Simple, yet complicated questions...

Hello, I am new to programming, and would like to jump right into making some quality applications. I have been in a C++ programming class since August, and have really become familiar with the basics. At first, I practiced with the simple stuff, and made some very cool console applications. After creating these applications, I made a release build, and sent them to some friends to get their opinions. Then, I began to step into Windows Form Applications. I created a quick little Form Application, and it worked perfectly. Then, I created a release build, but sadly, when I sent this to my friends, it did not work. I began to do a lot of searching online, and found different people, giving different methods of what to do. I quickly became confused and tried to search these forums for a more simple answer, but sadly, I have not found anything that is useful. Would someone be kind enough to give me a step by step guide on how to make this application work on computers without Visual C++ 2005 Please remember to keep it very simple, because although I understand the C++ coding language, I don't even understand how a compiler works, or anything technical for that matter. I am used to just coding, and then creating an exe file, which my instructor told me would be able to run on it's own.

Thanks for any help in advance,
Nick

PS: I would like to try and use a professional method. For example, having someone install an SDK or install Visual C++ 2005 appears very unprofessional. While, creating my own installer would be very professional. If it is just a matter of having a few dll files included with the exe, then i can just create a small zip file. I would consider those to be professional.

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Simple, yet complicated questions...

Rob Hounsell

Windows Forms applications are .Net applications. In order for .Net apps to run on a computer, that computer must have the .Net Framework (v2.0) installed. It's one of the updates available when the user goes to Microsoft Update (ie. a fully patched Windows system will have it).

The .Net framework redistributable is available over here. It's a 23Mb file, that only needs to be installed once. Although you can create a setup program that installs the .Net framework if needed (start here, here or here if you're taking this route), most applications are content with releasing just the app and asking the end user to install the framework themselves.

Edit: I'm too slow
Pliers

I won't explain what ClickOnce is, because 1. it requires the .Net Framework to work, and 2. it only becomes useful when your software starts becoming very large (~10Mb or more).

It is possible to create Windows and dialog boxes that aren't based on Windows Forms (by using the Win32 libraries), however, they are tougher to create, more error prone, less functional and require a resource editor. There's a decent resource editor available for Visual Studio Standard, but if you've only got Express edition, you're on your own with dialog boxes.

Learning about Win32 programming requires its own tutorials and books. And it's a lot more complicated than making simple Windows forms. In order to create Win32 applications, you need to download and install the PSDK (see the Visual C++ start page for the link).
samdalil
I am having this same problem in distributing a Windows forms program.

I have done the following steps:

1) Run the release version

2) Compile with the manifest embedded.

3) Install vc_redist_x86.exe

4) Install .net 2.0 redistributable suggested in this thread.

The installations of the updates showed no problems. I still get the error message - 'The application has failed to start because the application configuration is incorrect. Reinstalling the application may fix this problem'. I am installing on XP Profressional with Sevice Pack 2.

Have I missed something What is the next thing to try

Cee
JPBlake
Well, the message says: "The application has failed to start because the application configuration is incorrect. Reinstalling the application may fix the problem."

As far as the .NET Framework, I have no idea what that is. Nothing is installed on the computer I want to test this on, but that is the way I want to keep it, because I do not want people to have to install the entire .NET Framework to run my simple application.
Russ Monckton

What error messages are your friends getting when they try to run your app Do they have the .NET Framework installed The SDK or Visual Studio is not required to run .NET programs, but the Framework is.

Creating installers is not supported in the Express editions. For simple applications, copying the exe and the dll's it depends on in a directory is enough. The Publish feature (ClickOnce) is also an option you should check out.
sebastian&#42;
Is there a way to create applications that don't require the .NET Framework I mean, how do the applications that my other computers run work, if it doesn't have the .NET Framework What makes them work without it

EDIT: Could you also give me a more simple explanation of what a ClickOnce application is Does it still require the .NET Framework
Simple, yet complicated questions...

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