32bit vs. 64bit development
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I am working more toward development using the Visual Studio suite, specifically VB and C# .NET. I have always coded on 32-bit OS. What I want to know is that when you write something is VS I am sure its compiled in 32-bit, but would it run on 64? Do you have to buy a special version of VS to be able to have applications that are compatible with both types of processors? Thanks Gezoonda
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I am working more toward development using the Visual Studio suite, specifically VB and C# .NET. I have always coded on 32-bit OS. What I want to know is that when you write something is VS I am sure its compiled in 32-bit, but would it run on 64? Do you have to buy a special version of VS to be able to have applications that are compatible with both types of processors? Thanks Gezoonda
There is no specific 64bit version of Visual Studio. In your project properties, on the build tab there is an entry called "Platform target". In that dropdown, you can select the application target. The default is usually set to "Any CPU" which means that your application will build and be compatible to run on 32bit or 64bit systems. I'm not 100% sure, but fairly certain that you would have to have Studio installed on a 64bit system to have the x64 option in this dropdown which would specifically target 64bit systems. That being said, 64bit systems will run the 32bit applications just find.
I wasn't, now I am, then I won't be anymore.
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There is no specific 64bit version of Visual Studio. In your project properties, on the build tab there is an entry called "Platform target". In that dropdown, you can select the application target. The default is usually set to "Any CPU" which means that your application will build and be compatible to run on 32bit or 64bit systems. I'm not 100% sure, but fairly certain that you would have to have Studio installed on a 64bit system to have the x64 option in this dropdown which would specifically target 64bit systems. That being said, 64bit systems will run the 32bit applications just find.
I wasn't, now I am, then I won't be anymore.
Marcus Kramer wrote:
you would have to have Studio installed on a 64bit system to have the x64 option in this dropdown which would specifically target 64bit systems.
You have all the options in a 32 bit system and you can target 64 bit.
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I am working more toward development using the Visual Studio suite, specifically VB and C# .NET. I have always coded on 32-bit OS. What I want to know is that when you write something is VS I am sure its compiled in 32-bit, but would it run on 64? Do you have to buy a special version of VS to be able to have applications that are compatible with both types of processors? Thanks Gezoonda
The full version of VS offers you the choice (x86/x64/AnyCPU) whatever your development system's OS is. The Express version of VS does not offer a choice, it is preset to "AnyCPU"; there are ways to modify the project files though, Google could guide you. :)
Luc Pattyn [My Articles] Nil Volentibus Arduum
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I am working more toward development using the Visual Studio suite, specifically VB and C# .NET. I have always coded on 32-bit OS. What I want to know is that when you write something is VS I am sure its compiled in 32-bit, but would it run on 64? Do you have to buy a special version of VS to be able to have applications that are compatible with both types of processors? Thanks Gezoonda
Visual Studio is still a 32bit application and there is not a plan to change it to 64bit. 32 bit apps have their own Program Folders on 64 bit OS. As has been stated - you compile to AnyCpu and you are good. Where you can run into issues is where you interact between a 32 bit and 64 bit process. If you are using an Oracle client that is 64 bit - you may need to have a 64 bit program version, and vice versa with 32 bit (assuming running is on 64 bit OS). Its just a wider register from a 32 bit one, and that gives you more address space so it can be very useful if you are using large amounts of memory. = Mark Mitchell =