Visual Basic .net program doesnt run on a friends comp? Mscoree.dll? Help?

[BD2003]

I guess getting VB.net programs to run on someone else's computer isnt a matter of compile and send the exe. What else do I have to send? Is there a blanket redistributable he needs?

Its a basic program that could have been written in VB6, doesnt have anything but basic forms and stuff...

 

[IcemanJer]

if you've compiled it in VB.NET, your friend needs to install the .NET Framework in order to run it.
mscoree.dll is one of the most basic layers that the entire .NET Framework sits on, which your application will run on.

 

[BD2003]

So they have to install the 20mb framework? Thats pretty ridiculous.

Any way to just get them the components they need?

 

[IcemanJer]

yeah, it's pretty ridiculous.

I don't think there's another way. althought fudge with VB.NET a bit and see if you can compile it to the old VB runtime (ie. don't compile it to the IL).

 

[IcemanJer]

Originally posted by: BD2003
Any way to just get them the components they need?

I don't think the .NET framework is componentized like that (speaking of which, SP2 for it is out). Since you mentioned mscoree.dll, and that's basically the lowest level in the architecture, I'm pretty sure you'd have to install the whole damn thing.

 

[BD2003]

So this makes VB.net essentially useless for small programs for the next couple years until its installed by default on everyone PC?

 

[IcemanJer]

Originally posted by: BD2003
So this makes VB.net essentially useless for small programs for the next couple years until its installed by default on everyone PC?

Essentially. I believe for now VB.net is designed for web service development, in which the server would have the framework installed, you develop a component that'll run on the server, and clients come onto the server to use the service.

 

[BD2003]

Damn thats irritating. I upgraded to .net because the IDE and workspace is light years ahead of VB6. But if I need to distribute a 20mb file with a 32kb program...wtf? There has to be a way around this.

 

[DaveSimmons]

MS gets most of their tools income from corporate developers, where IT controls the desktops and can get the 20 MB installed. In that environment writing .net clients makes sense.

For web-distributed apps it will indeed be years before using .net makes sense, becuase by then people will have .net preloaded with windows and/or will have been forced to install it to run new versions of MS software and other CD-based software. .net for shareware/freeware isn't very practical until then.

 

[IcemanJer]

Yeah, what Dave said.
Althought I think there's still a way for VB.NET to compile to the older VB runtime.... see if you can find an option that will allow you do that in the options menu or wherever you define the build parameters.

 

[FrustratedUser]

Why do people spend time with VB. Don't get it.
Use Delphi instead. Faster programs. No stupid 20Mb frameworks to install. Just compile and distribute exe file.

 

[IcemanJer]

because the dev environment isn't as nice..? maybe?

you could also use Java, which requires the JVM but that's like a 5mb download, I think, from Sun. but then again you have to worry about the true JVM or MSJVM...

 

[The Stigenator]

Originally posted by: IcemanJer
because the dev environment isn't as nice..? maybe?

you could also use Java, which requires the JVM but that's like a 5mb download, I think, from Sun. but then again you have to worry about the true JVM or MSJVM...

Nice Dev Enviorment.. your joking..I dont know about VB.Net but VB.6 Enterprise sucked.

I prefer and will take Delphi6/Kylix2/Builder6 any day.

 

[IcemanJer]

Originally posted by: The_good_guy
Nice Dev Enviorment.. your joking..I dont know about VB.Net but VB.6 Enterprise sucked.

I prefer and will take Delphi6/Kylix2/Builder6 any day.

why, what don't you like about VB6 Enterprise?

yeah, I like VS.Net a lot. All the language that it currently supports you can build using the samd IDE, even in the same project.

 

[FrustratedUser]

Originally posted by: IcemanJer
because the dev environment isn't as nice..? maybe?

you could also use Java, which requires the JVM but that's like a 5mb download, I think, from Sun. but then again you have to worry about the true JVM or MSJVM...

You don't have to worry about any kinds of runtime modules or other crap with Delphi. Just compile and distribute.
The dev environment is actually very similar. VB was a rip off of the original Delphi but that's beside the point. In delphi you can create ActiveX modules as a standard feature. In VB it was an extra package, maybe that changed.

 

[FrustratedUser]

Originally posted by: BD2003
Damn thats irritating. I upgraded to .net because the IDE and workspace is light years ahead of VB6. But if I need to distribute a 20mb file with a 32kb program...wtf? There has to be a way around this.

Pretty annoying isn't it? Typical MS crap.

 

[IcemanJer]

.NET wasn't geared towards this purpose in the first place.

 

[The Stigenator]

Originally posted by: IcemanJer

Originally posted by: The_good_guy
Nice Dev Enviorment.. your joking..I dont know about VB.Net but VB.6 Enterprise sucked.

