Problem building a Release

[The SharK]

When I build this code, as a Release version using Visual Studio Express 2005, it compile this code as (8.704 bytes),
but the file doesn't run on other machines ?

// This is a simple counter ;-)

#include "stdafx.h"
#include <iostream>
#include <windows.h>


int main()
{
	int i = 1;
	int input = 123;

	std::cout << "Counter by The SharK" << std::endl << std::endl;
	Sleep (2000);
	std::cout << "Input Password ;-) " << std::endl;
	Sleep(3000);
	std::cout << "Pssst.... it's three numbers !" << std::endl;
	Sleep(5000);
	std::cout << "The password is 12?" << std::endl;
	std::cin >> input;

	if ( input == 123 )
		{
    	std::cout << "CORRECT password !";
		for ( i = 1 ; i >= 0 ; ++i )
			std::cout << i << std::endl;
		Sleep(5000);
		}
	std::cout << "WRONG password :-(" << std::endl;
    std::cout << "Press [Enter] to continue" << std::endl;

	// To force [ENTER]
	std::cin.get();
	std::cin.get();
	return(0);
}

Can any of you make a release of this code, which works
on any windows xp machine

[Darryl]

You have 2 choices, create a setup application that installs the necessary dll's (minimally msvcrt80.dll) for use on other machine... or link your application statically. I prefer the second in most situations. In VS2005 the setting is: Project->Properties->C/C++ -> Code Generation -> Runtime Library. Set it to Multi-Threaded. The default is multi-threaded DLL.

[The SharK]

Hi Darryl

In VS2005 the setting is: Project->Properties->C/C++ -> Code Generation -> Runtime Library. Set it to Multi-Threaded. The default is multi-threaded DLL.

That sure did the job, great thanks Darryl

... or link your application statically

What's the big difference between linking statically and I guess dynamically
I mean, I wasn't gonna build a DLL, just a normal EXE file....

[Hunter2]

>>I mean, I wasn't gonna build a DLL, just a normal EXE file....
Quick rundown:
Doesn't matter. If your code accesses an external library's function, then the library must be linked with your executable (i.e. the library is precompiled, you're not directly injecting the library's C/C++ code into your own). If you link statically, then the code from the library is added to your exe file in the linking stage, and you eliminate the external dependency. If you link dynamically, then you'll need the .dll file of the library to be present on the user's system, but you will have a smaller .exe file, and the user is free to use a different (i.e. updated or optimized) version of the library by supplying their own .dll file.

**EDIT**
>>and I guess dynamically
Yep, that's what it's called. DLL stands for 'Dynamically Linked Library', and I'm sure you can see where the name comes from.

[The SharK]

Thanks Hunter2

for setting things straight, nice explanation

[CondorMan]

I have Visual C++ Express Edition and can't compile this code. It says that stdafx.h does not exist. If I comment out that line, it says that it can't find windows.h.

Is it possible for me to get it to compile (and then transfer to any XP computer) with my software? What am I doing wrong?

[twomers]

>> it says that it can't find windows.h

You sure about that?

[Darryl]

I have Visual C++ Express Edition and can't compile this code. It says that stdafx.h does not exist. If I comment out that line, it says that it can't find windows.h.

Is it possible for me to get it to compile (and then transfer to any XP computer) with my software? What am I doing wrong?

You need to turn off precompiled headers.
Project->Properties->Config Properties->c/c++->Precompiled Headers->Create/Use Precomiled Headers.

Change to "Not Using Precompiled Headers"


In the future, when you start a new project there is a setting during the project creation wizard to use pre-compiled headers, uncheck it.

[Ken Fitlike]

>>it can't find windows.h<<

You need to install the psdk and add the paths to its directories to the compiler's settings.

http://msdn.microsoft.com/vstudio/ex...alc/usingpsdk/

[CondorMan]

Thank you Darryl and Ken. I'll follow your instructions.

[CondorMan]

Wow - after a lengthy session connected to the site, I've managed to install psdk. I've also added the following paths within Tools>Options>VC++ Directories:

Executable files - C:\Program Files\Microsoft Platform SDK for Windows Server 2003 R2\Bin

Include files - C:\Program Files\Microsoft Platform SDK for Windows Server 2003 R2\Include

Library files - C:\Program Files\Microsoft Platform SDK for Windows Server 2003 R2\Lib

The code at the beginning of this thread still doesn't compile. It gives the error:

"Cannot open include file: 'stdafx.h': No such file or directory"

If I comment out that line, it compiles without an error so it is finding the window.h file that it couldn't find before. When I run it, it seems to work fine in that it asks for the password and then starts to generate numbers in increasing order.

I assume that the "stdafx.h" file is one that The Shark wrote and had in the project at compile time. As it seems not to be needed for this code to run correctly, do I need to be concerned?

A final (very simple!) clarification question - am I right in thinking that the #include files in angle brackets are there already and "built in" to the compiler/linker and those which are in double inverted commas have been written by the person who created the code and, as such, need to be added as a source file in the project?

[laserlight]

A final (very simple!) clarification question - am I right in thinking that the #include files in angle brackets are there already and "built in" to the compiler/linker and those which are in double inverted commas have been written by the person who created the code and, as such, need to be added as a source file in the project?

Pretty much yes. The angle brackets are more for standard headers, actually. Also, you may want to add the user defined header files to the list of header files in the project rather than the list of source files.

[Mario F.]

As for the stdafx header, it is showing because you didn't uncheck "create precompiled header files" when creating your project.

Once your project is created you can do this through the menu:

Project -> your_project_name Properties -> Configuration Properties -> C/C++ -> Precompiled Headers.

Change "Create/Use Precompiled header" to not using precompiled headers.

[CondorMan]

Thank you laserlight and Mario F.

The setting "Create/Use Precompiled header" was already at "not using precompiled headers"! I tried toggling it in both directions and closed down between changing the settings but it still doesn't like the reference to stdafx.h.

Any other ideas?

[Mario F.]

Well, the idea is to remove the header altogether

Remove it and make sure you have your project set not to use precompiled headers. On those next projects you come to create, make sure you uncheck the tick box "use precompiled headers" on the project creation screen.

You don't need the stdfax header.