Q173483: HOWTO: Create Custom AppWizards that Generate Non-MFC Projects
Article: Q173483
Product(s): Microsoft C Compiler
Version(s): WINNT:5.0
Operating System(s):
Keyword(s): kbcode kbwizard kbVC500
Last Modified: 17-JUL-2001
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The information in this article applies to:
- The AppWizard, included with:
- Microsoft Visual C++, 32-bit Enterprise Edition, version 5.0
- Microsoft Visual C++, 32-bit Professional Edition, version 5.0
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SUMMARY
=======
Visual C++ 5.0 custom AppWizards always generates an MFC-based project
initially. Now the custom AppWizards can change the essential MFC project
settings for the generated project through the new automation object model of
Developer Studio.
MORE INFORMATION
================
When a custom AppWizard generates a project, it cannot simply replace the
automatically created .dsp project settings file. The project settings in the
.dsp file are set by internal rules that assume all generated projects are MFC
projects. However, Visual C++ 5.0's new object model allows custom AppWizards to
modify tool settings such that all dependencies on MFC are removed from the
resulting project.
The CCustomAppWiz class in Visual C++ 5.0 now has a virtual override called
CustomizeProject. CustomizeProject provides the custom wizard with an
IBuildProject interface. The Configurations method of IBuildProject provides an
IConfiguration interface for each build configuration in the project.
IConfiguration can add and remove settings supplied to tools such as the
compiler. Using these methods, a custom wizard can remove settings that add
dependencies on MFC.
Sample Code
-----------
Following is an example CustomizeProject override that demonstrates the removal
of MFC dependencies:
#import "c:\Program Files\DevStudio\SharedIDE\bin\ide\devbld.pkg"
void CNoMfcCustWizAppWiz::CustomizeProject(IBuildProject* pProject)
{
using namespace DSProjectSystem;
long lNumConfigs;
IConfigurationsPtr pConfigs;
IBuildProjectPtr pProj;
// Needed to convert IBuildProject to the DSProjectSystem namespace
pProj.Attach((DSProjectSystem::IBuildProject*)pProject, true);
pProj->get_Configurations(&pConfigs);
pConfigs->get_Count(&lNumConfigs);
//Get each individual configuration
for (long j = 1 ; j < lNumConfigs+1 ; j++)
{
_bstr_t varTool;
_bstr_t varSwitch;
IConfigurationPtr pConfig;
_variant_t varj = j;
pConfig = pConfigs->Item(varj);
// Remove Preprocessor def for MFC DLL specifier, _AFXDLL
varTool = "cl.exe";
varSwitch = "/D \"_AFXDLL\"";
pConfig->RemoveToolSettings(varTool, varSwitch, varj);
varTool = "rc.exe";
varSwitch = "/d \"_AFXDLL\"";
pConfig->RemoveToolSettings(varTool, varSwitch, varj);
// OPTIONAL
// Add Libs that MFC headers would have pulled in automatically
// Feel free to customize this listing to your tastes
varTool = "link.exe";
varSwitch = "kernel32.lib user32.lib gdi32.lib winspool.lib "
"comdlg32.lib advapi32.lib shell32.lib ole32.lib "
"oleaut32.lib uuid.lib odbc32.lib odbccp32.lib";
pConfig->AddToolSettings(varTool, varSwitch, varj);
}
}
Note that this code sample uses features from Visual C++ 5.0's new COM compiler
support. The #import statement imports and creates definitions for all of the
types in the DEVBLD.PKG type library. This allows the code to use the COM smart
pointers of the form IInterfacePtr, as well as the new _bstr_t and _variant_t
types. All of these new types automatically clean up used memory and release
held interface pointers when they go out of scope.
Also note that a standard Custom AppWizard uses a Precompiled header file,
StdAfx.h. You should place the #import statement at the end of the #include list
in StdAfx.h.
NOTE: the path to DevBld.Pkg will be different if you are using Visual C++
version 6.0. Assuming that Visual C++ version 6.0 was installed to the default
directory on the C: drive, the #import statement should read as follows:
#import "C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio\Common\MsDev98\Bin\IDE\DevBld.Pkg"
NOTE: The #import line above must be on the same line in your code.
Refer to the Visual C++ documentation for more information.
Caveats
-------
- Note that there is no programmatic method available for removing the internal
project setting that controls the "Microsoft Foundation Classes" setting on
the General Project Settings tab. Projects that are generated by custom
wizards that include the code above will still appear to "Use MFC in a Shared
DLL." The only way you can change this setting is by making unsupported
modifications to the .dsp project settings file. However, this setting is
only used by certain DevStudio MFC user interface elements, such as Class
Wizard and some MFC-based component gallery components. It should have no
effect on a non-MFC project.
- Even after modifying project settings using AddToolSettings and
RemoveToolSettings as above, DEFAULT project settings will still remain the
same in Visual C++ version 5.0. If the user of a project generated by this
custom AppWizard opens up Project Settings and clicks Reset, the restored
project settings will include the removed MFC references. Again, the only way
to prevent this is to make unsupported changes to the generated .dsp project
settings file by hand after the custom AppWizard has created the project.
Visual C++ version 6.0 provides a new automation method that changes the
DEFAULT project settings. The Configuration object supports the
MakeCurrentSettingsDefault method. This method changes the configuration's
DEFAULT project settings to become the current settings.
- When you use RemoveToolSettings, remove only one tool setting at a time. In
the example above, make another call to RemoveToolSettings to remove another
preprocessor definition from the CL.EXE command line rather than tacking the
definition to be removed onto the end of the same varSwitch statement. Also,
keep in mind that tool settings are case- sensitive, that is "/d" and "/D"
are not the same thing.
- Unfortunately, AddToolSettings, RemoveToolSettings, and AddCustomBuildStep
(another IConfiguration method) operate on the entire project only in Visual
C++ version 5.0; they cannot make tool settings or create custom build steps
for a single file. For example, it is usually desirable to add a custom build
step for a project's IDL file to process the file using MIDL and generate TLB
and other necessary project files. The Developer Studio 97 object model does
not support this. Custom build steps for single files will have to be added
by hand after the custom AppWizard generates the projects.
The Visual C++ version 6.0 object model does support methods to change file
settings and add custom build steps for files. See the Visual C++ version 6.0
documentation on the following methods for the Configuration object :
AddFileSettings
RemoveFileSettings
AddCustomBuildStepToFile
REFERENCES
==========
In the Visual C++ Online Help Index:
- Automating Tasks In Developer Studio
- Custom AppWizards
- COM Support
(c) Microsoft Corporation 1999, All Rights Reserved.
Contributions by Jason Strayer, Microsoft Corporation
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Keywords : kbcode kbwizard kbVC500
Technology : kbVCsearch kbAudDeveloper kbAppWizard
Version : WINNT:5.0
Issue type : kbhowto
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