Microsoft Visual Studio

Introduction
Jonas Spillmann, Rüdiger Schmedding
Computer Graphics
Universität Freiburg
Overview

„ What is Visual Studio?

„ Source code, projects and solutions
„ Project configuration
„ Compiling and linking
„ Debugger
„ Tips and Tricks for programming with MS VisualStudio
„ Using the MSDN

University of Freiburg - Institute of Computer Science - Computer Graphics Laboratory

Microsoft Visual Studio

„ Is an IDE (Integrated Develop Environment)

This indicates that coding, compiling, linking and debugging is done with the
same development platform.
„ In contrast to this are Unix command line tools
Coding with XEmacs, compiling with gcc, debugging with ddd.
„ VisualStudio supports various programming languages
Visual Basic, C/C++, Java, C# / .NET

University of Freiburg - Institute of Computer Science - Computer Graphics Laboratory

Overview

„ What is Visual Studio?

„ Source code, projects and solutions
„ Project configuration
„ Compiling and linking
„ Debugger
„ Tips and Tricks for programming with MS VisualStudio
„ Using the MSDN

University of Freiburg - Institute of Computer Science - Computer Graphics Laboratory

Source code and projects
.cpp
.cpp
.cpp
.h .h Various source code files are
____ .cpp
____
____
____
____ bundled into one project
____
____ ____ ____
____
____ ____
____ ____
____
____ ____
____

The project (.vcproj) manages

configurations for compiling, linking
.vcproj
and debugging
Æ analogous to a makefile

The output of a project is

.exe .lib „ an executable (.exe)
0100 0100
0011 0011 „ or a library (.lib)
101… 101…

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 Projects and solutions
.vcproj .vcproj .vcproj
Multiple projects are bundled to a
solution

Larger software projects consist of

several modules (libraries,
executables, DLLs)
.sln

One solution can have several

different outputs (e.g. executables,
libraries)
.exe .exe
0100 0100
(Example: command line tool and
0011
101…
0011
101…
windows application)
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Adding of source code files

Add New Item… -> Create new source or header file

Add Existing Item… -> Add an existing file
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Solution Explorer / Class View
„ Solution Explorer shows hierarchy
of projects and solutions.
„ Moving of files using Drag & Drop.
„ Open files with double click

„ Alternatively, use the class view:

„ Shows all classes, fields and methods
of a project
„ Handy for navigation between classes
and projects

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 1. Task – Create solution

„ Create new solution ‚MeshViewer‘: New Æ Project Æ Visual

C++ Projects Æ General Æ Empty Project
„ Choose „Create new solution“
„ Add all source files from the
folder MeshViewer_Sourcen
to the folder ‚MeshViewer‘.
„ Add source files to the project.
„ Open and edit source files.

University of Freiburg - Institute of Computer Science - Computer Graphics Laboratory

Overview

„ What is Visual Studio?

„ Source code, projects and solutions
„ Project configuration
„ Compiling and linking
„ Debugger
„ Tips and Tricks for programming with MS VisualStudio
„ Using the MSDN

University of Freiburg - Institute of Computer Science - Computer Graphics Laboratory

Configuration

„ A configuration is a set of program parameters:

„ Name and folder of the output files
„ Optimization level of compilage
„ …
„ gcc-command line arguments under Unix -> makefile
„ Analogon: User preferences in modern operating systems.
„ Two configuration per default:
„ Debug: Parameters for the debug version of the software
„ Release: Parameters for the release version of the software
„ As well possible to create new customized configurations
„ Switch between configuration with the combo box above

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Example configurations

„ Configuration „Debug“:
„ Name of executable: Halflife_Debug.exe
„ Optimization level: Low
„ Uses external library: Havoc_Physics_Debug.lib
„ Configuration „Release“:
„ Name of executable: Halflife.exe
„ Optimization level: High
„ Uses external library: Havoc_Physics.lib

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Configuration panel
Right click on Project -> Properties…
Configuration General
„ Output Directory:
Directory, where the output files
(.exe, .lib) are stored.
„ Configuration Type:
Type of output
„ Application (.exe)
Normal, executable program.
„ Library (.lib)
Static library.
„ DLL (.dll)
Dynamic linked library.
„ Common Language Runtime Support must be „No CLRS“

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Configuration panel
Right click on Projekt -> Properties…

Configuration Debugging
These parameters apply ONLY if the
program is launched from Visual
Studio.
„ Command Arguments:
Program parameters (conforms to
command line parameters).
„ Working Directory:
In which directory the program is
being executed.

