Advice on writing a GUI application that can run on very old Windows operating systems without Service Packs and Frameworks
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Some of my employer's customers have old Windows-computers (some are from the 90's) and they are not allowed to connect to the Internet and they have no Service Packs or Frameworks installed. I need to write a simple GUI application that does some UART-communication that can run on these old computers and I would greatly appreciate some advice. 1. What API would you recommend I use? I've heard of an API called "Win32", is that the one I should use? 2. What GUI library would you recommend I choose? 3. Can I program in C++ or am I restricted to C? 4. Is Visual Studio 2005 a good choice for an IDE or would you recommend something else? 5. Anything else I need to be aware of?
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Some of my employer's customers have old Windows-computers (some are from the 90's) and they are not allowed to connect to the Internet and they have no Service Packs or Frameworks installed. I need to write a simple GUI application that does some UART-communication that can run on these old computers and I would greatly appreciate some advice. 1. What API would you recommend I use? I've heard of an API called "Win32", is that the one I should use? 2. What GUI library would you recommend I choose? 3. Can I program in C++ or am I restricted to C? 4. Is Visual Studio 2005 a good choice for an IDE or would you recommend something else? 5. Anything else I need to be aware of?
1. Win32 API 2. VC++ MFC application 3. C++ 4. VC++6.0
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Some of my employer's customers have old Windows-computers (some are from the 90's) and they are not allowed to connect to the Internet and they have no Service Packs or Frameworks installed. I need to write a simple GUI application that does some UART-communication that can run on these old computers and I would greatly appreciate some advice. 1. What API would you recommend I use? I've heard of an API called "Win32", is that the one I should use? 2. What GUI library would you recommend I choose? 3. Can I program in C++ or am I restricted to C? 4. Is Visual Studio 2005 a good choice for an IDE or would you recommend something else? 5. Anything else I need to be aware of?
1. What API would you recommend I use? I've heard of an API called "Win32", is that the one I should use?
Most probably. At that time there weren't many other choices.
2. What GUI library would you recommend I choose?
You don't necessarily need a GUI library. Win32 was quite capable of making a simple GUI app.
3. Can I program in C++ or am I restricted to C?
You can use C++.
4. Is Visual Studio 2005 a good choice for an IDE or would you recommend something else?
VS 2019 is WAY better and you can target 32-bit Win32 applications.
5. Anything else I need to be aware of?
Link everything statically. You don't want to depend on runtime DLLs. Keep it simple, keep it small.
Mircea
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Some of my employer's customers have old Windows-computers (some are from the 90's) and they are not allowed to connect to the Internet and they have no Service Packs or Frameworks installed. I need to write a simple GUI application that does some UART-communication that can run on these old computers and I would greatly appreciate some advice. 1. What API would you recommend I use? I've heard of an API called "Win32", is that the one I should use? 2. What GUI library would you recommend I choose? 3. Can I program in C++ or am I restricted to C? 4. Is Visual Studio 2005 a good choice for an IDE or would you recommend something else? 5. Anything else I need to be aware of?
1. Yes Win32 - Build desktop Windows apps using the Win32 API - Win32 apps | Microsoft Docs[^], and can be driven by C or C++. 2. GDI+ - Win32 apps | Microsoft Docs[^] if you are C++ fluent, or Windows GDI - Win32 apps | Microsoft Docs[^] if you are writing in C. 3. Your choice. 4. You need to check that VS 2005 is compatible with your target systems. 5. Some of the older libraries and runtimes are no longer available so you may have a problem with creating code that is backwards compatible. Testing is the only way to find out.
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Some of my employer's customers have old Windows-computers (some are from the 90's) and they are not allowed to connect to the Internet and they have no Service Packs or Frameworks installed. I need to write a simple GUI application that does some UART-communication that can run on these old computers and I would greatly appreciate some advice. 1. What API would you recommend I use? I've heard of an API called "Win32", is that the one I should use? 2. What GUI library would you recommend I choose? 3. Can I program in C++ or am I restricted to C? 4. Is Visual Studio 2005 a good choice for an IDE or would you recommend something else? 5. Anything else I need to be aware of?
arnold_w wrote:
(some are from the 90's)
What is exactly the lowest specification without being that vague?
arnold_w wrote:
1. What API would you recommend I use? I've heard of an API called "Win32", is that the one I should use?
There's no other real option.
arnold_w wrote:
2. What GUI library would you recommend I choose?
Win32, native. It is recogniazable and works well with accessability features.
arnold_w wrote:
3. Can I program in C++ or am I restricted to C?
I restrict you to Delphi. Lots simpeler than C++, makes you more productive.
arnold_w wrote:
4. Is Visual Studio 2005 a good choice for an IDE or would you recommend something else?
It is, for non-Delphi apps.
arnold_w wrote:
5. Anything else I need to be aware of?
If you need to ask what language, you're not up to the task. Run.
Bastard Programmer from Hell :suss: "If you just follow the bacon Eddy, wherever it leads you, then you won't have to think about politics." -- Some Bell.
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Some of my employer's customers have old Windows-computers (some are from the 90's) and they are not allowed to connect to the Internet and they have no Service Packs or Frameworks installed. I need to write a simple GUI application that does some UART-communication that can run on these old computers and I would greatly appreciate some advice. 1. What API would you recommend I use? I've heard of an API called "Win32", is that the one I should use? 2. What GUI library would you recommend I choose? 3. Can I program in C++ or am I restricted to C? 4. Is Visual Studio 2005 a good choice for an IDE or would you recommend something else? 5. Anything else I need to be aware of?
arnold_w wrote:
5. Anything else I need to be aware of?
poor you. your only choice is win32. I suggest setting up a virtual machine with the target OS (if it's possible) on which you can do your work (install VS2005... )
CI/CD = Continuous Impediment/Continuous Despair
