I have searched for a list of VB6 files that are redistributable, but did not find one. Can anyone point me to such a list? I specifically need to verify that tabctl32.ocx is redistributable. Thanks!
There is a file on the Visual Studio 6.0 setup disk that contains a list of redistributable components - \Disk1\common\redist\redist.txt
In short, it confirms that you can redistribute tabctl32.ocx.
From the VB6 EULA:
4.1.2 Redistributable Code-Extended Use. Visual Basic, Visual C++, Visual J++, and Visual Studio. If this EULA accompanies any of the Microsoft products listed in the heading of this subsection, you may permit your end users to reproduce and distribute the object code form of certain portions of the SOFTWARE PRODUCT (as listed in REDIST.TXT as "Extended Use Redistributable Code") only in conjunction with and part of a Licensed Product and/or Web page that adds significant and primary functionality to the Extended Use Redistributable Code.
The "Extended Use" section of REDIST.TXT includes tabctl32.ocx.
Here's Microsoft's list of the controls that are supported on Vista and Windows 7. Some are distributed with Windows, and some you have to distribute yourself - listed under Supported Runtime Files to Distribute with Your Application.
tabctl32.ocx is supported, but you have to distribute it yourself. I think that's confirmation that you are legally allowed to distribute it.
(Edit: See also Controls shipped in Visual Basic 6.0)
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What can I uninstall from this large chunk of programs without breaking Visual Studio Community 2015. I do not use any SQL services or any .NET frameworks for any sort of development, so I don't need SQL or .NET features. Unfortunately VS forced them upon me.
In fact, I only really use Visual Studio to code C/C++ and Fortran, and have no use for its other features.
In search for a solution I came across this cool preview build which would almost exactly be the solution to my predicament, but I need Intel C/C++/Fortran compiler and Intel Visual Fortran (extension for VS) compatibility to be maintained. Intel does not support non-official releases so VS Preview won't do.
Did you install the VS 2015 through the default installation or custom default? If you chose the default installation, those installed items in your first screenshot should be required for the VS 2015, it is better to keep it to make the VS work stable.
If you chose the custom installation, please have a look at the article and it lists the custom components, then you can remove them if you do not need it anymore. To remove them, you can right click the VS 2015 item under Uninstall a program list table and choose Change-Modify, then uncheck the checkbox of those components that you selected in your original custom installation, then the VS installer will auto uninstall those components. Before you try to uninstall any components, I recommend you backup your Windows OS firstly, you can find the backup method per your OS edition search here.
The .NET Framework is required and the basic component for VS, when you try to create any project types in VS, there is a default .NET Framework version like the following:
I am facing problem with huge amount of errors in visual studio, that is caused by unknown problem.
I don't know, how and where I could but the embed interopt type to false.
Last time I resolved this problem with uninstalling my Visual Studio and all related programs, but this time it doesn't work.
You have your project setup wrong, not a problem you can fix by re-installing Visual Studio. Never use that crutch btw. You added more than one reference for PowerPoint, incompatible versions as well. You picked Microsoft.Office.Interop.PowerPoint, a PIA, which got you the reference to the Office 2010 version, and you picked "Microsoft PowerPoint 15.0 Object Library" from the COM tab, the Office 2013 version.
You can't have it both ways, you can only target one specific version of Office.
One possible reason you got into trouble is because Microsoft no longer publishes the PIAs for new Office versions, starting with Office 2013. PIAs are obsolete, elegantly and efficiently replaced by the "Embed Interop Types" option available since .NET 4.0 and VS2010. Also known as the "No PIA" feature.
You have to pick one or the other, both cannot work. If you intentionally want to target an old Office version then using the PIA is the right way. But strongly favor the COM tab reference, it ensures that you'll test your program with the Office version you have on your machine and avoids the need to have the PIA installed on the user's machine.
Let us take VS 2010 as example. I have an app and that needs to be deployed on the end user's system. I have the following algorithm:
1) If the code is built using Visual Studio 2010 (without SP1) then
the installer needs to check/install atleast VC++ 2010 runtime
10.0.30319.
2) If the code is built using Visual Studio 2010 SP1 then the
installer needs to check/install at-least VC++ 2010 runtime
10.0.40219.
