ascend slowly, breathing normally

Have you tried the the new Help system in Visual Studio 2010 Beta 2?  Kathleen McGrath of Visual Studio User Education fame recently interviewed Ryan Linton, a Senior Program Manager on the Library Experience team.  Check out the video on Channel 9, in which Linton demonstrates the new browser-based Help viewer, and how you can update content locally.  It looks great!

If you want to share your thoughts on Visual Studio documentation, take the short survey and speak your mind.

The Windows 7 Training Kit for Developers was recently updated and is how hosted online on Channel 9, so you don’t need to download it. It has several excellent new step-by-step MFC tutorials with lots of screen shots. You’ll need to be running Visual Studio 2010 Beta 2 (or later). 

Key MFC updates in VS 2010 Beta 2 include improved interaction with Windows Explorer (Windows7 taskbar interaction with preview; preview, thumbnail and search filter handlers for file types), Ribbon UI improvements (Ribbon is now an XML resource in the application; a new designer for the ribbon; visual manager for Windows7 ribbon style) and restart manager support (application restart or crash handled more elegantly; document auto-save and restore handled completely within MFC).

Pat Brenner, a 20-year Microsoft veteran, tells about MFC improvements on this Channel 9 video,  Pat Brenner: Visual Studio 2010 - MFC and Windows 7. Or check for more Visual C++ content on Channel 9.

MFC modules from the Windows 7 Training Kit for Developers, hosted on Channel 9:

Gestures - MFC - In this lab, you will learn how to manage multitouch gesture events. This includes understanding the implications of manipulating an object with gesture events, checking for multitouch hardware existence and readiness, and extracting information from the gesture Windows Message.

Multitouch - MFC - In this lab, you will learn how to manage multitouch events. This includes processing input from Windows Touch, understanding the implications of manipulating multiple touch events simultaneously, and checking for multitouch hardware existence and readiness.

Taskbar - MFC - In this lab, you will learn how to integrate your MFC application with the Windows 7 taskbar. This includes providing visual progress and status indicators, using taskbar progress bars and overlay icons, quickly accessing common tasks and frequent destinations using taskbar jump lists, and customizing the taskbar thumbnail with live previews of MDI views.

Ribbon - MFC - This lab is intended for MFC developers who are developing desktop applications and want to take advantage of the new MFC Ribbon framework. The lab steps you through how to add a default Ribbon to a small application, edit various Ribbon controls in Ribbon Designer, and then use the controls at run time. You will learn how easily MFC Ribbon framework allows you to edit and use Ribbon controls. When you are finished, you will have performed all the steps necessary to add and customize a basic Ribbon in an application.

High DPI - MFC - In this lab, you will learn how to find out if a system is in high DPI mode, how to enable or disable the DPI-awareness property in MFC applications using Visual Studio 2010, and compare UI elements at 144 DPI and at 96 DPI.

Thanks to Engadget for sharing this great image of Burger King Japan's limited time offer "Windows 7 Whopper" with a whopping 7 layers of beef.  Stupid? Yes.  Disgusting? Yes.  But apparently, a great idea.  I Binged "Windows 7 Whopper" and found that the advertising gimmick is super successful.  Everyone's talking about it.  How many times did you see it on Facebook?

Bing announced today that they’ve been working with Twitter, and now have access to the entire public Twitter feed.  Nice interface!  Try out the beta of Bing Twitter search (sorry, only in the US, for now). Find more info on this Bing Community Blog post.

If you're going to the Professional Developers' Conference, or even if you're not but plan to be in LA on November 16, sign up for the free Windows 7 Developer Boot Camp.  You have to register to attend, and space is limited.  It's a great chance to rub elbows with Windows 7 engineer rock stars like Mark Russinovich, Landy Wang, and Arun Kishan, and get a jump-start on developing for Windows 7.

Instructions for PDC09 conference attendees.  Enter the regular registration process through the Registration page, and click on the orange register now button.  Select ‘register for the event’ as your registration type.  You’ll be able to add the Boot Camp as a workshop during the registration process.  If you have already registered for a Workshop and would like to attend the Windows 7 Boot Camp instead, email the Registration Desk to reserve your spot in Boot Camp. 

