C/C++ and Distributing a VC8 application

C/C++ in Visual Studio 8 has changed once again. Seems Microsoft can't decide on the best way to handle their C/C++ runtime dlls (CRT).

VC6 and dll hell was fun.

VC7, VC7.1 got better because the compiler was a bit more standard. Redistributing files wasn't as bad, just copy msvcrt71.dll or msvcr71.dll to your application directory and things worked.

VC8 changes things once again. Introducing side-by-side assemblies. If I were a C# guy, I'm sure I'd be familiar with assemblies by now, but alas, I prefer the C/C++. So here are some links on how to deal with the VC8 CRT dlls, so that your applications don't crash after you distribute them because your missing required dlls.

• A more thorough explanation of VC8 CRT and WinSxS
  
  
• Using Windows Installer XML (WiX) and VC8 CRT Merge Modules
  I'm an InnoSetup fan, but without merge module support, or a better way to install the VC8 CRT dlls the above works.
  
  
• Silently install vcredist_x86.exe Though for InnoSetup and other non-msi based installs, silently installing vcredist_x86.exe is less of a kludge.
  


• VC8 C/C++ CRT Distrubution/Deployment Howto Offers various ways to install the VC8 CRT dlls. The xcopy way looks appealing, though some of the fine print suggests Windows 2000 server doesn't like things this way.
  
  
• VC8 Guidelines for Creating Side-By-Side (WinSxS) Assemblies You maybe wondering what side-by-side assemblies are. This may give some insight to you.

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Vista Manifest Crash

Since a lot of people are searching for it here it is again.

Out of the box, when you create a manifest using Windows Visual Studio 2005 your program will crash when run on Non Windows Vista boxes. Microsoft uses a gentler word and says reboot in their KB article.

To fix the Vista Manifest Crash issue taken from my previous blog entry:

In Windows Visual Studio 2005 there are multiple copies of the mt.exe (Manifest Tool) program. There is an older version in the $InstallDir\VC\bin that you need to replace with the mt.exe found in $InstallDir\Common7\Tools\Bin.

After you replace the mt.exe file with the one that works. Rebuild your project and the manifest file will be created properly. Your program will no longer crash when run on non vista boxes.

Windows Vista Launch Developer Resource DVD

Got the Windows Vista Launch Developer Resource DVD in the mail today. Found it extremely funny that it didn't run properly on my Windows Vista Ultimate test computer. So if Microsoft can't even get their programs to work right on Vista, what are the rest of us to do?