I prefer and will take Delphi6/Kylix2/Builder6 any day.

why, what don't you like about VB6 Enterprise?

yeah, I like VS.Net a lot. All the language that it currently supports you can build using the samd IDE, even in the same project.

I havent used .NET and I dont plan to.. Considering Borland Kylix 3 is coming out I will have full dual platform development.. screw MS.... Though sometimes Borland's Registration bit is a bit more "crappy" than MS's.. its still a better package overall.

 

[IcemanJer]

Originally posted by: FrustratedUser
You don't have to worry about any kinds of runtime modules or other crap with Delphi. Just compile and distribute.

So what, it's like C/C++ where you just deal with the machine directly?

 

[IcemanJer]

Do you have another adjective to use other than "crap" or "crappy"? That's highly subjective and extremely ambiguous.

 

[FrustratedUser]

Originally posted by: IcemanJer

Originally posted by: FrustratedUser
You don't have to worry about any kinds of runtime modules or other crap with Delphi. Just compile and distribute.

So what, it's like C/C++ where you just deal with the machine directly?

You don't have to deal with anything. Just compile (as in VB) and get the exe (without the need for any runtime modules to install).

 

[FrustratedUser]

Originally posted by: IcemanJer
Do you have another adjective to use other than "crap" or "crappy"? That's highly subjective and extremely ambiguous.

Sorry for that, a bit extreme to call it crap. It's probably very good but it just feels like a typical 'MS_install_this_extra_xxMB_of_code_to_make_it_work'.
Yes, it's subjective but still kind of typical MS.

 

[The Stigenator]

Originally posted by: IcemanJer

Originally posted by: FrustratedUser
You don't have to worry about any kinds of runtime modules or other crap with Delphi. Just compile and distribute.

So what, it's like C/C++ where you just deal with the machine directly?

Delphi is Visual Pascal... Builder is Visual C/C++

Unlike Visual C++ from MS where you code everything from bottom up Borland's deal is that you have certain things prewritten and you just drag and drop. Like if your designing the file menu, you click and drop the menu toolbar, right click and then select menu designer, then right click in menu designer and click insert from template and insert your File Menu/Edit Menu and Help Menu.

Now all you do to activate the "Exit" button the File Menu is type "Exit;" without the quotes (okay I am missing a bit of TForm1.var deal but that's not the point.. Just one line of code and you have your Exit button functional.. Try doing that in Visual C++.

By the way I cant give you another word for Crappy.. deal with it.

 

[IcemanJer]

Originally posted by: FrustratedUser
Sorry for that, a bit extreme to call it crap. It's probably very good but it just feels like a typical 'MS_install_this_extra_xxMB_of_code_to_make_it_work'.
Yes, it's subjective but still kind of typical MS.

Yes, I do agree with you on the part. .NET is something Microsoft is pushing very hard for businesses and IT developers, because in Microsoft's view it makes the development process a lot smoother, and with the CLR the development isn't language dependent. Now, for a corporate user, is that extra 20 MB download worth the effort? Probably yes. Does that lock themselves in to use Microsoft products? Yes. Can they choose something else? Sure, but if they are already developing in the Visual Studios environment and is too costly to switch and re-train people, moving towards VS.Net sounds like a logical step.

I just have issue with people who say something is crappy without substantiating their statement, be it targeted towards Microsoft or not. But since you have, even if I don't necessary agree with you, I respect your opinion.

But speaking about the development environment, what you've said sounds like it resembles VB quite a lot where you drag-and-drop windowing components. So what am I missing here? The fact that Delphi is based on Pascal and is fairly platform independent and that VB is only for Windows?

 

[FrustratedUser]

A good, no hard feelings.
I haven't done much work in VB but the dev environment in Delphi (3,4,5,6) is actually almost identical to VB(6). VB and delphi has the same layout with the same menu for Forms and objects (buttons, and so on). VB developer would feel at home after a few hours in Delphi and a Delphi developer would feel at home in VB.
Just to make things clear. I am not a proffesional developer in either VB or Delphi but have been playing with both and to me Delphi is better. You can even get a free personal edition of Delphi 6 and Kylix, fully functional with compiler from Borland. At leat that was true a few months ago, maybe they took that away.

Delphi is not platform independent but exporting Delphi projects to the Linux counterpart (Kylix) should work. I haven't tried it yet but when I get a new rig I'll make this old jar a Linux box to play with.

Delphi is based on Pascal which means it's a very structured and actually nice language. I'm too lazy to learn C, C++ and find Pascal to be a good option compared to Basic.
Each to his own, but I prefer Delphi to VB. The VB runtime dll's that is necessary to run compiled VB programs is no issue in Delphi and the code produced is quicker.