Re: Can VS 2005 SP1 produce apps that can run on 98/ME OSs

From:

"Ben Voigt [C++ MVP]" <rbv@nospam.nospam>

Newsgroups:

microsoft.public.vc.language

Date:

Wed, 25 Feb 2009 09:22:50 -0600

Message-ID:

<eeTtrz1lJHA.3760@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl>

Alex Blekhman wrote:

"Micus" wrote:

Can C++ apps using only the Win32 API be compiled using VS
2005 SP1 and then run on Win 98/98SE/ME systems after the
appropriate redistributables are installed?

Yes. Supported platfoms are listed here:

"Supported Platforms (Visual C++)"
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms235435(VS.80).aspx

However, if you use newer Win32 API functions that aren't
available on Win9x/ME, then your program won't run either. In
order to prevent accidental usage of newer API function you should
define appropriate target OS version before including Platform SDK
headers. For available macros see here:

"Using the Windows Headers"
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa383745(VS.85).aspx

Then, during project's build you'll get compilation error if
unavailable function was used in the code.

In addition you need to make sure that the OS version
(/subsystem:windows,x.y) is set correctly, or else the image will not load
on older OSes.

VS2005's linker was the last version that accepted /subsystem:windows,4 and
therefore one can't use VS2008 to produce images that load on Win9x without
some editbin magic.

HTH
Alex