Running C++ application built by VC++ Express on another computer

re: Running C++ application built by VC++ Express on another computer

Mikael — Fri, 08 Dec 2006 01:10:59 GMT

What is this utter nonsense?

“Clearly I assume that you have read the EULA and redist.txt and do understand that redistribution of debug applications is not allowed. “

I need, or actually I'm required by our clients, to distribute full debug builds of all our products to our clients end user test and quality control groups. We may be talking about several hundred installations for some of our clients.

So what your actually saying is that VC 8 is completely out of the question as a development tool for us and the occasional developer at the client site?

re: Running C++ application built by VC++ Express on another computer

NikolaD — Fri, 08 Dec 2006 01:30:45 GMT

Mikael,

Neither EULA for any version of Visual Studio allows you to redistribute debug versions of VC++ libraries. It was never legal and it is not a new policy in VC8. If you would like to discuss your situation, you are welcome to contact me offline using my email nikolad at microsoft dot com.

Nikola

mahtar.net » Blog Archive » Deploying application written in Visual C++ 2005 Express

Tue, 09 Jan 2007 08:20:54 GMT

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re: Running C++ application built by VC++ Express on another computer

Mahtar — Tue, 09 Jan 2007 21:13:20 GMT

Hi,

First thing, Nikola, thanks for the solution.

I was really surprised when i got error trying to run my application written in VC++ 2005 Express on machine without VC++. I thought, "Ok, we need to install .NET Framework 2.0 " but when i saw it is installed I was even more surprised! After searching internet i found it wasn't only my problem. I found 2 solutions that worked for me but i still think the whole problem it's a some kind of misunderstanding! Why do I have to redistribute some other files with my executable when the whole point of .NET Framework is to keep all the components and libraries inside it, or am I wrong?

I think the best solution would be to in this case to embeded needed libraries in executable, it's obvious way of thinking considering I have to redistribute those files with my application anyway.

So here's my question. Is it possible to comile .exe file with emeded libraries needed to run it other machine in VC++ 2005 Express?

re: Running C++ application built by VC++ Express on another computer

NikolaD — Tue, 09 Jan 2007 21:33:14 GMT

Hi Mahtar,

Here are some quick answers to your questions.

> Why do I have to redistribute some other files with my executable when the whole point of .NET Framework is to keep all the components and libraries inside it, or am I wrong?

VC++ libraries are built in native code primarily (CRT, MFC, ATL, etc). Except CRT and SCL, they are not part of .Net Framework for that reason. However several components out of libraries are built in managed code. Such CRT and SCL are used by managed code written in C++ and they are included in .Net Framework because of parts of .Net FX use C++. If you only use CRT and Std. C++ Library, you can only redistribute .Net Framework.

> Is it possible to compile .exe file with embeded libraries needed to run it other machine in VC++ 2005 Express?

This is static linking of libraries. Check documentation for /MT[d] switch and topics on static linking of MFC and CRT libraries.

Static linking is not recommended in general case and should be avoided when possible. More on this here http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms235316(VS.80).aspx

Nikola

re: Running C++ application built by VC++ Express on another computer

Cary Jones — Mon, 15 Jan 2007 21:59:31 GMT

I am getting the following error after step 8c:

C:\WIX\VCCRT.wxs(29) : fatal error LGHT0034: Cannot open merge module 'CRT' at path 'D:\Program Files\Common Files\Merge Modules

I'm sure this is because the drive letter the WIX folder is in is C: not D:. How can i fix this? This seems to be the only problem.

Cary

re: Running C++ application built by VC++ Express on another computer

NikolaD — Tue, 16 Jan 2007 21:22:48 GMT

Cary,

You need to find where MSMs are installed on your computer. It may be C: or D: or any other drive. In my case, they were installed in D:\Program Files\Common Files\Merge Modules\. There are four merge modules with CRT library installed by VC++ Express listed below:

D:\Program Files\Common Files\Merge Modules\

microsoft_vc80_crt_x86.msm

policy_8_0_microsoft_vc80_crt_x86.msm

microsoft_vc80_debugcrt_x86.msm

policy_8_0_microsoft_vc80_debugcrt_x86.msm

Nikola

re: Running C++ application built by VC++ Express on another computer

Michael Faraday — Fri, 26 Jan 2007 17:03:23 GMT

So, how exactly are we supposed to distribute applications developed with VC++ Express?

The very fact that we have to go through all of this contorted nonsense to create something that will run on another PC makes me believe that Microsoft never really intended us to distribute VC++ Express applications. If they had wanted us to distribute VC++ Express applications, they would have provided us with a tool to make a quick-and-easy deployment package.

