Extension Questions

[Flava]

1. How do I compile my extension as an actual final extension? When I click Debug, it debugs it and then creates an mfx file which is 500kb (too big). And when I try choosing another configuration, I get directory errors. The SDK documentation only seems to deal with VC++ 6 (I'm using 2005 express)

2. Is there anywhere I can get Visual C++ 6 for free? VC++ 2005 was free on Microsoft.com - but I want version 6 because the documentation is written for version 6 and there are some things in the documentation that I cannot find at all in version 2005 express..

[Dynasoft]

I just tested my extension in vc++ 2005 express and all I had to do was fix a for loop (apparently ansi conformance is on, so the loop variable left scope at the end of the for loop), and remove the two odbc libs from project properties -> linker -> input -> additional dependencies.

EDIT: You build the release and runtime versions to make the final extension. The "small" build types use different build settings to build a smaller but slower extension, so it's your choice which to use. The "release" version is the one that goes in mmf's extensions folder and the runtime one is the one that goes in mmf's data\runtime folder.

[Flava]

Uhmm? I'm not having problem with the code itself.
Just how to compile my extensions ^_^

Thanks for replying though :P

[Dynasoft]

I was editing my post when you replied, but the original post did say the bit about changing a project setting to get it to build. I guess you just didn't see that?

[Flava]

Okay I tried that and got the following errors:

Copy extension to installer directory
The system cannot find the file specified.
Project : error PRJ0019: A tool returned an error code from "Copy extension to installer directory"

I haven't changed any of the code you said to change - should I change it? Also, I don't see any ODBC libs in the linker properties?

EDIT: Nevermind, the extension seems to work anyway now. Thanks for the help!

[Dynasoft]

Wait, is this an mmf 1.5 sdk? As far as I remember the MMF2 sdk doesn't have a "Copy extension" thing in it. But it will be a problem with either a transfer.bat file trying to copy the wrong file (an mmf.cox?) or a project custom build step / build event.

[Flava]

I'm using MMF2 SDK.
I think it was trying to copy the extension to my MMF2 folder, but failed? The debug continued and produced the mfx files though - and I put them in my MMF2 folder manually and they work (thanks for the help!) <img src="/center/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Another question,
does my extension identifier need to be 4 characters or can it be more?

For example, I put F,1,4,V

But could I put F,1,4,V,4,3,X,T or something?

[LIJI]

Only 4.
4 Bytes / 4 letters / 8 hex chars

[Dynasoft]

Just checked a few things, it seems that the sdk has copy commands in project properties -&gt; build events -&gt; post-build event. Just go there and either delete the lines or put "yes" for excluded from build (recommended) and it will get rid of the copy error you've been having.

Btw, I wasn't getting this because I do most of my stuff in vc++ 7, so I'd set up my own vc7 project. When I went to test building in vc++8 I updated this project instead of using the one that came with the sdk.

[Sphax]

For the problem of copy, it's because you probably must put character " around the command "$(TargetPath)" in the "Project"-&gt;"Settings"-&gt;"Post-build step" tab where "copy "$(TargetPath)" .\ToInstall\Files\Extensions" is wrote.

This little macro is here to copy the MFX in the ToInstall Directory.
If you want to have your MFX directly into you MMF2 directory, change the path and the name of your MFX in the "Link" tab on the same panel. <img src="/center/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />