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.

Maybe it looks at a absolute path, so when you move the DLL it doesn't find that path. Not an expert with the linking of DLL to assist further.

You will need the C++ runtime installed on the other PC. Does a normal executable created with C++ on your PC run on the target machine?

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:

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        [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

Did you try putting an absolute path to the DLL? Maybe it's a "current working directory" issue.

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?

It's the debug runtime (like r2r suspected). Compile your application in release mode and it will use the release runtime that can be installed with the aforementioned redistributable.

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:

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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:

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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);

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