I really can't believe that the approach outlined here is the only way to distribute a ".exe" file.

Please tell me I'm missing something here.

re: Running C++ application built by VC++ Express on another computer

NikolaD — Fri, 26 Jan 2007 20:46:42 GMT

Hi Michael,

With VC++ Express there are two options:

A) Using VCRedist.EXE that can be downloaded from MSDN site. More details in another post, http://blogs.msdn.com/nikolad/archive/2006/04/11/Download-location-for-VCRedist.aspx

A) Using MSMs, as I described in this post.

There are more information on deployment in MSDN, http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms235299(VS.80).aspx and there are topics about this on forums, http://forums.microsoft.com/msdn/ShowForum.aspx?ForumID=29.

Cheers,

Nikola

re: Running C++ application built by VC++ Express on another computer

John — Tue, 30 Jan 2007 20:12:06 GMT

Hi Nikola,

I'm trying to migrate my Win32 apps (c++ using only Win32 API), from Visual Studio 6.0 and Visual Studio 2003 to Visual Studio 2005 Pro. But unfortunately the apps get linked with Msvcr80.dll. I solved this setting in project settings-> C/C++-> Code Generation-> Runtime Library to "Multi-Threaded (/MT). But the apps size are to big. I can't deploy the Visual Studio 5 Libraries cause the apps are installed in thousands of workstations with all kind of Windows versions (95 to 2003). Is there any other option, that I can set to lose the dlls dependency?

Thanks in advance

re: Running C++ application built by VC++ Express on another computer

NikolaD — Tue, 30 Jan 2007 20:30:09 GMT

Hi John,

I am glad to hear that you are migrating your application to VS2005. It is true that if you build application with VS2005, you at least get dependency on VC++ CRT library (msvcr80.dll). You may deploy VC++ libraries on other computers using MSMs, VCRedist.EXE or DLLs+manifest in applocal folder. These options are described in details here: < http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms235299(VS.80).aspx >

Thanks,

Nikola

re: Running C++ application built by VC++ Express on another computer

Graham Watson — Tue, 06 Feb 2007 04:59:23 GMT

[Rant] First of all -- I'm sorry you seem to be so happy to gloss over the removal of the ability to compile Hello World and copy to another computer and expect it to run. I realise VSE is a free product, but I don't think this is a trivial issue, and I can't believe it isn't addressed as a standard part of the distribution. Take a step back and compare it with other compiler vendors for example. If they gave the answer you have above I'd bin their product instantly (even if it was free -- and many are). Bring back Visual C++ 6! [/Rant] Sorry I know it's not really your responsibility. I just had to vent.

Is it possible to link with static copies of the standard libraries instead? I would much prefer it in light of some of the problems (not least the quality of the error messages). Or would I be forced to switch to a different compiler to do that?

Thanks,

PS: Can you at least publish generic .msi files to save us going through the 11 point plan you proposed?

re: Running C++ application built by VC++ Express on another computer

NikolaD — Tue, 06 Feb 2007 05:14:52 GMT

Graham,

Requirement to redistribute VC++ DLLs is not to VS2005. Even with VC6 you need to redistribute VC++ Dlls on another computer. It just happens that Windows team has also been using VC6 versions of VC++ Dlls when XP was built and they have installed that version of libraries on every computer with Windows. However this is not the same version of CRT you have on your developer machine installed by VS6. Windows continue maintaining that version of CRT, ATL and MFC which is VC6 based but contains long list of changes never released in VC6. If you run your application on these versions of DLLs, behavior of your application may be different from what you expect and what you have tested with VC6 DLLs. To conclude, you always have to redistribute VC++ DLLs with which you have tested your application, no matter this is VC6, VC7, VC71 or VC8.

Yes, you can statically link and there is VCRedist package that can be downloaded from the web. Please see MSDN for more information.

Thanks,

Nikola

re: Running C++ application built by VC++ Express on another computer

Alex — Thu, 08 Feb 2007 15:14:56 GMT

Hi Nikola,

I am developing C++ applications with VS 2005 Express and Pro. I've also had the deployment-to-another-computer problem. I understand you can solve this

a) by static linking (not good for many reasons)

b) by installing the VCredist_x86.exe package (ok but sometimes it's inconvenient to force users to install this first and then install one's product)

c) by creating the MSI installer

Now about point c). You describe a rather involved procedure to do that, which includes using some third-party tools (WiX), some manual editing, etc. My question is: isn't it possible to automate this procedure _completely_ from the VS environment? I.e. that instead of an .exe, VS would produce the .msi file? If not, could you explain the reasons behind having this complex deployment procedure which actually involves third-party tools instead of having it in some way automated from VS?