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Configuration panel
Configuration C/C++
„ Additional Include Directories:
These directories are scanned
upon the command #include
„myheader.h“
„ Precompiled Headers:
Use this option only for large
header files, which speeds up
compiling. Otherwise set to „Not
Using Precompiled Headers“.

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Configuration panel
Configuration Linker
„ Additional Library Directories:
These directories are scanned for
libraries (e.g. third-party
distributions, e.g. libjpeg). See
below.
„ Additional Dependencies:
Libraries that are needed for
linkage (often third-party libraries)
„ SubSystem:
„Console“ for console
applications, „Windows“ for
programs that use the standard
Windows GUI. Is automatically set
when creating a project by New Æ
New Project.
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Configuration panel

„ Most configurations are automatically set by Visual Studio,

depending on the type of project being created, and the
configuration (Debug/Release) being chosen.
„ An overview on the set configuration parameters is given
by „Command line“.
„ Hint: In case of comiling errors (e.g. „Cannot find specified
file…“) or linking errors (e.g. „unresolved symbol…“), check
always for the configuration parameters!

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Project dependencies
„ Project Æ Project Dependencies…
„ Which project depends on the output
(.lib) of which projects?
„ Influences the order of compilage
(Build Order) of the projects.
„ In this case, the output of the projects
does not need to be set explicitly
DefCol
„ To be supervised in the „Command
line“ of the project properties
Studio

OpenGLGUI

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Overview

„ What is Visual Studio?

„ Source code, projects and solutions
„ Project configuration
„ Compiling and linking
„ Debugger
„ Tips and Tricks for programming with MS VisualStudio
„ Using the MSDN

University of Freiburg - Institute of Computer Science - Computer Graphics Laboratory

Compiling / linking
„ Build Æ Compile
„ Compile the current (active) source file.
„ Caution: Headers (.h) cannot be compiled directly!
„ Build Æ Build Solution
„ Compiles all changed files in all projects.
„ Links all projects and builds the output file (.exe).
„ Build -> Rebuild Solution
„ Similar to above, but recompiles all files.
„ The temporary object files (.obj) are deleted.
„ Build -> Clean
„ All temporary files are deleted.
Hint: VisualStudio sometimes has troubles to detect which
files are changed Æ results in linking errors. A „Rebuild all“
helps in those cases.
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Compiling errors

„ Compiling errors are shown in the window „Task List“.

„ Doubleclick on a line Æ jump to the affected line in the
source code.
„ More information about the error Æ select line and type F1
„ Hint: Most errors are caused by previous errors. Thus do
not try to correct all compiling errors at once, but only the
first three, and then recompile.
„ Hint: Warnings do not need to be corrected. However, they
often indicate logical errors (bugs) in the software.

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Linkage, output

„ Linking errors are as well shown in the „Task List“ window.

„ Most frequent linking error: A static library (.lib) has been
forgotten in the project configuration.
„ The result of compilage and linkage is summarized in the
window „Output“
„ Alternatively, check directly in the explorer whether the
necessary files have been created.

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Execute the program

„ The program can be launched directly from Visual Studio.

The command line arguments are provided in the
configuration panel.
„ Two modes of execution:
„ Debug Æ Start (or F5):
The debugger is launched together with the program, and allows to
debug the software. Only possible in Debug-configuration.
„ Debug Æ Start without Debugging (Ctrl+F5):
The program is being executed normally.
„ If launched in Debug-mode, the loaded DLLs are shown in
the Output-window.

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2. Task – Configuration
„ Configurate the project such that
„ An executable is generated
„ The program uses the extern library glaux.lib
„ Set the ‚data‘ (that contains kleinbottle.obj) directory as working
directory
„ Common Language Runtime Support must be „No CLRS“
„ Do a Rebuild solution for both configurations (Debug /
Release).
„ Remember: Every configuration (Debug / Release / …) has
to configured separately
„ Execute program.

University of Freiburg - Institute of Computer Science - Computer Graphics Laboratory

Overview

„ What is Visual Studio?

