Windows Visual C++ in OSX?

Question

I'm trying to use Windows Visual C++ Express Edition 2008 in OSX with Wine, but X11 tells me that it was unable to find a volume for extraction and to verify my permissions, which are read and write. Terminal gives back

$$fixme:clusapi:GetNodeClusterState ((null),0x32ecec,0) stub!.

What can I do about this? Is there a way to make that compiler run in OSX? Sadly, I absolutely must use that one; it's for a class. I was going to get a Windows 7 RC and just dual-boot, but I believe that as of yesterday they are no longer available. Is there anyway I can use this program without having to purchase Windows?

Answer 1

If you are interested in a little bit of self-exploration, consult with your teacher about using XCode or gcc tools.

With a few exceptions and side-cases, C++ is C++ whether on windows, mac, unix, linux, etc. Visual Studio is one environment to code in, but far from the only one.

The source code you create should be fully compatible with Visual Studio.

Note: This doesn't necessarily apply if you are doing GUI development or Graphics programming. Both of those require access to OS system libraries. In any of these cases, a wine-type virtualization won't work either, you'll need an actual Windows install.

Answer 2

Check to see if your school is on the MSDN Academic Alliance, you may be able to get a free copy of Windows.

MSDN AA

Answer 3

As an answer above noted, you will need a copy of Windows. If you have MSDNAA through your academic institution, you can get XP, Vista, or 7 free of charge.

You can install Windows on your Mac two different ways: a native install or through virtualization. A native install means installing BootCamp, repartitioning your drive, and doing other nasty things, while a virtual install requires a host application. For your purposes the free version of VirtualBox should do just fine.

Before you start this, you need to take into account the model of your Mac. Check "About this Mac" from the Apple menu and make sure that its an Intel Mac - PowerPC Macs can't run Windows at all.

For VirtualBox, installation is simple. Download, mount, and run the VirtualBox installer. Download the Windows version you want from MSDNAA - XP will likely work best in virtualization. Create a new Virtual Machine, and set VirtualBox to load the Windows disk image as its CDROM drive. Boot the VM, and install Windows as you normally would. There's a more in-depth guide here on Sun's website.

You say the course requries Visual Studio -- talk to your professor about using XCode (OS X's native development environment) or using GCC (the Gnu Compiler Collection) from the commandline. If your professor knows their stuff, they should be able to tell you at least about GCC. With the correct libraries, you should be able to develop and compile GUI Windows prorams with GCC, but you'll still need a native installation of Windows to make sure they perform as expected.

Answer 4

According to the Wine Application Database Visual Studio Express 2008 doesn't work (rating of "Garbage"), however Visual Studio Express 2005 has a rating of "Bronze". You could try and find a copy of 2005 and give that a try.

As another alternative, you don't necessarily need the IDE to compile code. You could very easily write valid C++ code in the editor of your choice and then use the command line compiler (cl.exe) and linker (link.exe) included with VC++ Express to compile and link the executable. Your more likely to have success running just the compiler and linker on Wine than the entire IDE.

Try these links out:

• Using Microsoft C++ Toolkit on Linux
• C/C++ Building Reference
• How do I compile a visual studio project from the command line?
• building from the command line

Answer 5

While the Windows 7 RC installation disc is no longer available for download, you can still request a product key until October 21st, 2009. So, if you can find another source for the Windows 7 RC installation disc ISO image (e.g. from a friend who has a copy), then you can still request a product key to allow you to legally install and activate the RC. See Windows 7 Release Candidate (RC) Download Is No Longer Available:

Sorry, the Windows 7 RC is no longer available for download. If you’ve got the download and need a product key, they’ll be available until October 21, 2009.

To look up your product key or get a new one, just go through the steps like you're starting a download. Go to the bottom of this page, pick your version and language, and click go. From there, sign in with your Windows Live ID, and your product key will appear on the next page.
[...]

Finally, remember the expiration:

Remember expiration dates: Please plan ahead for when the RC expires. You'll get two weeks' notice, and then beginning on March 1, 2010, your PC will start shutting down every two hours. The RC will expire on June 1, 2010. To avoid interruption, you'll need to rebuild your test PC to replace the OS with a valid version of Windows, and reinstall all your programs and data before the software expires.