VS0-2008 requires framework 3.5 on user PC - alternative?

  • Thread starter Thread starter xz
  • Start date Start date
X

xz

I created my first quick-and-dirty Windows Forms app using VS-2008.
Very slick & nice.
But it requires 3.5 to be on the desktop - no good, makes it
unusable. Nobody is going to download that here.
For a simple application, is there anyway to tell VS to build the app
in such a way that it only requires 1.0 or 1.1 of the framework? I'm
guessing the answer is no but I figured I'd ask...

I would create an ASP.NET app, but we don't have a place to host for
now - this has to go on the user's desktop.

xz
 
xz,

VS 2008 allows you to create projects from .NET 2.0 and beyond, and I
believe you can set which version of the framework you can use when you
create the project (through a drop down in the upper left hand corner).

Unfortunately, I don't believe that you can develop for the 1.1 or 1.0
framework (maybe using MSBee, but I am not sure).

You are probably better off just using VS.NET 2003 or VS.NET 2002.
 
Hello Nicholas Paldino [.NET/C# MVP],
xz,

VS 2008 allows you to create projects from .NET 2.0 and beyond,
and I believe you can set which version of the framework you can use
when you create the project (through a drop down in the upper left
hand corner).

Unfortunately, I don't believe that you can develop for the 1.1 or
1.0 framework (maybe using MSBee, but I am not sure).
Click to expand...

Just to confirm: VS2008 will indeed *not* support 1.x versions of the framework.
This is due to the fact that there were so many changes between the CLR going
from 1.1 to 2.0. It would have been too much work.
You are probably better off just using VS.NET 2003 or VS.NET 2002.
Click to expand...

I would no longer suggest version 1.x for building new applications. Go with
Framework 2.0 and Visual Studio 2005. As you said before it's eay to later
open that solution in VS2008 without having to change anything. That way
you can easily upgrade and expand when Framework 3.5 becomes more mainstream.

Jesse
 
I'm left wondering perhaps if - because of our restriction that we
can't use a web-server - and the framework restrictions are too
limiting - its best to use something like Xforms? I don't have much
exp. with that technology and if there are any with a nice GUI
environment to create the form itself. But ideally, we could send the
3rd party a page (or series of web-pages) via email, which when opened
would display a form, and hitting submit writes their answers to a
text file which they could send back to us.
Anyone with any ideas on tools to create something like this - not
requiring any server ?
 
Hello xz,
I'm left wondering perhaps if - because of our restriction that we
can't use a web-server - and the framework restrictions are too
limiting - its best to use something like Xforms? I don't have much
exp. with that technology and if there are any with a nice GUI
environment to create the form itself. But ideally, we could send the
3rd party a page (or series of web-pages) via email, which when opened
would display a form, and hitting submit writes their answers to a
text file which they could send back to us.
Anyone with any ideas on tools to create something like this - not
requiring any server ?
Click to expand...

A new look at the restrictions might be in order. The not-using-a-webserver
is, in my eyes, the weirdest thing you could restrict yourself to in this
day and age.

Jesse
 
A new look at the restrictions might be in order. The
not-using-a-webserver is, in my eyes, the weirdest thing you could
restrict yourself to in this day and age.
Click to expand...

I was thinking the same thing!

That sort of thing would tell me that it was time to look for a new job...
 
Yah I hear what you're saying... the dmz restriction is very very
difficult to get around. I'm left with sending them x-forms and them
sending it back... doesn't require a server (using formfaces + ajax)
and no ms framework. But I'm really out on a limb hear... pulling out
my hair with this js code.
 
Hello xz,
Yah I hear what you're saying... the dmz restriction is very very
difficult to get around. I'm left with sending them x-forms and them
sending it back... doesn't require a server (using formfaces + ajax)
and no ms framework. But I'm really out on a limb hear... pulling out
my hair with this js code.
Click to expand...

Well you've gotten yourself into a terrible mess it seems. It might be easier
to send a signed Excel sheet with a couple of macro's aroud by email. Or
a Flash file for that matter. I'd drop the javascript idea for something
more mature.

Jesse
 
Jesse Houwing said:
Hello xz,


A new look at the restrictions might be in order. The
not-using-a-webserver is, in my eyes, the weirdest thing you could
restrict yourself to in this day and age.
Click to expand...

Because, after all, everyone's laptop has broadband connectivity 100% of the
time? And everyone's internet connection is as fast as their hard disk?
And everyone is comfortable shipping all their data across the 'Net, and has
a fast enough processor to encrypt it on-the-fly?

Rich client apps are still a requirement in many situations.
 
Hello Ben Voigt [C++ MVP],
Because, after all, everyone's laptop has broadband connectivity 100%
of the time? And everyone's internet connection is as fast as their
hard disk? And everyone is comfortable shipping all their data across
the 'Net, and has a fast enough processor to encrypt it on-the-fly?

Rich client apps are still a requirement in many situations.
Click to expand...

There is nothing wrong with Rich Client Apps, but wrting them in HTML+JS
and mailing them around to sync data is a little overdone.

Especially when using email as transport with all the spam & anti-virus tools
between you and teh recipient, there is no way to guarantee the package will
ever reach its final destination unharmed.

Jesse
 
Jesse Houwing said:
Hello Ben Voigt [C++ MVP],
Because, after all, everyone's laptop has broadband connectivity 100%
of the time? And everyone's internet connection is as fast as their
hard disk? And everyone is comfortable shipping all their data across
the 'Net, and has a fast enough processor to encrypt it on-the-fly?

Rich client apps are still a requirement in many situations.
Click to expand...

There is nothing wrong with Rich Client Apps, but wrting them in HTML+JS
and mailing them around to sync data is a little overdone.
Click to expand...

The discussion was about Windows Forms apps, and the fact that the typical
way to control the runtime environment/avoid requiring users to install a
huge Framework download was to transition to running .NET server-side.
Especially when using email as transport with all the spam & anti-virus
tools between you and teh recipient, there is no way to guarantee the
package will ever reach its final destination unharmed.
Click to expand...

Oh I agree with that. That's in fact why the not-using-a-webserver is a
great requirement and not a reason to start looking for a new job.
 
IMO - its tragic that MS insists on the framework being there all the
time.
There should be an option of creating an EXE that includes the
pertinent framework built into a single EXE file.
I find it a bit pathetic that you're req'd to have the latest
framework to run these apps, or you have to go back to VS 2005 or
earlier.
 
IMO - its tragic that MS insists on the framework being there all the
time.
There should be an option of creating an EXE that includes the
pertinent framework built into a single EXE file.
I find it a bit pathetic that you're req'd to have the latest
framework to run these apps, or you have to go back to VS 2005 or
earlier.
Click to expand...

You can build an installer that contains the redistributable for the
framework.

If you really want to bundle the framework but not actually install
it, have a look at Thinstall.

Jon
 
Hello xz,
IMO - its tragic that MS insists on the framework being there all the
time.
There should be an option of creating an EXE that includes the
pertinent framework built into a single EXE file.
I find it a bit pathetic that you're req'd to have the latest
framework to run these apps, or you have to go back to VS 2005 or
earlier.
Click to expand...

There are stand-alone tools that allow you to do just that.
- Xenocode Postbuild .NET is one of them. http://www.xenocode.com/Products/Postbuild/

Jesse
 
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