Visual Microsoft Studio .NET: An Integrated Windows Program Development Environment
Using Microsoft Visual Studio .NET
Self-contained environment for Windows program development:
creating compiling linking testing/debugging
IDE that accompanies Visual C++, Visual Basic, Visual C#, and other Microsoft Windows programming languages
Visual Studio Capabilities
Generate starter applications without writing code View a programming project in many different ways Edit source and include files Build the applications user interface visually Compile and link Debug an application while it runs Obtain online help Lots of others
Some Visual Studio Components
The Editors
C/C++, C#, VB source program text editors
cut/paste color cues, indentation, generates text files
Resource Editors
icons, bitmaps, cursors, menus, dialog boxes, etc. graphical, WYSIWYG, Integrated generates resource script (.rc) files integrated with text editor Done visually
VC++ Unmanaged Code Compilers
C/C++ Compiler
translates source programs to machine language detects and reports errors generates object (.obj) files for linker
The Linker
Reads compiler .obj/.res files Accesses C/C++/Windows libraries Generates executable (.exe or .dll)
Resource Compiler
Reads .rc file Generates binary resource (.res) file for linker
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The Debugger
powerful source code debugger integrated with all parts of Dev Studio Features
breakpoints tracing through/over functions variable watch windows much more
The Wizards
AppWizard
Windows code generator for MFC apps automatically creates working program templates & skeleton code
Help
Can be accessed by:
Start Page Search Online
To access the MSDN Online Library
ClassWizard
facilitates easy extension of AppWizard-generated classes creation of new classes and response functions used to tailor AppWizard-generated MFC & .NET skeletons Replaced by Properties Window in .NET
Help Menu Item
Dynamic Help context sensitive
pin it up as a fly-out
Search Index
Win32 API Online Help
Help Contents Filtered by: (no filter) MSDN Library
Windows Development Win32 API SDK Documentation Reference Functions by category Functions in alphabetical order
MFC Online Help
Help Contents Filtered by: (Visual C++)
Visual Studio .NET
Visual C++ Visual C++ Reference Visual C++ Libraries MFC Reference Hierarchy Chart MFC Classes Class Library Overview MFC Classes (!!) etc.
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MSDN Library (on Web)
Go to: http://msdn.microsoft.com
Search MSDN for desired topic Good URL for MFC:
http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/default.asp?url=/library/enus/vcmfc98/html/_mfc_class_library_reference_introduction.asp
Using Visual Studio .NET
To prepare many kinds of applications
Win32 Console Applications (DOS programs) Win32 API Apps MFC apps DLLs Managed C++ Apps ATL Projects Web Services Others
Visual Studio Layout
Menu bar Several tool bars View Windows (left)
Solution Explorer Class View Resource View Properties Window
Working Area (right)
Text Editor to enter/modify source code Resource Editors
Output Window & Status Bar (bottom).
System messages (errors)
Toolbars
Contain icons--instant routes to main menu functions Many of them May not be visible If not, right click on any visible toolbar Brings up following popup window Can activate a toolbar by clicking on its check box
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Solutions and Projects
Solution
A single application contain Can one or more projects
In Managed applications, can be in different languages
Important Visual Studio Generated Files
.sln .vcproj .c or .cpp .h .rc .res .ico .bmp .exe .dll Solution Project C/C++ source C/C++ header Resource script Compiled resource Icon Bitmap image Executable program Dynamic Link Library (if used)
Overall solution information stored in a .SLN file Open this when you want to work on a solution
Project
Collection of files:
Source, headers, resources, settings, configuration information
Temporary Visual Studio generated files
Many are very big and can (should) be removed!
.obj .ilk .pch .pdb .idb .ncb .aps others Compiler machine code translation Incremental link file Precompiled header (huge!!!) Precompiled debugging info Incremental debug info Supports viewing classes Supports viewing resources
Program Configurations
Debug
appends debugging info produces more and larger files
Release
no debugging information optimized for size & efficiency
Setting the Configuration
Click "Build" on Main Menu Choose "Configuration Manager Choose desired configuration (Debug or Release) in Active Configuration Box Default is Debug
Create a Win32 Application with Visual Studio
Startup
click Start on Task Bar All Programs Microsoft Visual Studio .NET Microsoft Visual Studio .NET
Creating a new solution
File New Project from menu bar In New Project box, select Visual C++ Project from Project Types: & click on Win32 Project in Templates Set the Location to a convenient directory &name the project (e.g. win32app1) OK
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Click Application Settings in resulting Application Wizard Box
Choose Windows Application from Application Type radio buttons Select An Empty Project Click Finish
Inserting source files into project:
Open a new C++ file & type or copy/paste the code into the program:
File | New | File from menu Choose Visual C++ from Categories, C++ file (.cpp) from Templates, & click Open Type or paste source code in the resulting Edit ...