build managed c++ project in .net 3.5 using vs2010 (msbuild4) - c++

Is it possible to build a managed c++ project in .net 3.5 using vs2010 ?
There are different opinions around but I haven't being able to do this. Any ideas?

The build system for VS2010 was dramatically changed and only directly supports building for 4.0. Targeting 3.5 requires having VS2008 on your machine. More about this in this answer.

Related

Is it possible to create a C# DLL of C++/CLI code using .Net Core 3.1 on Linux

This might be a very specific question. But it might be interesting for some other people, too.
The setting might be quite common: we develop an embedded device using C++ and Linux and have a build system for this. With our device we ship a C# desktop app using a DLL based plugin mechanism. The plugin contains the shared logic used both on the embedded device and the app. To keep processes easy it would be best to create the DLL on our Linux build system (hence I would like to use .Net Core and not "normal" .Net).
As far as my trial and error showed it's not possible - even with .Net Core 3.1. Can you confirm this? The software is for windows only (although it's compiled on Linux) - so theoretically it could possible since .Net Core supports CLI/C++ in Version 3.1 (https://devblogs.microsoft.com/dotnet/announcing-net-core-3-1/).
What I tried:
I compiled pure C# code on Linux to an exe running successfully on windows using the console app dotnet
I successfully created a simple C++/CLI test app on Windows using sample code following this guide: https://devblogs.microsoft.com/cppblog/an-update-on-cpp-cli-and-dotnet-core/
Finally I took the (probably for too naive) approach to replace the test app's .vcxproj with the .csproj of step 1 (.csproj seems to detect files automatically). I got the following error message:
quote CSC : error CS5001: Program does not contain a static 'Main' method suitable for an entry point [/home/vagrant/Projects/cpp_dotnet_on_linux/cs_on_linux.csproj]
Is there something I can improve or is the task just impossible (adding the cpp-files manually to .csproj, ...)? I'm afraid it's just technically impossible because I guess .Net Core is missing a C++ compiler on Linux but I'm not sure.
C++/CLI is not support on Linux.
Some sources:
https://devblogs.microsoft.com/cppblog/the-future-of-cpp-cli-and-dotnet-core-3/ :
We don’t currently have plans for C++/CLI for targeting macOS or Linux. Additionally, compiling with “/clr:pure” and “/clr:safe” won’t be supported for .NET Core.
https://github.com/dotnet/coreclr/issues/659#issuecomment-539742740
C++/CLI on Linux will not be supported and would be very challenging. It would require Microsoft VC++ to support Linux or require Clang or GCC to support C++/CLI. Those are both huge projects with uncertain payoff. It is also unclear if Clang or GCC would ever allow us to upstream our changes. Maintaining an up-to-date fork of a fast moving compiler project forever is very expensive. We have no plans to take on either of those projects.

Running .net based exe application without .NET Framework

I just created a clr c++ aplication that combine c++ code and windows form
as resoalt the exe prodused from visual studio cannot use /mt and its not standalone (it require the wright .net installed on the computer)
are there ANY way to make a fully standalone exe from clr c++ exe?
i tried to check out spoon studio and Cameyo but it's look like they work only on files that includes instalation ...
The point is what a standalone application would buy you here? There is no such thing as a "standalone application" anyway - depending on how hard you look at it. You'll always have dependencies at least on the Windows version you intent your application to run on.
In the end it boils down to deployment or distribution issues. If you don't want your users to install a (newer) version of the .NET framework just to run your application, then start by determining the lowest Windows version you want to support with your application. Then check here for the .NET version that comes preinstalled with that version of windows. Then target your application against that version of .NET.

Windows forms application in VS2010 WITHOUT .NET?

I want to create more or less portable (stand-alone, no install, WinXP to Win7) Win32 forms application in Visual Studio 2010. When I create a new project, it appears that the only way I can do it is if I use .NET/CLR, which makes me think it will be very unportable.
What is the preferred way of creating such apps?
Depending on what you mean with portable. An .NET application will function on all versions of Windows that runs the correct version of .NET (even other OS'ses in some cases http://www.mono-project.com/Main_Page). You will only have a dependency of a hudge framework, that I think most people running Windows have by now.
Besides .NET you have other alternatives such as MFC or native Win32 API.
you can either use C/C++ with MFC in VS 2010 or use something different altogehter creating a "native application" like C++ Builder or Delphi.
On the other hand .NET is installed by default in Windows XP SP3 and up - at least .NET 2.0 is always available... see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/.NET_Framework#Versions.
You can use .NET in conjunction with a linker (example 1 and 2) if you don't mind large executable sizes.
Otherwise, C/C++ without managed extensions.

Does Visual Studio 2005/08/10 replace Embedded Visual C++ 4.0?

In particular we are developing for Intermec CK30/CK31 running Windows CE. We have an existing C++ project that also targets newer devices (running Windows Mobile 5/6).
The guy who has left this with us, just used to use both environments to develop the one set of source. But I would rather ditch one and develop for all in one environment.
You should be able to use VS2008 for all your development. You'll need to install the platform SDKs for the Intermec and WM versions (WM 4.2 and 5.0 standard should be there by default). VS2010 doesn't yet support Windows Mobile/CE development.
If you are using different environments with different versions of visual studio, you might want to have a look at the cmake builder.
It is a meta-build program, in that it creates a requested build environment (eg. VS2005 or VS2008) for you. You maintain one set of source code and then choose what IDE/compiler to use to build/modify you code. And each developer can choose a different IDE/compiler.
This would be a good compromise, as you are separating your code from your compiler/IDE, and cmake makes it no effort to drop/revive a target compiler/IDE should you wish to later.

Is there a downloadable distribution of Thrift for Windows?

I've been reading quite a bit about Thrift and it looks like a technology I'd really like to use. I'm having all sorts of trouble building the Windows distribution. I know a patch exists to build a Windows version, however I have not had much luck with this either.
Does anyone know of a pre-built distribution for Windows?
Or any suggestions on how to get the latest version of Thrift built (without turning my Windows machine into a pseudo *nix box).
Thanks
Rich
Thrift 0.8 now has VS projects for both the compiler and C++ library. Get the snapshot release or the latest off of SVN
http://thrift.apache.org/download/
Edit: 0.8 has been officially released and the source is available as a tarball on the download page.
Edit2: The SVN trunk now has a cross-platform sample project under thrift/contrib/transport-sample
I ported the client part of Thrift to Windows C++ for my own open-source project. It should be easily usable in other Win32 or WinCE projects.
http://peoplesnote.codeplex.com - src\Evernote API\Thrift
Yes there is, just download the exe from here:
http://thrift.apache.org/download/
exe listed for download there is standalone executable, no installation is needed.
I have used it to generate Smalltalk code, did not test other languages.