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Q100638: Cross-Platform Application Development in Windows NT

Article: Q100638
Product(s): Microsoft C Compiler
Version(s): 1.00 2.00 2.10 4.00
Operating System(s): 
Keyword(s): kbGenInfo kbVC kbArtTypeINF
Last Modified: 27-JUL-2001

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The information in this article applies to:

- Microsoft Visual C++, versions 1.0, 2.0, 2.1, 4.0 
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SUMMARY
=======

At present, these hardware platforms support developing Win32-based
applications: Intel 386 or later, MIPS R4000, DEC Alpha, and the Power PC. The
text below deals with the issues involved with developing applications for all
of these platforms simultaneously.

MORE INFORMATION
================

Due to the disparate nature of these platforms, binary compatibility is not a
viable option. Therefore, Win32 provides source code compatibility. You can
create a version of your application for each CPU by recompiling the source
code.

However, Visual C++ 32-bit Edition does not support cross-compiling between these
platforms at this time. Therefore, to develop applications for each hardware
platform, you must compile the code with the tools available for each platform,
such as Visual C++ for Intel, Visual C++ for MIPS, and Visual C++ for Alpha.

NOTE: Visual C++ versions 2.x and 4.0 does have a Macintosh add-on that can be
used to port Win32-based applications to a native Macintosh 68K platform. It is
a cross- development platform, meaning that the tools are hosted on a Windows NT
machine on the Intel platform and target the Macintosh.

Be careful not to confuse source compatibility across hardware platforms (Intel,
MIPS, Alpha, Power PC) with binary compatibility across application execution
environments (Win16, Win32). We supports binary compatibility between
application execution environments on the same hardware platform, through
emulation. For example, a 16-bit Windows-based application developed for Intel
hardware can run without modification on an Intel machine running Windows NT
and, with the appropriate Win32s dynamic-link libraries (DLLs) and virtual
devices (VxDs), a Win32-based application developed for Intel hardware can run
without modification on an Intel machine running 16-bit Windows 3.1.

REFERENCES
==========

For more information about cross platform development with the Win32 API, please
see the Microsoft Win32 Software Development Kit or Visual C++ documentation.

Additional query words: kbinf 1.00 2.00 2.10 4.00

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Keywords          : kbGenInfo kbVC kbArtTypeINF 
Technology        : kbVCsearch kbVC400 kbAudDeveloper kbvc100 kbVC200 kbVC210
Version           : 1.00 2.00 2.10 4.00

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