starting an external program in vb2005 express

Hi,
I recently donwlaoded an example for vb2003 and an now am trying to use it in vb2005 express. My problem is i can't find anything to start an external application (eg. excel) in debugging mode, as this example requires. I just get an error message 'A Project with an output type of class library connot be started directly.'
I also don't have some of the window's shown in the example, is this unique to my express edition

The link to my example is here:
http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/default.asp url=/library/en-us/dnexcl2k2/html/odc_xlrtdvbnet.asp

-thanks in advance, jaren

Answer this question

starting an external program in vb2005 express

cocohuang
i thought i had it.. and i think i understand what you're getting at (spotty), but one more question. In the example they seem to use excel as their debugging application. Is this possible with vb2005 Express, or am i just missing something

-thanks, jaren
Feng93011
Ok, i think that answers my questions.... at least for now that is :)

-thanks guys
MaStErDoN
Lets start by answering the first question.

A class library cannot be run by itself - it is just a library of routines with no defined startpoint and order of execution - think of it just a a collection of routines.

In order to use those routines you would need to create an application (it could be a windows application, console application, windows service, web application) which would reference the class library (dll) in order to use the collection of routines.

These applications do have a startpoint and order of execution.

So what the message is telling you is that you cant run a class library. However if you want to debug these routines you add both an application and the class library project to the same solution and set up a project reference to the class library. That way you can call the method in you application and code step debug the class library routines.

You can build the class library project by itself but you cant run it. Building it will give you all the compiler errors etc. But the class library itself doesnt contain the calling code - this is what the application is for.

The concept hasnt changed between 2003 and 2005.
DanTi

hi,

http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/wss56bz7.aspx

hope this helps
Adam Vanner
yup u got a point, this is actually what i suspected from day one... ppl wouldn't buy the pay version if u had all the features in the express edition. thnx man, at least now i know where i have to go from here. ;)
Pr0ger
thanks for the reply, but it really hasen't asnwered my question.

but i got another question, i'm wondering if u should be able to start an application for debugging with only class library in my project as they seem to be doing in the example. I'm wondering if vb2005 has changed that concept from vb2003
Ondrej Hrebicek
This is classed as an advanced feature and is not possible in VB Express IDE

The Start External Program for debugging is not available in the Express version but is available in th Pay versions. In VS 2003 there was no free version so this was always available.

Hey, they cant give away everything for free...
starting an external program in vb2005 express

Answer this question