Thread: C# Express Deploying Application

Hello All,

I have created an application using Visual C# Express that talk to a Visual C++ Express DLL file that I created. The application runs just fine on two computers, one running windows 7 and one running windows xp. Both computer have visual c# and visual c++ express editions installed.

The problem is when I try to run the application in a computer that doesn't have visual c# or visual c++ installed. The application form comes up but when I try to run it it doesn't find the DLL file. I have installed .NET 4.0 on the pc I'm trying to run it already.

What I did was just copy the files from the bin/release folder of C# and moved then to the PC I wanted the application to run at. I also tried to copy the DLL file to the release folder with no luck. It doesn't find the DLL file.

I hope someone can give me advice on this.
Thanks.

So I'm still having problems. I will state the problem I'm having again:

I made a GUI with C# that talks to a DLL made with C++. The Applications made in C# runs just fine on ANY computer that has Visual C++ Express 2010 installed on it. If the host machine doesn't have C++ installed a dllexeption error comes up stating that it can't find the DLL file I made with C++.

Here is the error reported from C# when trying to run the Application from a machine w/o C++ installed. The host machine has .NET Framework 4.0 installed and Microsoft Visual C++ 2008 Redistributable Package installed, any help will be appreciated.

Code:

System.DllNotFoundException was unhandled
  Message=Unable to load DLL 'uni_1-Wire_ProgrammerDLL.dll': The specified module could not be found. (Exception from HRESULT: 0x8007007E)
  Source=uni_1-Wire_Programmer
  TypeName=""
  StackTrace:
       at uni_1_Wire_Programmer.Form1.InitComPort1()
       at uni_1_Wire_Programmer.Form1.SearchDevice() in C:\Documents and Settings\User\Desktop\1-Wire\uni_1-Wire_Programmer\uni_1-Wire_Programmer\Form1.cs:line 108
       at uni_1_Wire_Programmer.Form1..ctor() in C:\Documents and Settings\User\Desktop\1-Wire\uni_1-Wire_Programmer\uni_1-Wire_Programmer\Form1.cs:line 38
       at uni_1_Wire_Programmer.Program.Main(String[] args) in C:\Documents and Settings\User\Desktop\1-Wire\uni_1-Wire_Programmer\uni_1-Wire_Programmer\Program.cs:line 19
       at System.AppDomain._nExecuteAssembly(RuntimeAssembly assembly, String[] args)
       at System.AppDomain.nExecuteAssembly(RuntimeAssembly assembly, String[] args)
       at System.Runtime.Hosting.ManifestRunner.Run(Boolean checkAptModel)
       at System.Runtime.Hosting.ManifestRunner.ExecuteAsAssembly()
       at System.Runtime.Hosting.ApplicationActivator.CreateInstance(ActivationContext activationContext, String[] activationCustomData)
       at System.Runtime.Hosting.ApplicationActivator.CreateInstance(ActivationContext activationContext)
       at System.Activator.CreateInstance(ActivationContext activationContext)
       at Microsoft.VisualStudio.HostingProcess.HostProc.RunUsersAssemblyDebugInZone()
       at System.Threading.ThreadHelper.ThreadStart_Context(Object state)
       at System.Threading.ExecutionContext.Run(ExecutionContext executionContext, ContextCallback callback, Object state, Boolean ignoreSyncCtx)
       at System.Threading.ExecutionContext.Run(ExecutionContext executionContext, ContextCallback callback, Object state)
       at System.Threading.ThreadHelper.ThreadStart()
  InnerException:

Show the code that calls the dll file.

Below is the code in the C# project that calls the .dd InitComPort1() Function.

Code:

        [DllImport("uni_1-Wire_ProgrammerDLL.dll")]
                   public static extern int InitComPort1();

Well, seeing as you're running VS 2010, maybe you should try installing the VC++ 2010 redistributable instead of the 2008 one?

I just finished doing that and it didn't help

Or, did you compile the C++ DLL in debug mode, rather than release? The redistributable does not provide debug versions of the VC runtime.

Try setting "project->properties->build->platform target" to x86 in the C# program, rather than Any CPU.

So I think I found the problem.
I used dependency walker and the file msvcr100d.dll was missing in the system32 folder. I copied the file into the folder and the program started working right away. What is the purpose of this DLL and can it be installed with one of the C++ run times?

Ok thanks. Now I'm having a different issue.
In debug mode the DLL program compiles without any problems, but when I try to compile in release mode it gives me errors:

Code:

1>uni_1-Wire_Programmer.cpp(2828): error C2664: 'CreateFileW' : cannot convert parameter 1 from 'char *' to 'LPCWSTR'
1>          Types pointed to are unrelated; conversion requires reinterpret_cast, C-style cast or function-style cast
1>uni_1-Wire_Programmer.cpp(2837): error C2664: 'CreateEventW' : cannot convert parameter 4 from 'char [80]' to 'LPCWSTR'
1>          Types pointed to are unrelated; conversion requires reinterpret_cast, C-style cast or function-style cast
1>uni_1-Wire_Programmer.cpp(2839): error C2664: 'CreateEventW' : cannot convert parameter 4 from 'char [80]' to 'LPCWSTR'

The error is somewhere in here:

Code:

int OpenCOM(char *port_zstr)
{
   char tempstr[80];
   short fRetVal;
   COMMTIMEOUTS CommTimeOuts;
   DCB dcb;

   // open COMM device
   if ((ComID =
      CreateFile( port_zstr, GENERIC_READ | GENERIC_WRITE,
                  0,
                  NULL,                 // no security attrs
                  OPEN_EXISTING,
                  FILE_FLAG_OVERLAPPED, // overlapped I/O
                  NULL )) == (HANDLE) -1 ) 
   {
      ComID = 0;
      return FALSE;
   }
   else
   {
      // create events for detection of reading and write to com port
      sprintf(tempstr,"COMM_READ_OVERLAPPED_EVENT_FOR_%s",port_zstr);
      osRead.hEvent = CreateEvent(NULL,TRUE,FALSE,tempstr);
      printf(tempstr,"COMM_WRITE_OVERLAPPED_EVENT_FOR_%s",port_zstr);
      osWrite.hEvent = CreateEvent(NULL,TRUE,FALSE,tempstr);

Change your C++ project settings' character set option to "Not Set" instead of Unicode.