Visual C++ Project Wizard for Dreamcast

[ZMaster]

Hi,

I have updated and bugfixed my Visual C++ Project Wizard for Dreamcast. You can get it from here:

Visual C++ Project Wizard (160 KB)

The wizard will work with the:

• Microsoft Visual Studio 2003 .Net
• Microsoft Visual Studio 2005
• Microsoft Visual C++ 2005 Express Edition

Requirements:

• I've not tried this with Win9x/ME but I assume it will run with 2000/XP only.
• Windows Installer runtime (already installed on 99% of all machines)
• An up-and-running Dreamcast Dev Environment (download and install the ISO) (Cygwin, SH4 Toolchain, KallistiOS files and 'make')
• Optional: A Coder's Cable/BBA and/or Chankast to run your compilations

Install either to (according to what IDE you have installed)
X:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio .Net 2003\Vc7
X:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio 8\VC
X:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio 8\Express\VC

After that, you should see a new entry in the 'Templates' list (File->New->Project). Make sure to not select any child node in 'Project Types' if you use VS2005 since the wizard does not install into any child node like (Win32 or Smart Device, etc.). Set the project name and destination and click 'OK'.
If you compile and run the project with the 'Release' configuration active and you have a running cygwin and compiler toolchain, VS will try to upload your compilation over the Coder's Cable/BBA.
If you compile and run the project with the 'Debug' configuration active (Cygwin and compiler toolchain required, again), VS will start Chankast and make it run the .bin conversion of your compilation (a running chankast installation is required, of course).

Have fun and feel free to comment or ask questions.

[quzar]

wow, this is great. is is sure to not work in VS 6.0 or is it just untested?

[bucanero]

this is great indeed! I'll try it out, I've VS.Net 2003 and a MinGW toolchain. I wonder if it works too.

I'll post my results here, thanks again!

c ya

[ZMaster]

wow, this is great. is is sure to not work in VS 6.0 or is it just untested?

Both. It uses the MSVS wizard engine >= 7.1, which was implemented with 2003 .NET. Hence, I didn't test it with VS 6.0 (I don't even own one). You could try it, but I'm not very confident that it'll work. Another drawback could be the 'new' XML file format which has been introduced for project files, since version 7.
However, the Visual C++ 2005 Express Edition can be downloaded for free from the MS website, so you might consider using this one, anyway, since a lot of the code completion and helper functions have been improved since version 6.
If you're interested: Microsoft Visual Studio Express Editions

I'll try it out, I've VS.Net 2003 and a MinGW toolchain. I wonder if it works too.

I'm not sure since I don't have any experience with MinGW. The wizard will just call a .bat file from inside the IDE (on run or compile) which first converts the XML .vcproj file into a Makefile using a tool I've written. It will then call the cygwin bash and invoke a 'make' in the project dir. You might need to modify the .bat file (msvc-cygwin-make.bat) to call your mingw tools. Most likely, you will also need to modify Makefile.tmpl, a template file for the Makefile creation, to call the mingw components.
However, if you want to get this running, you could post your updated files here and I can put a installer for the MingW configuration on my webserver.
Otherwise, since most people are using the DC Dev Env. ISO I'll stick to that.

[bodybag]

Hi, thanks for creating this project wizard.

I'm using Microsoft Visual C++ 2005 Express Edition (I downloaded it last week), and the wizard fails.

Firstly, the path for installation is different:

X:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio 8\VC\Express

Once installed there, I can see the "Dreamcast Project" in the installed templates section. The default name "DCProject1" is given, but when I click "OK" the dialog box is dismissed, and the status bar of the main window says "Creating project 'DCProject1'... project creation failed.".

Is this a newer version of Express (Version 8.0.50727.42 (RTM.050727-4200)), and would that be causing this problem?

If you could help I'd be greatful, even if it's just pointing me in a direction to try and figure it out myself.

Thanks.
Duncan.

[ZMaster]

If you could help I'd be greatful, even if it's just pointing me in a direction to try and figure it out myself.

I'm using the 7.1 wizard engine for compatibility to VS.NET 2003. This works just fine with my full VS2005. I'm not 100 percent sure, but the EE might be lacking this support, so that only the newest wizard engine (8.0 that is) comes with the Express Editions.
So go to your VS install dir: \VC\vcprojects\VSWizard.vsz and change the version numbers from 7.1 to 8.0 instead. This should do the job - if not, feel free to ask again!

[bodybag]

Thanks, that seems to have done the trick.

(I also had to move the "Dreamcast Project" directory from "Express/VCWizards" up into "VCWizards".)

[yarm]

WOW this is ace. Nice one.

Has anyone got any sample projects to get me started?

[Elven6]

This isn't working, I installed it in all the directories (removing the old one after finding out it didn;t work of course), and Im not seeing the Dreamcast Project thingy. I am using Visual C++ 2005 Express Edition, I got it from the site mentioned in this thread.

[arqueiro]

hi just want to say thanks for this wonderful tool, its working great on my system, the only problem is on the .bat file i think because when i compile the program, its dont execute automatic, i need to manually get the elf file convert it for bin and the run a command line to open it on chankast.... thanks a lot