Instructions for non-attendees.  Enter the regular registration process through the Registration page, and click on the orange register now button.  Select ‘register for workshop only pass’ as your registration type.  When you get to the workshop selection page of the registration form, you'll be able to pick the Windows 7 Boot Camp as a free item.

For more help, contact the PDC09 registration desk at pdc09@ustechs.com

This article applies to the Windows SDK for Windows 7 and .NET Framework 3.5 SP1.  Read these other posts to troubleshoot issues with the Windows SDK for Server 2008 and .NET Framework 3.5 or to troubleshoot issues with the Windows SDK Update for Vista and .NET Framework 3.0.  

The Windows 7 SDK is available for download in ISO or Web Setup format. 

• Get the Web Install of the Windows SDK for Windows 7 http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=c17ba869-9671-4330-a63e-1fd44e0e2505
• Get the ISO Downloads of the Windows SDK for Windows 7 http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=71deb800-c591-4f97-a900-bea146e4fae1

Web setup allows you to select a specific subset of the SDK so you do not have to download the entire SDK. The ISO setup allows you to download the entire SDK to burn to disk or a virtual drive, and install later. This release provides three platform-specific ISOs.  Choose the ISO that matches the CPU platform (x86, x64, or Itanium) that you are installing on.  If you are having problems downloading the correct ISO from the Microsoft Download Center, use these direct links:

• Download the X86 version: GRMSDK_EN_DVD.iso
• Download the AMD64 version: GRMSDKX_EN_DVD.iso
• Download the Itanium version: GRMSDKIAI_EN_DVD.iso
  

Running the Windows SDK web setup on some connections can sometimes have issues when downloading the files. We recommend that you clear the %temp%\sdksetup directory and retry your web setup. If that fails, switch over to the ISO setup for the Windows SDK. 

Typical location of the install log in the %temp%\sdksetup directory:

• On Windows Vista or Windows 7: C:\%user%\AppData\Local\Temp\ SDKSetup_7.0.6918.0.log
  
• On Windows XP: C:\Documents and Settings\%User%\Local Settings\ SDKSetup_7.0.6918.0.log

About ISO image files

Many products are posted as ISO image files.  An ISO file is an exact representation of a CD or DVD, including the content and the logical format. ISO files end with an .ISO extension.  The most common use of an image file is to write it to a blank CD-R or DVD-R. ISO image files can also be opened and their contents copied to a local folder, much like ZIP files. ISO files may also be virtually mounted and accessed as a device. These two methods of using ISO images are described below.

Copying the contents of ISO files to a drive

The contents of image files can be used as virtual discs using utilities such as ISObuster, Daemon Tools or Virtual CloneDrive for Windows. Using this method you can extract the files from an image file to a temporary folder on your hard drive, then run setup.

Writing ISO files to CD-R or DVD-R

Most CD-R/DVD-R writing software includes a feature to create a disc from an image file. Note: you must use the special "copy image to CD" or "burn image" functionality. See your software’s Help for detailed information. Common utilities for writing ISO file to recordable media such as DVD-R include Nero and Roxio. In Windows 7, you can burn and ISO by right-clicking the .iso file and selecting “Burn disc image”.  After a CD/DVD-R has been written, you should verify that the file was successfully written. Many freeware programs are available for calculating the SDK SHA-1 hash value.  Use an Internet search engine to search for “sha1 hash” to find a freeware program.  Windows SDK for Windows 7 verification information:

File Name: GRMSDK_EN_DVD1.iso
Chip: X86
CRC#: 0xCA4FE79D
SHA1: 0x8695F5E6810D84153181695DA78850988A923F4E
================================================
File Name: GRMSDKX_EN_DVD1.iso
Chip: AMD64
CRC#: 0xB417A4F7
SHA1: 0x3393C98B8468CB3505557854922707510F8B65E1
================================================
File Name: GRMSDKIAI_EN_DVD1.iso
Chip: Itanium
CRC#: 0x5E0E4BEA
SHA1: 0xAE454215585A044EBE593E9F71FF1A4BC03D56A8