Thanks,

Alex

re: Running C++ application built by VC++ Express on another computer

Karsten — Thu, 08 Feb 2007 16:46:00 GMT

VCRedist package and SP1 is "The Next Generation of DLL Hell". I am glad to work with the _RTM define, because I have to internal release today. (mad)

re: Running C++ application built by VC++ Express on another computer

NikolaD — Thu, 08 Feb 2007 21:33:29 GMT

Alex,

>> isn't it possible to automate this procedure _completely_ from the VS environment?

Yes, VS has setup project that you can use to build a simple MSI. It may not generate and MSI that meets requirements of enterprise-level deployment. However it allows creating simple MSIs that meet most of requirements. You may find more information in docs, (http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms227381(VS.80).aspx)

Karsten,

Please make sure you do reasonable amount of testing before using _USE_RTM_VERSION define for reasons I have mentioned in my reply on forums, (http://forums.microsoft.com/MSDN/ShowPost.aspx?PostID=1034641&SiteID=1&PageID=1). If you are not interested in your application taking advantage of security and reliability related changes delivered in SP1 version of VC++ libraries, you may just uninstall SP1 and continue using RTM version of VS.

Workaround for using VS2005 SP1 version of VCRedist.EXE within a boostrapper (setup.exe)

Nikola Dudar's WebLog — Mon, 02 Apr 2007 19:47:52 GMT

A reader of the previous post on my blog has posted two questions about using SP1 version of VCRedist.EXE

re: Running C++ application built by VC++ Express on another computer

Marcos — Fri, 06 Apr 2007 18:42:15 GMT

First: thank you, thank you, thank you.

i've been looking for a workaround to my program not working in other machines despite the redist being installed, and after it was working, it seems because the redist is not compatible with the SP1 of VC++ express.

Your instructions are clear and easy to follow.

1 note: i did not find the uuidgen available at the VS command prompt, and had to use:

C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio 8\VC>"C:\Program Files\Microsoft Platform SDK for Windows Server 2003 R2\Bin\Uuidgen.exe" -n2

it would be good if you added a note to this blog that the redist is not available yet for sp1 VS express (but wouldn;t it be better if the redist was made available together with the development platform?)

thank you again

Marcos

re: Running C++ application built by VC++ Express on another computer

Marcos — Fri, 06 Apr 2007 19:10:40 GMT

>> isn't it possible to automate this procedure _completely_ from the VS environment?

>> Yes, VS has setup project that you can use to build a simple MSI. ...

is this also available in VC++ Express ?

re: Running C++ application built by VC++ Express on another computer

Mauro Sérgio Lima França — Sun, 15 Apr 2007 01:18:10 GMT

Dear Mr. Dudar:

Congratulations for this blog, excellent!

I followed exactly the steps you described to creat the installer, when I move to other PC, the installer works fine, but when I click on my .EXE file, I get that famous message box:"This application has failed to start because the application configuration is incorrect. Reinstalling the application may fix this problem."

Rookie Question: how do I make sure that my application is being built in release mode?

thanks,

mauro

re: Running C++ application built by VC++ Express on another computer

Christopher Frenning — Wed, 25 Apr 2007 15:56:34 GMT

Does Microsoft have a place where updated MSM files can be downloaded? On my machine i have one MSM called "Visual C++ 8.0 CRT (x86) WinSXS MSM Beta2", which is version 8.0.50727.42. However, when I build an application, the manifest says it want to use 8.0.50727.762. Is this version available in an MSM file somewhere?

re: Running C++ application built by VC++ Express on another computer

Steve — Wed, 02 May 2007 12:41:28 GMT

I would like the answer to Christopher Frenning's question too please.

I understood VS2005 SP1 should install version 762 but I have installed this and I still have version 42 although the VCREDIST.EXE I have contains 762. I want to use the merge modules however and cant find the 762 versions anywhere

re: Running C++ application built by VC++ Express on another computer

Anton — Thu, 03 May 2007 10:14:48 GMT

Hello, Nikola

microsoft_vc80_debugcrt_x86.msm in "C:\Program Files\Common Files\Merge Modules" installs C:\WINDOWS\WinSxS\x86_Microsoft.VC80.DebugCRT_1fc8b3b9a1e18e3b_8.0.50727.42_x-ww_f75eb16c.

