VC++ Express Edition and .dsp/.dsw files

[CondorMan]

I came across some code recently and would like to compile it. There's a .cpp file, along with a .dsp and .dsw file and they all have the same name. I use Visual C++ 2005 Express Edition and loaded them all into the same project. A number of errors were generated. I've also tried to compile the code with Dev-C++ but it also generates a load of errors.

Can I compile this with the software that I have or do I need a different compiler? I looked into the .dsw and .dsp files and I saw "Microsoft Developer Studio Project" - must I use this for compilation?

[Ken Fitlike]

Compiler configuration question; Moved to Tech.

It should be possible to do what you've done but in practice it's not that straightforward. It's probably best just to create a new project with msvc-express, add the source and configure the project settings to match the critical ones for the sample project you're trying to build.

This thread contains useful information which should be of some use.

edit: The 'dsw' and 'dsp' are project files used by earlier versions of msvc.

[Salem]

> A number of errors were generated.
Well that's USEFUL
What errors?
Compiler errors?
Linker errors?
IDE errors?
Runtime errors?
PEBKAC errors?

[CondorMan]

Salem - these are the errors generated when I tried to compile the code:

------ Build started: Project: ProjectName, Configuration: Debug Win32 ------
Compiling...
Listing.cpp
c:\documents and settings\XXXXXX\desktop\Listing.cpp(55) : error C2664: 'RegOpenKeyExW' : cannot convert parameter 2 from 'const char [45]' to 'LPCWSTR'
Types pointed to are unrelated; conversion requires reinterpret_cast, C-style cast or function-style cast
c:\documents and settings\XXXXXX\desktop\Listing.cpp(57) : error C2664: 'RegQueryValueExW' : cannot convert parameter 2 from 'const char [17]' to 'LPCWSTR'
Types pointed to are unrelated; conversion requires reinterpret_cast, C-style cast or function-style cast
c:\documents and settings\XXXXXX\desktop\Listing.cpp(62) : error C2065: 'i' : undeclared identifier
c:\documents and settings\XXXXXX\desktop\Listing.cpp(76) : error C2664: 'lstrcatW' : cannot convert parameter 1 from 'char *' to 'LPWSTR'
Types pointed to are unrelated; conversion requires reinterpret_cast, C-style cast or function-style cast
c:\documents and settings\XXXXXX\desktop\Listing.cpp(77) : error C2664: 'wsprintfW' : cannot convert parameter 1 from 'char *' to 'LPWSTR'
Types pointed to are unrelated; conversion requires reinterpret_cast, C-style cast or function-style cast
c:\documents and settings\XXXXXX\desktop\Listing.cpp(78) : error C2664: 'lstrcatW' : cannot convert parameter 1 from 'char *' to 'LPWSTR'
Types pointed to are unrelated; conversion requires reinterpret_cast, C-style cast or function-style cast
Build log was saved at "file://c:\RestOfFilePathAndName"
Listing - 6 error(s), 0 warning(s)
========== Build: 0 succeeded, 1 failed, 0 up-to-date, 0 skipped ==========

I don't know if this helps. I'll check out the thread that Ken has provided.

[Salem]

> c:\documents and settings\XXXXXX\desktop\Listing.cpp(55) : error C2664: 'RegOpenKeyExW' :
> cannot convert parameter 2 from 'const char [45]' to 'LPCWSTR'
I think the new compilers default to UNICODE enabled, which means everything expects wide strings.
#undef UNICODE
right at the start of the code may work, though there's probably better ways of doing it.

To make the problem go away for sure, make use of the TEXT() macro which changes in response to the UNICODE setting, and use TCHAR (check spelling) as the type for all your strings.

> error C2065: 'i' : undeclared identifier
Check your for loops.
In old C++, this was valid

for ( int i = 0 ; i < 10 ; i++ ) {
}
// in new C++, i is no longer in scope
for ( i = 0 ; i < 10 ; i++ ) {
}

[CondorMan]

Thank you Salem. I'll make the modification that you have suggested and will look into the other areas that you have mentioned.