„ Source code, projects and solutions
„ Project configuration
„ Compiling and linking
„ Debugger
„ Tips and Tricks for programming with MS VisualStudio
„ Using the MSDN

University of Freiburg - Institute of Computer Science - Computer Graphics Laboratory

Debugger
„ Controls the debugged program.
„ Allows to step manually through the flow of execution.
„ Allows to check the values of variables.
„ This is made possible by so-called Debug instructions in
the program.
„ That‘s why a debug version of the software is always
slower Æ Final software must be always built in the
Release-configuration.
„ Linux-users use external debuggers. Visual Studio offers
this as well (but less frequently used)

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Breakpoints
„ An execution pointer (yellow) indicates
the next line of execution.
„ A breakpoint (red point) is a stop
signal for the execution pointer. The
program flow pauses.
„ The user can now check the variable
values and step manually through the
code.
„ Set breakpoints by typing F9 or right
mouse Æ „New breakpoint“

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Execution pointer control
„ Step Into:
Step into the function the execution pointer points at.
„ Step Over:
Execute the whole function without stepping into the
function.
„ Step Out:
Jump out of the current function. I.e. execute all
commands in the current function until and including
„return“
„ Run To Cursor: Execute all commands to the cursor.
„ Shows the execution pointer.
„ Quits the program.
„ Pauses the running program. Less frequently used.
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Breakpoint-windows
„ Debug Æ Windows Æ Breakpoints to
show the breakpoint window.
„ Breakpoints can be temporarily disabled
(Checkbox). In this case, the execution
pointer does not stop at the breakpoint.
„ Double click on the breakpoint Æ jump to
the breakpoint location in the source code.
„ Right mouse on Breakpoint Æ Properties
Æ Condition allows for conditional
breakpoints. Only if the condition
evaluates to true, the execution pointer
stops at the breakpoint.
„ Condition: C-Syntax!

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Variable watch 1
„ In the debugger, it is possible to
check the values of variables. Two
windows:
„ Autos (shows the recently used
variables)
„ Local (shows all local variables)
„ Structure fields can be inspected
with the ‚+‘ Button.
„ If the value of a variable has
changed, it appears in red color.
„ enums are automatically displayed
by their name (s. right side ‚Rigid‘)

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Variable watch 2
„ Particularly useful: Watch windows
(Debug Æ Windows Æ Watch)
„ They allow to evaluate user-defined
expressions
„ Member-functions (first row)
„ Expressions with constants (second
row)
„ Calculations with local variables (third
row)
„ Overloaded operators are not supported
(fourth row)
„ The value of variables can be
manually changed by the user, by
entering a new value on the right
side.
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3. Task – Debugging
„ Build the program in debug mode.
„ Set some breakpoints in the code and execute the
program.
„ Use Step In, Step Over and Step Out to navigate through
the code.
„ Set a conditional breakpoint.
„ Show and change some variable values.
„ Play with expressions in the watch-window.

University of Freiburg - Institute of Computer Science - Computer Graphics Laboratory

Overview

„ What is Visual Studio?

„ Source code, projects and solutions
„ Project configuration
„ Compiling and linking
„ Debugger
„ Tips and Tricks for programming with MS VisualStudio
„ Using the MSDN

University of Freiburg - Institute of Computer Science - Computer Graphics Laboratory

Hints and tricks
„ Visual Studio is a complex software with hundreds of other
features.
„ On the following slides, there are a couple of practical
hints.
„ Becoming a power user is, however, not possible in few
days.

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Navigation in the source code
„ Right click on a variable or function
name in the source code Æ
„ Go To Definition jumps to the
function body in the source code.
„ Go To Declaration jumps to the
declaration of the function in the
header file.
„ To navigate back, use the
navigation buttons.
„ The class browser allows to jump
directly to a class method within the
source file.

University of Freiburg - Institute of Computer Science - Computer Graphics Laboratory

Overview

„ What is Visual Studio?

„ Source code, projects and solutions
„ Project configuration
„ Compiling and linking
„ Debugger
„ Tips and Tricks for programming with MS VisualStudio
„ Using the MSDN

University of Freiburg - Institute of Computer Science - Computer Graphics Laboratory

MSDN
„ The MSDN help is one of the most
powerful tools in Visual Studio
„ Click onto an expression in the code
and press F1 to display help about the
expression.
„ Particularly useful: The STL
documentation with hundreds of good
examples.
„ For Windows-developers: Full
documentation of the system API.

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4. Task – MSDN
„ Navigate through the source code with the right mouse.
„ Look up some functions in the MSDN.

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Microsoft Visual Studio

Have fun with Visual Studio!

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Other debug windows
„ The call stack shows the current calling
sequence of functions. It is possible to
navigate through the call stack by double
clicking on the rows in the window.

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