Re: Developing for windows.

["Orgren, Joseph H" <JOSEPH Orgren associates dhs gov>]

Hi Ian,

I'm using Cygwin and Gtk+2 to develop for windows.  I've been warned not 
to enable the Cygwin library (which is a pretty good subset of Gnu LibC). 
However, I'm using the Cygwin library with Gtk, and having no problems 
yet.  I'm pretty sure that as long as I use Cygwin for 
files/threads/sockets, and Gtk for GUI, they won't collide, but your 
milage may vary.  I just can't face the idea of throwing away tons of 
existing POSIX code and replacing it with GLib functions.  Basically, I'm 
pretending that I'm developing in a Linux environment, thanks to Cygwin 
and Gtk.  It's so much easier than trying to decipher the spaghetti-like 
Windows API.  I extend my heartfelt thanks to the Gnu, Cygwin, Gtk, and 
Gtk/Cygwin developers who are protecting me from Bill Gates. The only 
problem I've run into which appears to be windows specific is that the 
current version of Gtk can't set an icon for a window (on a Windows 
system, this would appear at the upper left corner).  I understand a fix 
is coming in a future rev of Gtk.

Packaging is a little messy.  You need to use a (free) Micro$oft proram 
called "Dependency Walker" which goes and figures out all the .DLL files 
needed by your app.  Check the archive of this list for where to find it. 
I haven't done a thorough test, but it appears that if I put all the 
.DLL's in the same directory with the app, I can just zip it up and move 
it to another machine.  A quick check looked good for this procedure.  By 
the way, you can select versions of Gtk for Cygwin, which use either X or 
the Windows API as the foundation.  From your (API) point of view, they 
look the same; however the X version is much slower, and generally I don't 
see a benefit to it.

Get gtk for cygwin here:
http://web.sfc.keio.ac.jp/~s01397ms/cygwin/

Joe Orgren
Senior Engineer
Organizational Strategies Inc.
Supporting the Applied Technology Division/OIT
Bureau of Customs & Border Protection
United States Department of Homeland Security
202-927-3967
202-927-2002
--__--__--

Message: 4
Date: Thu, 21 Aug 2003 13:58:53 +0100
From: Ian Molton <spyro f2s com>
To: gtk-app-devel-list gnome org
Subject: Developing for windows.
Organization: The Dragon Roost

Hi.

I am a linux developer and have been asked to do a windows version of
one of my programs. I am using GTK 2 and wondering what my options are.

I have an old version of MSVC++, but I'd rather be using open tools if
possible.

Can someone with experience of writing linux/win versions of software
give some help?

what build environment are you using? is it free? what will I need? how
can I package the software once I have built it?

TIA.