Problems with FREE MS VC++ tools

JamesNC has asked for the wisdom of the Perl Monks concerning the following question:

My perl is ActiveState 5.8.7 build 813.
I do not encounter any issues running this code on an older version of Visual Studio C++. This problem only happens with the newer (free) enviroment ( as in there is no such thing as free beer I suspect ).
I downloaded and installed the free Visual C++ tools at: http://lab.msdn.microsoft.com/express/visualc/ and the new Platform SDK (which you need).
Then, I did a quick and dirty test.

1. h2xs -A -n myModule
2. perl Makefile.pl 3. edit myModule.xs

#include "EXTERN.h"
#include "perl.h"
#include "XSUB.h"

int test ( int a )
{
    return a;
}

MODULE = myModule        PACKAGE = myModule        

int
test( int a )
[download]

4. nmake
(I only got 1 warning about -Gf being deprecated, so I looked up the error and changed the flag to -GF and it compiles with out error. All good so far. )
5. nmake install
6. open up the editor and write a quick script where I call the brain-dead function.

use strict;
use myModule;
my $var = myModule::test(123);
print $var;
[download]

7. When I run the script I get a VC++ runtime error:

C:\Perl\bin\perl.exe
R6034 An application has made an attempt to load the C runtime library
+ incorrectly.
[download]

And perl dies complaining:


Can't load 'C:/Perl/site/lib/auto/myModule/myModule.dll' for module my
+Module: load_file:A dynamic
 link library (DLL) initialization routine failed at C:/Perl/lib/XSLoa
+der.pm line 68.
 at C:/Perl/site/lib/myModule.pm line 31
Compilation failed in require at c:\progs\ptest.pl line 1.
BEGIN failed--compilation aborted at c:\progs\ptest.pl line 1.
[download]

Question 1: Does anyone know what is broken and how to fix it?

Question 2: I can see that the -Gf flag needs to be fixed, how to I make the change so that when I use h2xs in the future that that flag is fixed?
Thanks!
JamesNC
Update and solution:
The solution is to create an XML file called perl.exe.manifest and place it in the same directory as your perl.exe and put the following contents in that file:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" standalone="yes"?>
<assembly xmlns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:asm.v1" manifestVersion="1.
+0">
<assemblyIdentity version="0.0.0.0" processorArchitecture="X86" name="
+Perl" type="win32" />
<description>Perl</description>
<dependency>
    <dependentAssembly>
      <assemblyIdentity type="win32" name="Microsoft.VC80.CRT" version
+="8.0.50215.4631" processorArchitecture="x86" publicKeyToken="1fc8b3b
+9a1e18e3b"></assemblyIdentity>
    </dependentAssembly>
  </dependency>
</assembly>
[download]

Thanks to everyone who helped. Especially ++Pod Master.
JamesNC

Comment on Problems with FREE MS VC++ tools Select or Download Code

Replies are listed 'Best First'.

Re: Problems with FREE MS VC++ tools
by Corion (Patriarch) on Nov 22, 2005 at 13:42 UTC

My guess is that ActiveState built your Perl with MSVC6 and the free MSVC tools are MSVC7. The two are not binary compatible. I recommend using the same C compiler for building Perl and all Perl extensions.

If you want to compile your own extensions you will thus have to compile your own Perl as well, which also means that you can't use any premade PPMs anymore.

[reply]

Re^2: Problems with FREE MS VC++ tools

by PodMaster (Abbot) on Nov 22, 2005 at 14:50 UTC

R6034

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" standalone="yes"?>
  <assembly xmlns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:asm.v1" manifestVersion="
+1.0">
      <assemblyIdentity
          processorArchitecture="x86"
          version="5.1.0.0"
          type="win32"
          name="Controls"
      />
      <description>Super wxPerl Application</description>
      <dependency>
          <dependentAssembly>
              <assemblyIdentity
                  type="win32"
                  name="Microsoft.Windows.Common-Controls"        
                  version="6.0.0.0"
                  publicKeyToken="6595b64144ccf1df"
                  language="*"
                  processorArchitecture="x86"
          />
      </dependentAssembly>
      </dependency>
  </assembly>
[download]

MJD says "you can't just make shit up and expect the computer to know what you mean, retardo!"
I run a Win32 PPM repository for perl 5.6.x and 5.8.x -- I take requests (README).
** The third rule of perl club is a statement of fact: pod is sexy.

[reply]
[d/l]

Re^3: Problems with FREE MS VC++ tools

by JamesNC (Chaplain) on Nov 22, 2005 at 17:41 UTC

Update: see above, solution found

[reply]

Re: Problems with FREE MS VC++ tools
by gawatkins (Monsignor) on Nov 22, 2005 at 15:30 UTC

The -Gf flag issue can be fixed by modifying the \lib\config_heavy.pl for version 5.8.7. Simply search for the switch, it is in there twice. Keep in mind this will be overwritten when install a new version of Perl.

[reply]

Re^2: Problems with FREE MS VC++ tools

by JamesNC (Chaplain) on Nov 22, 2005 at 18:27 UTC

Thanks Greg!

[reply]

Re: Problems with FREE MS VC++ tools
by BrimBorium (Friar) on Aug 30, 2010 at 20:13 UTC

I just want to summarize the possibilities to work around the manifest issue with XS and VS2005 or newer since it took me long time to find a feasible solution (found it at PerlMonks, of course)

1. use VS2003 or older ;)

2. create perl.exe.manifest as in Re^2: Problems with FREE MS VC++ tools

3. patch makefile as in Re^4: Missing bufferoverflowU.lib

[reply]

Re^2: Problems with FREE MS VC++ tools

by syphilis (Archbishop) on Aug 30, 2010 at 22:43 UTC

patch makefile as in Re^4: Missing bufferoverflowU.lib

$(PERLRUN) "-MExtUtils::Manifest=mkmanifest" -e mkmanifest

[reply]
[d/l]


Perl Monk, Perl Meditation
	PerlMonks