I would like to test my WPF applications using Windows Virtual PC under Windows 7. In my C# code, I'm checking the WPF tier and if it's less than 2, I disable a DirectX call. In order to test on Windows XP, I'd like to use Windows Virtual PC but it seems to only run in software mode. Thus, the tier is always <2.
Any ideas on how to enable DirectX to work in Virtual PC?
Virtual PC 2007
It seems that 3D acceleration is not supported by Virtual PC 2007 but I just found a blog's article where the author found a solution to enable 3D acceleration on Windows 7 client. The trick should work only with both host and client running Windows 7.
Here is the link. Hope it helps.
VirtualBox
VirtualBox, since version 3.0, provide support for 3D acceleration with DirectX 8/9.
Unfortunately it is not very stable and in addition Visual Studio crashes when developing WPF applications and 3D acceleration is enabled.
A ticket has been opened and it says that they are working on a fix
VMware Workstation
Also VMware Workstation provided experimental DirectX support since release 5.5. But reading through their forum topics it seems that WPF development works with 3D acceleration enabled only with VMare Workstation 7 and later.
I didn't try myself but it seems promising. On the product page you can see Aero 3D working on Windows 7 and a screen shows also Half-Life!
From this page:
VMware Workstation was the first to
support 3D graphics in virtualized
environments and is now the first to
support Windows Aero in Windows Vista
and Windows 7 virtual machines. Run
even more 3D applications with support
for DirectX 9.0c Shader Model 3 and
OpenGL 2.13D graphics in Windows
virtual machines.
Evaluate the trial and let us know...
Sorry, even latest Virtual PC doesn't support hardware DirectX redirection.
You can try VMWare Workstation 7.1. They claim to support DirectX up to 9.0c, which is enough to get you to tier 2.
VMWare 7.1.3 does support DirectX but only if you are using the 8 subset rather than a full 9.0c implementation. As a result, while the dxdiag will run properly, actually using a tool that requires a full 9.0 implementation is hit or miss - i.e., you have to run it to see if it works. I have tried various games and development tools which state the exact same requirements and run properly on a system with 9.0 installed, but under VMware - some of them work, and others die immediately - so it seems they are correct and only the 8 subset is working at present - so if you don't need 9.0 you're good to go, but if you do, you're DOA.
So the support isn't fully stable - but it's worth a try if you have no other option.
Related
My goal is to get together a really solid set of testing environments for my web development. I want to leverage more HTML5/CSS3 and need to develop my toolchain better for testing in different browser environments.
I natively work in Ubuntu 14.04 and Windows. I have a mac laptop but can't always have it with me when travelling.
This is how I envision getting all environments on one laptop:
1. Ubuntu Linux (xubuntu/xfce)
2. Virtualbox / Windows
3. Virtualbox / Hackintosh
4. IOS dev environment (virtualbox ?)
5. Android Dev environment (native linux?)
Anyone have input?
This is all spurred by recently viewing one of my sites on an original iPad which still has IOS5 / Safari5. i realized that not just windows technology is crufty anymore. Internet Explorer and Safari are starting to run into many of the same long term web compatibility issues.
Thanks!
try something like https://www.equafy.com?
there is a free plan that shall include all but Mac.
I have to create an application with metro design on vs2010 and windows 7.
The application should work both on pc and device without internet.
Initially i though of wpf but i do not know if it works on Mobile.
Please let me know how i can develop once such standalone application for
both device and PC also
Unfortunately, there is not a single platform that targets both PC and Phone...although, the presumption is that Windows Phone and Windows Store applications are moving toward a unified foundation.
Windows Store applications unfortunately don't run on Windows 7. Only Windows 8 and above, but the advantage is they work with the desktop version as well as the tablet version of windows.
If you want to target windows 7 and say windows phone as well, your best bet is to use portable class libraries to create a common "core" for the application. And use WPF for the desktop which has a lot in common with XAML for Windows Phone.
If you want to target windows phone 8, you have to use Visual Studio 2012 or above.
Pretty old question, but in case anyone is still blindfolded, there is UWP.
Furthermore, if you want to have XAML and C# deployed as native apps in a variety of platforms (UWP, Droid, iOS, WinPhone), be sure to check out Xamarin, which now belongs to Microsoft, and follows the awesomeness of open-source MIT just as the entire .NET does now.
We have developed a WPF application (VS 2010 C#, .NET 4.0, MVVM, CaliburnMicro, Agatha) that mostly deals with selling tickets for different transportation types.
Now i need to start developing an application for a handheld device that will be used alongside this WPF application (buying tickets on bus/train, printing, searching etc). Handheld device has an integrated printer + touch display.
The application will have it's own local database (probably SQLite) on the handheld device, but will also need to communicate with the main database (PostgreSQL) using the WPF application's host (WCF service).
