Cannot run debugger - VS .net version 2003

Hi all,

I am new to programming using MS Visual Studio. I have installed
VS .net (version 2003) on my PC running Windows Vista. I know there
are "known compatibility issues", but I need to test the program I have
written on an older version of VS, for backward compatibility testing
purposes. The system that will eventually be running the program is an
older system.

When I wrote a simple Hello World program, I cannot even debug it. I
get the error message "'devenv.exe' does not contain debugging
information. (No symbols loaded.) Click OK to debug anyway.". When I
clicked OK, it simply opens another instance of VS, not my program.

Is there a way to get around this problem, or is Vista simply not
compatible with this version of VS?

Thank you.

Regards,
Rayne

Rayne wrote:ISTR you need an update to Vista itself to support Visual Studio

ISTR you need an update to Vista itself to support Visual Studio (might
have been '2005, though).  Anyway, if you do need one, Windows Update
should pull it down automatically.


If you need to test a program "written on an older version of VS", then
you need to test it /with/ the older version of VS.  Loading the code
into a new product (VS'2003) and compiling it is definitely /not/ the
same thing and has /nothing/ to do with "backwards" compatibility.


As a general rule, you must build on the lowest platform that you intend
to support; if you fail to do this, the [newly] compiled program could
have run-time dependencies that are simply not available on the older
machine.


Why are you debugging your Development environment (devenv.exe)?

OK, I have not done any C++ work in the .Net versions of VS so do not know
what the Project properties look like, but you should be debugging the
target program, i.e. whatever executable you are building.

HTH,
Phill  W.

Please see answer in vsnet.general.

Please see answer in vsnet.general.

wrote:I simply clicked on the "Start Debug" button (the triangular buttonthat

I simply clicked on the "Start Debug" button (the triangular button
that looks like a Play button) and I get the devenv error message. If
I choose "Start Without Debugging", it will simply open another instance
of VS without the denenv.exe error.

Is there a way to check if the target program is "selected" when I
debug?

I looked at the Project Property Pages, and in the Debugging section,
I have the following:

Action
Command: C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual Studio .NET
2003\Common7\IDE\devenv.exe
Command Arguments:
Working Directory:
Attach: No
Symbol Path:

Debuggers
Debugger Type: Auto
SQL Debugging: No

Remote Settings
Connection: Local
Remote Machine:
Remote Command:
HTTP URL:

And in the Output Pane, under Debug, I have the following messages:
'devenv.exe': Loaded 'C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual
Studio .NET 2003\Common7\IDE\devenv.exe', No symbols loaded.
'devenv.exe': Loaded 'C:\Windows\System32\ntdll.dll', No symbols
loaded.
'devenv.exe': Loaded 'C:\Windows\SysWOW64\kernel32.dll', No symbols
loaded.
'devenv.exe': Loaded 'C:\Windows\SysWOW64\user32.dll', No symbols
loaded.
'devenv.exe': Loaded 'C:\Windows\SysWOW64\gdi32.dll', No symbols
loaded.
'devenv.exe': Loaded 'C:\Windows\SysWOW64\advapi32.dll', No symbols
loaded.
'devenv.exe': Loaded 'C:\Windows\SysWOW64\rpcrt4.dll', No symbols
loaded.
'devenv.exe': Loaded 'C:\Windows\SysWOW64\secur32.dll', No symbols
loaded.
'devenv.exe': Loaded 'C:\Windows\SysWOW64\ole32.dll', No symbols
loaded.
'devenv.exe': Loaded 'C:\Windows\SysWOW64\msvcrt.dll', No symbols
loaded.
'devenv.exe': Loaded 'C:\Windows\SysWOW64\oleaut32.dll', No symbols
loaded.
'devenv.exe': Loaded 'C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual
Studio .NET 2003\Common7\IDE\msvcr71.dll', No symbols loaded.
The program '[3884] devenv.exe: Native' has exited with code 0 (0x0).

Rayne wrote:However did you manage to get that configuration?!?

However did you manage to get that configuration?!?

The Command property is what the debugger is supposed to execute, so no
wonder it tries to execute devenv.
(Btw: When you are on a prop page and have a setting highlighted, just
press F1 to go to it is detailed description.)

Command "normally" reads $(TargetPath)
And TargetPath (I think) is the Output File on the linker general
settings tab.

br,
Martin