_8.0.50727.42_

But what about _8.0.50727.762_ DebugCRT?

re: Running C++ application built by VC++ Express on another computer

NikolaD — Thu, 03 May 2007 19:58:28 GMT

Anton,

762 version is VS2005 SP1 version of VC++ libraries. VS2005 SP1 update supposed to overwrite RTM version of MSMs on your computer with the SP1 version of MSMs. If after installing VS2005 SP1, you still see RTM version of MSMs on your hard-drive, something went wrong during install. Heath keeps track of all installation issues with VS2005 SP1 and publishes work around on his blog, http://blogs.msdn.com/heaths/. Check out for example list of known issues, http://blogs.msdn.com/heaths/archive/2007/01/11/known-issues-with-visual-studio-2005-service-pack-1.aspx Usually repair of installation helps to update all files installed by VS2005 SP1.

Nikola

re: Running C++ application built by VC++ Express on another computer

Ahmed — Tue, 08 May 2007 23:36:24 GMT

I used to work with the vcredist.86 but it is no longer work and i do not know why?

re: Running C++ application built by VC++ Express on another computer

Matt — Thu, 10 May 2007 01:19:38 GMT

Nikosa... Thanks for this ... very helpfull. The problem I have is that in release version, I still get "The system cannot execute the specified program." and dependency walker does not show any missing dependency.

Any suggestion ?

re: Running C++ application built by VC++ Express on another computer

Marco — Wed, 25 Jul 2007 15:00:23 GMT

Hello Nicola,

I have to say: All three mentioned methods (statically linking, using this 3rd party tool Wix and this distribution package) are very unhandy even it would work, which means no one of the above methods worked for me.

First approach: The Wix method:

I do not have an exe called uuidgen.exe. I searched in all my programm folders and in the windows folder as well. I have installed MS C++ 2005 (Version 8.0.50727.762)

Second approach: Installing Framework and this redistribution package on the second PC. The error is the same as without installing anything: application configuration is incorrect.

My project is a Visual C++ Windows Forms Application. On the PC where the VC++ Express Edition is installed both, the debug and the release exe work. It is a very simple application with a serial port instance to send some data to a controller board. (I didn't intend to give it to anybody but now our customer likes the little prog and wants it without installing VC++)

Statically linking:

1>LINK : warning LNK4044: unrecognized option '/MT'; ignored

As I would like to give the "uC bord testing application" to our customer aqnd so I would be very happy for any help to get one of these three approaches working. But, as some have mentioned already before:

What Microsoft does is a NIGHTMARE! This is the worst thing ever. Developers should spend their time in beeing creative and not in "this administrative stuff".

re: Running C++ application built by VC++ Express on another computer

zzz — Sun, 29 Jul 2007 11:39:18 GMT

Marco, if you're doing anything with C++ you'll sooner or later want the Windows SDK (previously Platform SDK). It's potentially big download but the options can be set so that it's under 200 MB with basic stuff for usermode development.

And it should have the uuidgen and bunch of other very useful tools you don't find elsewhere such as graphedit.

re: Running C++ application built by VC++ Express on another computer

zzz — Sun, 29 Jul 2007 11:40:31 GMT

And the VS C++ IDE should also have uuidgen type of tool integrated, look in the menus! Atleast the full version, not sure about Express.

re: Running C++ application built by VC++ Express on another computer

Marco — Tue, 31 Jul 2007 15:04:47 GMT

uuidgen is part of Windows SDK. Now the wix method works and I could run the prog on another pc. Thanks for the hint.

I think these steps could be easily integrated in VS C++ Express and would save a lot of people a lot of time.

re: Running C++ application built by VC++ Express on another computer

Kelvin — Fri, 16 Nov 2007 17:40:28 GMT

Hi Nikola,

I try to deploy my VC++ 2005 EE application (window form) in target computer as you suggest (create a msi file). However, my application using DLL files (from OpenCV). Could you pls help me in these questions:

1. If my application is window form, do I need to install .NET framework 2.0 in target computer?

2. I found the required DLL files in System32 (in developer computer). Do I need to copy them to the System 32 folder in target computer or copy it in the same folder with my exe file?

Thanks a lot bro.

re: Running C++ application built by VC++ Express on another computer

starman — Wed, 21 Nov 2007 03:03:33 GMT

This is fine if all you want to deploy is "Hello World".

What about projects that depend on 3rd party libraries/dll's? Like, OGRE, DirectX, Boost, any game engines, physics engines, etc.

MSDN suggests using the XCopy approach. It's a joke, what are we supposed to do? Run around to "everyone's" computer and set up their directory files manually?

VS Express really needs SetUp projects included with the IDE. Until then it's just a toy.

re: Running C++ application built by VC++ Express on another computer

Lars — Thu, 22 Nov 2007 16:53:20 GMT

Hello Nikola

Very thorough how-to. But I don't really get the point of creating a a custom .msi out of the merge modules unless you've included your own program in the .msi that you end up with.