Other Resources

Windows SDK Online Release Notes http://download.microsoft.com/download/8/8/0/8808A472-6450-4723-9C87-977069714B27/ReleaseNotes_Win7RTMSDK.Htm

Windows SDK blog http://blogs.msdn.com/windowssdk

Windows SDK MSDN Developer Center http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/windowsserver/bb980924.aspx

Windows SDK Developer Forum http://social.msdn.microsoft.com/forums/en-US/windowssdk/threads/

Issue: If you install the Windows SDK for Windows Server 2008 and .NET Framework 3.5, on top of Visual Studio 2008 Service Pack1, some CRT files will revert  back to RTM version.  (See this post for more information about this issue) This can cause conflicts when you install patches or updates such as the Security Update for Microsoft Visual Studio 2008 Service Pack 1: July 28, 2009 (KB971092), which may lead to compile errors similar to this:

· error C2039: '_Swap_adl' : is not a member of 'std'    c:\program files\microsoft visual studio 9.0\vc\include\xutility    2764

· error C3861: '_Swap_adl': identifier not found    c:\program files\microsoft visual studio 9.0\vc\include\xutility    2764

Cause: This problem occurs when you install the Windows SDK for Windows Server 2008 and .NET Framework 3.5 on top of a post-RTM Visual Studio 2008 Service Pack, Feature Pack, or QFE. Visual Studio 2008 and the Windows SDK share compiler and CRT packages. Because the Windows SDK v6.1 includes the RTM version of the CRT, installing the Windows SDK second causes any non-versioned CRT files to be reverted back to Visual Studio 2008 RTM version.  When you install a service patch, the patch will assume that all the SP1 files are still present.

Workaround: Ensure that you are using the Visual Studio 2008 SP1 version of the CRT by installing the Windows SDK for Windows Server 2008 and .NET Framework 3.5 first, then re-installing Visual Studio 2008 SP1.  Then you can apply the Security Update. 

Caution: Running “Repair” on the Windows SDK will cause the CRT files to go back to RTM state and should be avoided.

Issue: If you install the Windows SDK for Windows Server 2008 and .NET Framework 3.5, on top of any post-RTM Visual Studio update (such as a Service Pack or Feature Pack), some CRT  files will be reverted  back to RTM version. 

Cause: This problem occurs when you install the Windows SDK for Windows Server 2008 and .NET Framework 3.5 on top of any post-RTM Visual Studio update (such as a Service Pack or Feature Pack). Visual Studio 2008 and the Windows SDK share compiler and CRT packages. The Windows SDK v6.1 includes the RTM version of the CRT. Installing the Windows SDK on top of VS causes any non-versioned CRT files to be reverted back to Visual Studio 2008 RTM version.  When you install a service patch, the patch will assume that all the SP1 files are still present.

Workaround: Ensure that you are using the Visual Studio 2008 SP1 version of the CRT by installing the Windows SDK for Windows Server 2008 and .NET Framework 3.5 first, then installing Visual Studio 2008 SP1.  Then you can apply any security updates or patches. 

Caution: Running “Repair” on the Windows SDK will cause the CRT files to go back to RTM state and should be avoided.

The newly released Windows SDK for Windows 7 and .NET Framework 3.5 SP1 contains a comprehensive set of Win32 samples illustrating Windows 7 technologies.  (An upcoming article will talk about the managed code samples.) Over 1,200 samples were changed since the release of the Windows SDK for Windows 7 RC release. Many “new to Win 7” samples were added, simplified, or extended, and many older samples were updated to support Windows 7 as well as older operating systems.

I've published series of posts on the Windows SDK Blog that describe new and updated samples in the Windows 7 SDK.  These articles identify samples that are new to Windows 7 or updated to support Windows 7. 

