From: akh@empress.gvg.tek.com (Anna K. Haynes)
Newsgroups: comp.os.ms-windows.programmer.tools
Subject: MSC/SDK Beginner's Luck (BAD) -- Reality Check Needed
Date: 4 Sep 92 19:54:45 GMT
Reply-To: akh@empress.gvg.tek.com
Distribution: na
Organization: Grass Valley Group, Grass Valley, CA

I just got Microsoft's Windows 3.1, C/C++ 7.0, SDK 3.1, & have been
trying to use them, & would like to 1) ask a question & 2) let 
off some steam lest I go critical.

(
I have a 486 with 8 MB RAM, & am running under MS_DOS
from within Windows (i.e. clicking on the "MS-DOS Prompt" icon); 
I do _not_ have 386Max installed.)  Windows is on C:, C/C++ and SDK
are on D:.  Here is my config.sys:

buffers=10
files=30
dos=high,umb
DEVICE=D:\sdk\bin\himem.sys /machine:at
DEVICE=D:\sdk\bin\emm386.exe NOEMS
DEVICE=D:\sdk\bin\smartdrv.exe /double_buffer
lastdrive=v
stacks=9,256
shell=c:\command.com /p /e:1024
)

1. Question.

I started working through the MFC tutorial (Class Libraries Users Guide,
	\sdk\mfc\samples\tutorial).  Sample program #1, 
	dmtest.exe, has a few quirks:

		When I  nmake  it without the debug flag set, 
		the output shown in the book(p.59) does not match what I get. (Both
		are wrong--in the book, Brian Meyers gets lost in the ether,
		& on my 486, Banipuli is found although s/he does not exist.)

		When I  nmake  it _with_ the debug flag set (nmake -F dmtest DEBUG=1), 
		then run it, it dies (Assertion failed: file memory.cpp, line 334,
		AfxAbort called).  If I try to run it under CodeView (cv dmtest --
		I haven't tried to figure out how the $%^& CodeView is supposed to
		work yet, I may be doing it wrong) it comes up in assembly language
		& I don't know how to get it to show source code.

		These things (the wrong nmakes) also happen on a co-worker's machine 
		(I'm not sure what his config is; he has a 486 too.)

		WHY do we get these results????  I sure hope it is pilot error.

2. 
Steam, low pressure:

a) Is it true that the Petzold book (Programming Windows, 2nd ed.) is
	out of print because (for 1 thing, at least) the examples won't work 
	with 3.1?  (they don't work for me)  If so, what does this 
	say about backward compatibility or lack thereof?

b) In Microsoft Windows 3.1 Guide To Programming, the first Makefile (on p.16)
	generates error messages when I try to nmake Generic ("too many rules for
	generic.exe").  The 2nd one (p.56) is missing the "all: ..." line & so
	will _not_  "...properly compile and link the files created for Generic",
	despite the manufacturer's claims.

c) It would be nice if we got more than 1 page (in Microsoft Windows 3.1
	Programming Tools, SAME 1 page in M.W. SDK Programming Tools) of
	documentation on the Dialog Editor, especially since it _does_ exist
	(27pp in QuickC for Windows Toolkit).  Yes, I know online Help exists,
	but it has major limitations( since everything's in little chunks I
	don't know if I've missed something (AND NEITHER DO YOU--where does
	it explain which of the cute little Toolbox symbols is associated with
	which object?), & my brain needs the continuity of 1-dimensional 
	documentation, otherwise it loses things too quickly). 

STOP READING HERE if it's me or my system configuration that's at fault.

Steam, higher pressure:

I thought Microsoft was supposed to be a reputable company, but if 
they can't even get the BASIC BASIC BEGINNER MORON stuff to 
work, .... does it get any better or is this what I have to 
look forward to?  Are the proofreaders & debuggers awake up there? 

-------------------------------------

Anna K. Haynes  The Grass Valley Group, Inc. Grass Valley, CA  (916) 478-3691
   <akh@empress.GVG.TEK.COM>  -or-  <...!tektronix!gvgpsa!empress!akh>
Newsgroups: comp.os.ms-windows.programmer.tools