Migrate from Microsoft C++ to Dev-C++

[Andrea Ghensi]

Hi all,
I have to modify a Microsoft C++ source code, but I can't afford Microsoft compiler.
Is there any way to migrate to Dev-C++?
Try to epxlain me exactly how to because I'm newbie!!!
Thanks in advance
cheers

[Greer Trumble]

I have imported, compiled, linked and executed a couple of VC++5 sample projects with success, using just the IDDE main import function. 

Using the main menu:  Select FILE--IMPORT--IMPORT MS VISUAL C++ PROJECT. (caps mine)

Is that what you mean?  I'm new to Dev-CPP, but that worked for me ok.  Didn't try it on VC++6 though.

Regards,

Greer T.

[Andrea Ghensi]

Ok, it works, I've upgraded the compiler to the version 5.
Anyway, I've a little problem... Check it:

#ifndef __xPath_h__
#define __xPath_h__

#include "xTypes.h"

tChar    XDiskGetPathDelimeter(void);
void    XDiskSetPathDelimeter(tChar cDelim);

tChar    XDiskGetDeviceDelimeter(void);
void    XDiskSetDeviceDelimeter(char cDelim);

void    XDiskConvertToPlatformPath(tChar * pszPathname);
void    XDiskConvertToUnixPath(tChar * pszPathname);

void    XDiskConvertExtension(tChar * pszPathName, tChar * pszNewExt);

void    XDiskGetFileNameFromPath(const tChar * pcszPathName, tChar * pFile, short sMaxChars);
void    XDiskGetFileNameFromPathX(const tChar * pcszPathName, tChar * pFile, short sMaxChars);
void    XDiskGetPathNameFromPath(const tChar * pcszPathName, tChar * pPath, short sMaxChars);

tChar*    XBuildPath(tChar * s1, const tChar * s2);

#endif __xPath_h__

It returns
xPath.h:1: warning: garbage at end of `#ifndef' argument
xPath.h:1: unterminated `#if' conditional

why?

[Andrea Ghensi]

I correct this error, but now I've a lot of other error types!!!
It gives me:
syntax error befoe "(" in declarations
destructors must be member functions
virtual outside class declaration
parse error before "{" in class declaration
an do on....

Why microsoft has to complicate things?
Is there any guide like "Migrating from Micrsoft c++" or "differences between c++ and microsoft c++"?

cheers

[Robert Rainwater]

If it is using MFC, you will be out of luck.

[Georhan]

Yosh this would be rather cool if such guide(s) would exist !!
I've tried to compile the libodbc++ with Dev-C++ for a few days now and I jsut don't manage to do that. I created the .lib- and the .dll- files with MSVC but can't use them with Dev-c++
Can anyone help ?

Thanks

Georhan

[Patrick Ogay]

there is an interesting link to Markus Neifer's Artikel
"How to migrate MFC to wXwindows"
http://www-106.ibm.com/developerworks/linux/library/l-mfc/

Apart from that, there are some differences between Gnu-Compiler and M$, gnu usually is strikter.
M$ has some other Macros as TRACE0 or ASSERT, many functions have a equivalent, or are easy to replace.

porting is not such an easy task :-)"

[Patrick Ogay]

as said there are some compiler differences, M$ has also some proprietary Templates as CArray.

With the correct headers you don't get syntax errors as you mentioned.

the m$-compiler doesn't follow the standard somtimes.
For example a  for (int i=0....) it's not lokal to the loop. (leads multiple declaration of i)
const and non const are less restrictive an need sometime a cast.
I had to substitute  NULL with 0 because of Typ differences at some places (Null-Pointer as parms)

very Important:

#include <windows.h>
#include <winbase.h>    (somtimes, this order)

I have also these compiler options
-mwindows -fnative-struct
which have an influence on compiler differences, I guess.

For MFC-functions I didn't find a substitute until now.

CString you can easily substitute by the C++ string.

other porting problems???
Greeting
Patrick

[Benjamin Kerensa]

It would be nice if we had like a tool which could convert the code automatically... would be nice i have tried importing code from C++ .NET to DevC++ and compiling it and failed with every app i tried hopefully we might have some converters or support for .net in the future.

[Robert T. Adams]

If it's an MFC program you are trying to port, I don't think it's possible.

[Benjamin Kerensa]

It is possible to port MFC to wXWindows i know  alot of people have... some hopefully DevC++ will sometime have a feature to auto port the code or something.... i am hoping the update on DevC++ coming will be a nice big one fixing alot of the bugs and adding a heap of features