Our client has initially picked out a device with Windows Mobile 6.5 / Windows CE 5.0.
I have no experience with handheld devices/developing for them. Now, i’ve been digging around and understand that
WPF/Silverlight type development is supported only for Windows Mobile 7.0 + and Windows CE starting from 6.0 (with latest version).
If we are to develop for older OS, we cannot use VS2010 with all the latest tools etc, since .net compact framework is not supported there anymore.
Developing for older OS can be more time consuming and problematic, CE 5.0 support has already been dropped.
My questions:
If we manage to find a device that supports Mobile 7.0+ / CE 6.0+, what tools, frameworks would be best suited for our development? Or could someone suggest some up-to-date books?
If we need to use Mobile 6.5 / CE 5.0, what are our best options for development?
I understand we need to downgrade to VS2008, but which frameworks/tools are best suited for UI / communication with the WCF service?
Can someone with experience on this subject foresee any problems communicating with the WCF service?
How much more time consuming (ballpark figure) or complicated it would be to develop for these older operating systems? i.e. i would like to know how hard we should push our client for switching to a device with a newer OS (since it’s quite problematic to find a suitably built/priced device with newer OS).
Thanks in advance.
It seems like the Pocket version of Internet Explorer is going to be what you'd want to develop for. I'm not sure how it supports Silverlight and other newer technologies, though. One of the answers in >>THIS QUESTION<< shows how to do some HTML stuff, if that helps.
Windows CE and Windows Mobile (WM) require different SDK downloads. I only use WM here, and I'm not sure what you'd gain by going one route verses another. I was given WM, so I develop for WM.
Are you looking to decide which way to go (CE verses WM)?
The bigger problem is that most newer devices running Microsoft operating systems are all phones. It seems that if you want an industrial style device, you are either stuck with old Windows devices or turn to something running a newer Android platform.
As far as WM platforms, the newer they are, the more features you have access to (like turning on the radio, getting battery status, etc.). WM 6 and up has these features. WM 5 and down does not. Older than WM 5 is referred to as PocketPC.
I am buying a new PC and wuld be getting a 64-bit Windows 7 OS in it (with 16gigs of RAM).
I was wondering if it will be OK to develop WPF, Silverlight and Windows Phone custom applications/controls in the 64-bit environment.
I know i can set the AnyCpu setting to get the project built, but would it work well if someone were to use my say WPF or Silverlight control in their WPF application that was being built in 32bit windows environment or run in that environment?
Any caveats, issues or limitations? Would it work well at all or should i have to get the machine with 32-bit windows just to develop, and forgo the 13GB odd RAM :( because 32 bits cannot access it?
Go for the 64 Bit for christs sake. There are only a hand fulll of Windows developers who still run on 32bit! I have been developing in .Net for 4 years on a 64Bit machine! One drawback is that the edit and continue Feature doesnt work on 64Bit. But I couldnt live with 3GB RAM anymore...
If needed you can still work on a virtual 32bit pc inside your 64Bit...
See http://www.microsoft.com/windows/virtual-pc/
See also: Is there any way to write a WinRt (Metro) app that will also work on Windows 7 and Vista?
I am trying to understand how to target both Windows 8 on Arm and Windows 7, given that Windows 7 cannot run WinRT apps. And as I understand it, apps can only be installed on ARM version of Windows 8 from the App Store.
So can Windows 8 on the Arm run none WinRT apps?
The definitive answer is out now. There will be a desktop, but you will not be able to install desktop apps. "WOA does not support running, emulating, or porting existing x86/64 desktop apps." All apps will come from the store and will have to abide by the Metro style app guidelines.
The only desktop apps appear to be Office (which seems to ship with the OS) and built-in apps like the control panel, Explorer, IE, etc. Everything else will be a new Metro-style app written against the Windows Runtime.
See this Building Windows 8 blog post for details.
"No legacy apps" is not the same as "no Desktop apps" though.
Nothing I've seen suggests that there won't be a regular Win32 with COM, IE, MSHTA, etc. on ARM along with an Explorer Desktop.
You may simply need to recompile C++ or .Net after some tweaking or "retargeting." Things like HTAs may even port with close to zero effort as long as they don't use any custom COM libraries. I'm surprised anyone ever expected any x86 code to run on ARM, even under some sort of WOW emulation. Microsoft has been pretty clear about that.
Whether it makes any sense to do much of this (desktop apps on ARM) is another matter, even if you can. The ARM-based devices are likely to be quite resource-constrained, which is the purpose in having them in the first place: cheap and portable.
Microsoft has made no statement about whether or not desktop apps will be supported on Arm processors. They have shown Microsoft Office running, but have not said whether that will be supported on the final platform.
For now the only statements have been about Metro style apps and those will be supported written in any language.