Articles in this series:

New Win32 Samples in Windows SDK for Windows 7: Communication

New Win32 Samples in Windows SDK for Windows 7: Multimedia

New Win32 Samples in Windows SDK for Windows 7: Networking and Related Services

New Win32 Samples in Windows SDK for Windows 7: Open Packaging Conventions (OPC)

New Win32 Samples in Windows SDK for Windows 7: Security

New Win32 Samples in Windows SDK for Windows 7: Systems Management

New Win32 Samples in Windows SDK for Windows 7: Tablet PC and MultiTouch

New Win32 Samples in Windows SDK for Windows 7: Web

New Win32 Samples in Windows SDK for Windows 7: Windows Base

New Win32 Samples in Windows SDK for Windows 7: Windows User Interface

New Win32 Samples in Windows SDK for Windows 7: Windows XML Paper Specification (XPS)

For build instructions and additional information about the samples, see the Readme.txt files and other documents in the SDK sample folders. For general sample building instructions, refer to the Samples Reference page that installs with the Windows SDK, and the SDK Release Notes (under the Start menu, in All Programs > Microsoft Windows SDK v7.0). By default, Win32 samples are installed under the following path: C:\Program Files\Microsoft SDKs\Windows\v7.0\Samples.

Send your thoughts to me or the Windows SDK Feedback alias.  Tell us how you use the SDK and what we can do to improve your development experience.

The RTM release of the Windows SDK for Windows 7 and .NET Framework 3.5 SP1 was posted to the Microsoft Download Center today, 8/6/09.  The SDK is available for download in both ISO and Web Setup format.  Web setup allows you to install only the SDK components you select, without having to download the entire SDK.  The DVD ISO setup allows you to download the entire SDK to install later.  This release of the SDK has three ISO files.  You should pick the version that matches the CPU (x86, x64, or Itanium) you are installing on.  You will be able to build applications that target all CPU platforms, no matter what architecture you are installing on. 

Platform Compatibility:

This release of the Windows SDK is compatible with Windows 7,  Windows Server 2008 R2 Candidate,  Windows Server 2008, .NET Framework 3.5 Service Pack 1 , Windows Vista, and Windows XP.

Visual Studio Compatibility:

This release of the Windows SDK is compatible with Visual Studio 2008 SP1; including Visual Studio Express Editions.  

Learn More:

Check the Windows SDK blog and the Windows SDK MSDN Developer Center over the coming weeks for more information about the Windows SDK.  Please read the Release Notes for a description of known issues before you install the SDK.  The Release Notes also have instructions on how to use the different components in the SDK.

Tell us what you think:

Send your thoughts to the Windows SDK Feedback alias.  Tell us how you use the SDK and what we can do to make your life easier.

Windows 7 is coming on October 22, 2009. Pre-order Windows 7 today at the Microsoft Store. You'll get it for at least half off and be one of the first to get it. Pre-order a Windows 7 Home Premium Upgrade for $49 or a Windows 7 Professional Upgrade for $99 at Microsoft Store.   That's about half off the estimated retail prices.*

Hurry, quantities are limited. The offer begins on June 26, 2009 (links will go live on June 26) and will continue while supplies last, or until July 11, 2009, whichever comes first.  Go to the Windows team blog and find out all the details. 

* Special pricing is available in the following markets:  Canada, France, Germany, Japan, US, UK.

If you thought the VistaBridge was a cool idea, you're really going to love the next evolution.   Windows 7 has some great new features that will really shine in your managed application, and the Windows SDK team has been working on a way to help you do just that.  

The Windows API Code Pack is a source code library created to support targeting some new Windows 7 features and some other features existing in older versions of Windows from managed code. These features are not available via .NET Framework Class Library today. Using Windows API Code Pack you can target many of these useful Windows features without having to write interop code yourself.

The Code Pack includes a complete source code library, sample applications and API reference documents. You can build the included solution files to get the assemblies for use in your applications or to modify as you like.  Read all about it on the Windows SDK blog.