You might as well just distribute the vcredist_x86.exe along with your program then.

Either way the consumer has to run two installation files unless you package the two in a setup but then you will have a .msi, a setup.exe and another .msi file and a good chance that the user installs only one of them and expects the program to run.

Only reasonable answer to me is file size.

I reserve the right to become wiser

re: Running C++ application built by VC++ Express on another computer

Mahmoud — Wed, 28 Nov 2007 00:26:18 GMT

Hello Nikola,

Thank you for the solution but I have some problems.. I am using VS.net 2003 so and I have VC++ 7 .

everything runs fine apart that I get an while running the light.exe due to that the file policy_8_0_Microsoft_VC80_CRT_x86.msm can't be found. I looked in the location of the merge modules and I found that I don't have such a file. Also I found that I don't have the microsoft_vc80_crt_x86.msm file as well

I have another bunch of files listed below:

VC_User_ATL71_RTL_X86_---.msm

VC_User_CRT71_RTL_X86_---.msm

VC_User_MFC71_Loc_RTL_X86_---.msm

VC_User_MFC71_RTL_X86_---.msm

VC_User_STL71_RTL_X86_---.msm

Thank you.

re: Running C++ application built by VC++ Express on another computer

Matti — Thu, 03 Jan 2008 19:17:24 GMT

What have I missed?

Installed vcredist_x86, Reinstalled NET Framework2.0.

Still no go with an application built in Visual C++ Express 2005, deployed to other computer.

"This application has failed to start because the application configuration is incorrect. Reintsalling...."

Any help? Anyone?

re: Running C++ application built by VC++ Express on another computer

Sandy — Thu, 31 Jan 2008 20:09:16 GMT

I have installed VC2005 installed on my machine. We have our own build scripts which uses VC8 SP1 binaries. When i run the debug executables on my machine it gives the error: "This application has failed to start because the application configuration is incorrect. Reinstalling the application may fix the problem."

Any suggestions!

re: Running C++ application built by VC++ Express on another computer

petrhlavka — Fri, 21 Mar 2008 11:05:57 GMT

Thanks for the comprehensive example.

I have a minor issue with the msi package size. I'm trying to prepare a msi package for installing the VC80 CRT redists. The merge module size for x86 is about 630 kB, however, the msi package prepared by wix has 2 MB. There is no such problem for x64 CRT redists.

The only way I've found for reducing the msi size is setting CompressionLevel for embeded cab to none and then packing the msi with zip, rar, ... Anyone knows any better solution?

re: Running C++ application built by VC++ Express on another computer

kibitzer — Fri, 20 Jun 2008 14:52:47 GMT

Thank you Nikola, this post saved my day. Really BIG Thank You ! ;)

re: Running C++ application built by VC++ Express on another computer

Jennifer Kreitzer — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 23:57:42 GMT

This seems to be the definitive page on this topic so thanks for creating and maintaing.

1. Why aren't all of the VC6/VC7/VC7.1/VC8 C runtime DLLs installed by default in Vista? Why make the end user or developer jump through hoops to get the program to exectute?

2. Can we catch the wrong runtime error programatically and design a dialog that could point to the vcredist download page?

re: Running C++ application built by VC++ Express on another computer

Arps — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 10:13:25 GMT

I am using the VS2005 and BOOST.... my application is building but i am not able to run the application b'coz of this error :-

"This application has failed to start because the application configuration is incorrect. Reinstalling the application may fix the problem."...

can anyone help please??

re: Running C++ application built by VC++ Express on another computer

rbroadbridge — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 15:36:58 GMT

This is probably simple for you chaps.

I have a VC++ program which requires the MFC and CRT dlls to run.

I compile the program using cl/clr.

I generate signed application and deployment manifests using mage.

I am trying to deploy it using ClickOnce.

I have used ClickOnce successfully in a previous version of my program which didn't need the MFC components.

My ClickOnce install fails on a clean target with an error (eg) "Cannot copy mfc90.dll - file already exists"

I believe it's because it (a) reads the microsoft.vc90.mfc manifest, and then installs the dlls' referenced in this manifest; and then (b) tries to

copy the dll's again because they are seperately defined in the ClickOnce application manifest.

If I don't include the MFC dll's (eg mfc90.dll) in the distribution folder, then the install fails because it can't find the required components of

microsoft.vc90.mfc.

And if I do include the dll's it tries to copy them twice and fails!

All help appreciated...

re: Running C++ application built by VC++ Express on another computer

edu — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 16:49:02 GMT

help please,

what is this?

"This application has failed to start because the application configuration is incorrect. Reinstalling the application may fix the problem."