Build
(this assumes that your current directory is the one with your .vcxproj)
I'm using a library (Astro.lib) which i've built without problems (i guess this is a release build).
I've also built a project which references the library (it runs as a release exe fine) but i can't debug the project because i get the message 'unable to start program 'Astro.lib'.
If i try to debug the lib then i get the same error, so I guess its something to do with not building for debug my lib but not sure how to modify.
I've tried changing the properties pages using MSDN info but not sure i'm addressing the correct problem. What changes should i make to the properties pages of the library of linking project?
Thanks in advance
I've also built a project which references the library
That's the project you want to debug. You probably just have the wrong project selected as the startup project of your solution. It is marked in bold type in the Solution Explorer window.
Right-click the project that uses the library and select "Set as StartUp Project"
your debug settings are wrong - you're trying to debug the lib, not the exe.
Chances are you've set the library project as the one that is started by the debugger (eg the "startup project" that shows in bold in Visual studio). Change your solution explorer so the main executable project is bold and try again, or right click on it and selecty the appropriate "run in the debugger" option.
Another solution is:
Make sure you have the Solution Explorer view (VIEW->SOLUTION EXPLORER).
Then, right click on SOLUTION at the top, and click EXPLORER.
Under COMMON PROPERTIES->STARTUP PROJECT -> SINGLE STARTUP PROJECT, choose the project that you want VS to execute. Note that this project has the property CONFIGURATION TYPE set as APPLICATION(.EXE). This can b found under the project's properties->CONFIGURATION PROPERTIES->GENERAL.
Hope that helps.
I've been trying for weeks to get Microsoft Visual Studio 2010 to create a DLL for me with SWIG. If you have already gone through this process, would you be so kind as to give a thoughtful step-by-step process explanation? I've looked everywhere online and have spent many many hours trying to do this; but all of the tutorials that I have found are outdated or badly explained.
I have succeeded in going through this process with cygwin; but as some of you know, a cygwin DLL is not very practical.
As a result, I have .i, .cpp, and .h files that I know can create a DLL together. I just need to know how to do this with Visual Studio C++ 2010. The language that I am targeting is Python.
Step-by-step instructions. This assumes you have the source and are building a single DLL extension that links the source directly into it. I didn't go back through it after creating a working project, so I may have missed something. Comment on this post if you get stuck on a step. If you have an existing DLL and want to create a Python extension DLL that wraps it, this steps are slightly different. If you need help with that comment on this post and I will extend it.
Edit 8/19/2012: If starting with a C example, don't use -c++ in step 13 and use .c instead of .cxx for the wrap file extension in steps 14 and 19.
Start Visual Studio 2010
File, New, Project from Existing Code...
Select "Visual C++" project type and click Next.
Enter project file location where the .cpp/.h/.i files are.
For Project Name, choose the name used in %module statement in your .i file (case matters).
Select project type "Dynamically linked library (DLL) project" and click Next.
Add to Include search paths the path to the Python.h file, usually something like "C:\Python27\include" and click Next.
Click Finish.
Right-click the Project in Solution Explorer, Add, Existing Item..., and select your .i file.
Right-click the .i file, Properties, and select Configuration "All Configurations".
Change Item Type to "Custom Build Tool" and click Apply.
Select "Custom Build Tool" in Properties (it will appear after Apply above).
Enter Command Line of "swig -c++ -python -outdir $(Outdir) %(Identity)" (this assumes SWIG is in your path and redirects the generated .py file to the Debug or Release directory as needed).
In Outputs enter "%(Filename)_wrap.cxx;$(Outdir)%(Filename).py".
Click OK.
Right-click the .i file, and select Compile.
Right-click the project, Add, New Filter, name it "Generated Files".
Right-click "Generated Files", click Properties, and set "SCC Files" to "False" (if you use source-control, this prevents VS2010 trying to check in the generated files in this filter).
Right-click "Generated Files", Add, Exiting Item and select the _wrap.cxx file that was generated by the compile.
Right-click the project, Properties.
Select Configuration "All Configurations".
Select Configuration Properties, Linker, General, Additional Library Directories and add the path to the python libraries, typically "C:\Python27\libs".
Select Configuration Properties, General and set TargetName to "_$(ProjectName)".
Set Target Extension to ".pyd".
Build the "Release" version of the project. You can't build the Debug version unless you build a debug version of Python itself.
Open a console, go to the Release directory of the project, run python, import your module, and call a function!