Below: This sample application shows the management of jump lists in an application, progress bar and usage of Taskbar overlay icons

The WSDAPI StockQuote and FileService samples that ship in the Windows SDK for Windows 7 may fail to build on the command line (using msbuild) if Visual Studio 2008 is installed. These samples include project files that reference WSDL and XSD files, and msbuild attempts to invoke sproxy.exe to process these files. Visual Studio 2008 does not include sproxy.exe, and compilation fails if the tool is not present. Compiling from inside the Visual Studio IDE is unaffected; the samples will compile without error.

A workaround is available.  It is not necessary to use sproxy to process these files.  WsdCodeGen, a WSDL/XSD compiler for WSDAPI, can be used to generate C++ code from these files. This generated code is already included in the sample.

If you encounter this error, you can remove the XSD and WSDL files from the affected project files and recompile with msbuild:

• StockQuote\StockQuoteContract\StockQuoteContract.vcproj: remove StockQuote.xsd, StockQuote.wsdl, and StockQuoteService.wsdl
• FileService\FileServiceContract\FileServiceContract.vcproj: remove FileService.wsdl

Installing the Windows 7 SDK (RC release) and Visual Studio 2008 RTM can disable the X64 and Itanium configuration platform choices in Visual Studio.

If the Windows 7 SDK (RC release) and Visual Studio 2008 RTM are installed on a machine running an x64 version of Windows the following issue may occur. The Itanium and x64 listings are missing from the New Platform drop-down lists of the New Project Platform and New Solution Platform dialogs of the Visual Studio IDE.  (This issue will be fixed in the RTM release of the Windows SDK for Windows 7.)

To determine if your directories are missing, launch the VS IDE and go to tool->options->projects and solutions->VC++ Directories.  If the entries in the drop down “Platform” box appear as "x86", "x64" and "Itanium", your directories are as expected and you do not have this issue.  If the platform entries appear as "x86", with no entry for "x64" and "Itanium", you do have this issue.

This issue will occur regardless of the order of installation – Windows 7 SDK (RC) and then Visual Studio 2008 RTM, or Visual Studio 2008 RTM and then the Windows 7 SDK (RC) unless Visual Studio 2008 SP1 is installed before the installation of the SDK.

The issue occurs because 64 bit versions of VCProjectAMD64Platform.dll and VCProjectIA64Platform.dll are installed instead of 32 bit versions. To prevent the issue install Visual Studio 2008 SP1 before installing the SDK.  If your Visual Studio installation has already been affected follow these steps to address this issue:

1. Open the Control Panel.
2. Select "Uninstall a program" from the Programs group.
3. Uninstall "Microsoft Visual C++ Compilers 2008 Standard Edition - enu - x64"
4. Uninstall "Microsoft Visual C++ Compilers 2008 Standard Edition - enu - x86"
5. Right-click on the main Visual Studio entry in the program list and select "Uninstall/Change"
6. When the Visual Studio setup dialog appears click the Next button and then click on the "Repair/Reinstall" option.
7. Install Visual Studio 2008 SP1 if it is not already installed on the machine.

Note: Running “Repair” on the Windows SDK will revert these fixes.

This article applies to 2 samples in the Windows SDK for Windows 7 and .NET Framework 3.5 SP1.  The WSDAPI StockQuote and FileService samples may fail to build on the command line (using msbuild) if Visual Studio 2008 is installed. These samples include project files which reference WSDL and XSD files, and msbuild attempts to invoke sproxy.exe to process these files. Visual Studio 2008 does not include sproxy.exe, and compilation fails if the tool is not present. Compiling from inside the Visual Studio IDE is unaffected.

It is not necessary to use sproxy to process these files. WsdCodeGen, a WSDL/XSD compiler for WSDAPI, can be used to generate C++ code from these files. This generated code is already included in the sample.

If you encounter this error, you can remove the XSD and WSDL files from the affected project files and recompile with msbuild:

· StockQuote\StockQuoteContract\StockQuoteContract.vcproj: remove StockQuote.xsd, StockQuote.wsdl, and StockQuoteService.wsdl

· FileService\FileServiceContract\FileServiceContract.vcproj: remove FileService.wsdl