Im looking for a good C++ compiler that can create Win32 apps. I can't seem to get VC++ 2005 Express to work (says it cant find the window.h file or w/e, and the PSDK platform wont work). So if anyone knows of any good C++ compilers that are good for creating Win32 apps, please list. Thanks.

In my personal opinion, Visual Studio .NET is not only the best IDE, but also has the best compiler for making win32 apps. It would be well worth the effort seeing where you may have gone wrong when installing the Platform SDK and trying to get Visual C++ 2005 Express running.

First of, did you use the Platform SDK Web Install or did you download one of the cd images and burn a cd?

Where is the Platform SDK installed to (is it C:\Program Files\Microsoft Platform SDK)?

Are you running the latest service pack for your Windows installation (I believe 2000 needs sp4 and xp needs sp2 for visual studio 2005 express to work)?

I know you have modified corewin_express.vsprops, but it might be worthwhile to be 100% sure you have modified it correctly and saved it.

Have you changed the settings in visual c++ under Tools, Options, Projects and Solutions, VC++ Directories for the include files "C:\Program Files\Microsoft DirectX SDK (February 2006)\Include" and the library files "C:\Program Files\Microsoft Platform SDK\lib" (assuming you are running a 32-bit os)?

Have you also considering uninstalling norton (I never liked that program anyway [wink])?

All the best,
ViLiO

Quote:Original post by Koolchamp
Im looking for a good C++ compiler that can create Win32 apps. I can't seem to get VC++ 2005 Express to work (says it cant find the window.h file or w/e, and the PSDK platform wont work). So if anyone knows of any good C++ compilers that are good for creating Win32 apps, please list. Thanks.

I use MinGW to compile. VC++ is too Microsoft-obsessed, and too damn hard to compile with. I only use it to write with.

Quote:Original post by BringBackFuturama

Quote:Original post by Koolchamp
Im looking for a good C++ compiler that can create Win32 apps. I can't seem to get VC++ 2005 Express to work (says it cant find the window.h file or w/e, and the PSDK platform wont work). So if anyone knows of any good C++ compilers that are good for creating Win32 apps, please list. Thanks.

I use MinGW to compile. VC++ is too Microsoft-obsessed, and too damn hard to compile with. I only use it to write with.

What? Well the MS obsessed part, well duh, it's an MS product. Hard to compile with? So it's easier to go into another program, reload the project to get the updates and recompile instead of just hitting F5 or Ctrl+F5? Please explain how anything past VC6 (if anyone is still using this, please quit coding hehe. MS VS2k5 EE is free now...) is even remotely difficult. I think a lot of people here will help you figure it out.

Edit: Fixed a typo.

Dev-C++ is lightweight, capable of generating Win32 projects out-of-the-box, and is fairly popular. Code::Blocks (linked above) is also a suitable option, but I havn't tried it personally.

Quote:Original post by Koolchamp
Im looking for a good C++ compiler that can create Win32 apps. I can't seem to get VC++ 2005 Express to work (says it cant find the window.h file or w/e, and the PSDK platform wont work). So if anyone knows of any good C++ compilers that are good for creating Win32 apps, please list. Thanks.

Did you enter the paths so the compiler can find the PSDK files?

I would also suggest Dev-C++ if you don't want to use VC++.

I think you can only run VC++ Express on the computer you installed it on, I'm not sure though, I'm going by the fact that my VC++ Express programs don't run at college. And when I uninstalled VC++ Express the programs stop running too.