I've been following the tutorial from msdn and it just doesn't work.
First problem I have is that sometimes the .dll and .lib aren't built. Instead I only get .objs. Whenever I build the .dll project, it gives me a popup asking to "please specify the name of the executable file to be used for the debug session". I was told to change my startup project to one with a main function, but then the .dll doesn't get built. This happens both using the default VS configuration and simply adding some lines or following the step-by-step guide at msdn.
When the .dll and .obj are built - God knows how - I can't get them to be recognized. I've tried putting them and the .h in the project folder, but then I get an error about the .dll function being undefined. Following the msdn link, at one point it says:
To use the math routines that were created in the dynamic link library,
you must reference the library. To do
this, select References… from the
Project menu. On the Property Pages
dialog box, expand the Common
Properties node, select References,
and then select the Add New Reference…
button. For more information about the
References… dialog box, see Framework
and References, Common Properties,
Property Pages Dialog
Box.
The Add Reference dialog box is displayed. This dialog lists all the
libraries that you can reference. The
Project tab lists all the projects in
the current solution and any libraries
they contain. On the Projects tab,
select MathFuncsDll.
If I go Project > Test Properties > Common Properties I can only find the subitem "Framework and References". There is no "References..." There is an "Add new Reference..." button, but that doesn't let me add anything. The other button, "Add Path..." doesn't make any difference even when I set it with the directory with the files. The following steps don't work either.
I've also tried to add the name of the file at the Linker, but then it says it couldn't find the .obj file.
I have no idea where to go from here. I been stuck on this for hours and nowhere has a solution for this.
Is there a step-by-step guide anywhere that actually works for VS2008?
firstly your description is mixing managed (.net) things with normal c++ stuff. I assume you are doing normal c++ stuff.
DO you own (I mean have the source; are the author) both the DLL and the calling program? If so you should have 2 VS projects one for the DLL and one for the program. You should set the program as the startup project. This will make the debugger behave correctly
IN order to get the build right you need to make the c++ program depend on the dll project. There is a Project | Project dependies dialog that will do this for you, set the program project to depend on the dll project
If you only own the DLL then you need to go to the project properties | debug and tell it what binary to run to call your DLL.
If this is managed c++ then its a whole different storty
Try to specify Project Dependencies between your DLL project and project of application that uses the DLL.
The References settings are dedicated to .NET projects.
i'm new to visual studio and couldn't find anything on google about this. i know this is an extremely noobish question, but i can't seem to find any info for it.
the debug shows me whatever i write, and the build has no errors, so i know the code i'm writing is fine.
the release folder doesn't contain the .exe, even after i build it, rebuild, clean, etc.
it's a win 32 console project. the release folder contains the .obj files, the manifest, the build log, idb, pch and pdb files (one of each)
Some possible reasons:
Did you accidentally create a class library project? In that case the output would be a DLL and not an EXE.
Does the output window or the error list display any build errors? In that case you should first fix these, then build again.
Did you change the configuration of the project, so that the output (EXE) is created in a different folder than the default one?
There's not a whole lot of reason for people to be guessing... You said you can find the build log - the exact location of any output file will be in there. To make sure you're seeing the right build log file, the output window in VS will have a link to the file that particular build run created:
1>Build log was saved at "file://c:\DevTrees\cppTest\Debug\BuildLog.htm"
1>cppTest - 0 error(s), 2 warning(s)
If you're having trouble interpreting it, post the contents.
I had the same problem; the advice above to look closely at the output window was just what I needed - thanks. My confusion was because I was looking in solution>project>Debug when VS put it in solution>Debug.
The Release and Debug folders contain outputs from different build configurations.
If you look in Project properties, you will see an Output Folder setting in the Build section, and it will be different for each configuration. (You can see the setting for each configuration using the dropdown list at the top of the Project Properties window)
The Release folder will only get populated when you build the project in the Release configuration.
To switch to the Release configuration, use the dropdown list in the toolbar.
EDIT: I am describing the UI for C# projects. It may be different for native code.
Are you sure that your project type is correct? A class library project won't build an executable. It would need to be some sort of application project to create an executable.
I had the same problem. The compilation went fine, but no .exe was generated in the target folder (.\Debug).
The problem was actually that the file containing the main() function was called "FooProject.cpp". I renamed it to "main.cpp" and then the .exe was generated properly.
In other IDEs such as Eclipse CDT, you don't need to have your main file called "main.cpp" as long as you have a proper main() function. This is apparently not the case for Visual C++.