I know that the latest Service Pack(SP) of VC++ 2010 runtime would support the apps developed using non-SP/old SP Visual Studio 2010.
Thus, is it not the best practice to install the latest version of VC++ Runtime on the end user machine, irrespective of the Service-Pack-status of Visual Studio? I feel this will be the safer option when it comes to security etc..
Please enlighten me.
Consider the VC runtime as yet another module in the system, not different from a regular application for the aspect that interests you. Just like for an application, in general you should always have the latest version since it should (at least in theory) be more stable, has more features and less bugs. That said, if you know that a specific version contains a critical bug or a change that interferes with your usage model (e.g., it was freeware and became shareware), you should skip it or adopt your software accordingly.
Which parts of the Visual Studio IDE (if any) are open source? Thanks!
Here are the components in Visual Studio that I am aware of which have some level of source accessibility.
MEF
Iron Languages
DLR
F#
CLR: subset of the CLR known as Rotor is open source
BCL, WinForms an WPF: source is available under the Source Reference License
Plugin's: Many of the Visual Studio employee plugins available on the Visual Studio gallery have source accessibility.
Note: I intentionally used "some level of source accessibility" instead of "open source". The term "open source" has a very specific meaning to certain portions of the developer population which does not align with the components I've listed here. In particular they deam it to mean source which is contributable by anyone. There is no part of Visual Studio today (that I'm aware of) which has that level of open source about it.
None of it, so far as I know.
AFAICT, none of it, though I can see where the confusion came frome.
Microsoft did give "Visual Studio Industry Partners" access to the Visual Studio source code. This falls under their umbrella of "shared source".
But their umbrella of "shared source" is really, really wide. Microsoft uses this term for a whole cornucopia of licenses that range from completely open-source to completely proprietary.
In this case, it doesn't look like the Visual Studio IDE is available under any of the open-source licenses.
A client wants me to do some maintenance work to a VB 6.0 application (migration to .NET is also in the pipeline), but he doesn't have the development tools because he received just the source code and running application from the original programmer, who is no longer available.
Microsoft doesn't sell Visual Studio 6.0, as far as I know. How can I modify and compile the source code for a VB6 application without VB6? or Where do I get Visual Studio 6.0 if Microsoft is not selling it?.
Even if I migrate everything to .NET without releasing a new VB6 version, I would like to be able to open the project and see it compile and run to better understand it.
I have VS 2005 and VB 2008. But I understand that if I try to open the project the code will be converted to VB.NET and that's not what I would want before getting to know the project better.
From what I recall the Visual Studio 6.0 is available for MSDN Subscribers.
Hunt Ebay or Craigslist. Or call your regular software vendor, I'm sure they can still get it for this sort of reason.
Visual Basic 5 Control Creation Edition might be suitable to tide you over until you can get hold of a full version of VB6. There are limitations and it is 5 not 6, but depending on the scope and complexity of the application it might work for you as an interim measure.
Many textbooks on Visual Basic 6 frequently included a fairly usable version if VB (I can't recall the exact name offhand, perhaps VB 6 student edition?) that allowed the compiling of .exe files. VB 5 textbooks usually bundled VB 5 CCE, VB 4 books bundled VB 4 WM, neither of these are suitable replacements for a production VB 6 app IMHO, especially their lack of ability to create .exe files.
I will say, Visual Studio 2005 (VB 8) converted VB 6 apps quite well if that's an acceptable interim solution (which it may not be given the requirement for the large .NET 2.0 runtimes).
To get a feel of the code, you could try to compile parts of the application in MS Office / VBA.
Of course, this will only offer limited functionality, but may suffice for some testing.
Both Amazon and eBay currently have copies for sale (although they seem a tad expensive but this would be a pass-through cost to your customer so it's up to them whether they pay this).
You may want to check out the licence for VB.net; it may allow you to run previous versions of the software, such as VB6 (though you'd still have to source the actual media to install it, of course).
The MSDN "Visual Studio 2008 Professional with MSDN Professional" has previous version of Visual Studio tools but it comes in at USD1200 so, if you just want VB6, eBay is the better option.
Keep in mind that MSDN pack has all the Visual Studio languages and VS6 through to VS2008 so it's probably got everything you need.