Client-side managed DirectX

Menge · July 4, 2003

hello

my first post here. and i'm having serious trouble in getting my managed directx apps to work on other people's computers.

they all have:

- Net Framework 1.1 (NOT SDK)

- DirectX 9.0a (NOT SDK either)

- Windows XP or Server 2003

and i don't want to force them to use the DirectX Developer Runtime. Is there any way to make Managed DirectX work without the Developer Runtime?

thanx in advance

mutant · July 4, 2003

What are the errors?

Menge · July 4, 2003

"Application has generated an exception that could not be handled."

as the system does not have any SDKs installed, no further info is given. i presume it's managed directx's fault. what packages are the ones that install managed directx on client, non-developer computers?

AndreRyan · July 4, 2003

YOU need the Developer Runtime, the people who use it need the End-User Runtime.

The Developer Runtime is the debug tools plus DirectX.*.dll libraries the End-User is faster but you can't write managed DX on it because there is no DirectX.*.dll

Menge · July 4, 2003

i know I need the developer runtime

but installing the developer runtime was the only way i found that could possibly install managed directx! installing directx9 after having installed net framework didn't do the trick. installing directx9.0a after all that didn't do it either! what now?

Menge · July 5, 2003

well

i found out that if i made a setup project and configured the setup to package the directx files and register on the client machine, that i would just work. this all seems just a tad bit too obscure and unsupported to me. weird.

still, i got more problems FINDING OUT DirectInput since documentation on it is just class reference and no proper information. thx anyway. i'll make another post about my DirectInput problems hehehe

Gustav Evertsso · July 14, 2003

I have the same problem when my brother tried my little MDX game.

I found some help on the directx newsgroup. But I didn't realy like it because they recommend to downloed (the SDK) ~80-90 mb and install with "/installmanageddx". But I don't like that everyone must download that mush.

So, if you found that you could make a small setup program mabey you could upload it to the forum or mail it to me. I would be very greatful for it!

AndreRyan · July 15, 2003

When you finish your project, add a Windows Installer project and just Drag-and-Drop the required DX files into the "Application Folder"

You need the Developer Runtime to get the DLLs to start with

Menge · July 15, 2003

i can't find out! all the packages that microsoft distributes don't work (except the chunky-86Mb-developer-runtime) ... damn!

and i don't want to be incovenient by asking people to install stuff in orfer to TEST it... since it's still in developement

this sux (sorry - i'm really mad)

Nerseus · July 15, 2003

There are some objects called DirectSetup. I've only seen help for them in C++, but I think there might be a COM version that you could use as well.

The user shouldn't need anything more than your appilcation files plus the end-user runtime, I would think. The end-user runtime is 9meg (I think), so that's not too bad. Plus it's now included in the Windows Update (IE's Tools->Windows Update) so your testers can easily download/install it.

-Ner

mutant · July 16, 2003

- Windows XP or Server 2003

I installed Windows Server 2003 recently to see how it is and I have to say, Windows 2003 is so terrible when it comes to graphics, I tried to run one of simpler Direct3D apps I wrote using C++ and using WinXP computer, it wont even start. I tried to install a game to see if it works, it wont. And this is all on a 2 week old computer. No other possibility than get back to WinXP.

Just to warn you on the possiblility of the people running your DX app on Windows 2003.

Edited July 16, 2003 by mutant

Menge · July 16, 2003

then you must've forgotten to enable directx on windows server 2003.... yes, it needs to be enabled.. that's why it's good.. because everything comes disabled and you enable what you need to use only. i play everything i played on XP.

mutant · July 16, 2003

I downloaded newest drivers, ran windows update, installed DX9.0 SDK, the only thing that ran was DirectDraw application made in VB.net, I didnt try Direct3D with VB.net yet, so I dont think I have any problems with enabling it.

Menge · July 16, 2003

installing directx won't enable it.

you have to enable it.

run > dxdiag.exe

go to display and enable everything (agp texture acceleration only if your vid card supports it). and you need to enable the sound service and etc... check out the services.msc tab for it

Frasse · July 21, 2003

Anyway, if you have problems running your apps on others computers. Have you tried to compile your project as Releas not Debug? There is a minor chance that they have the debug runtimes but major chance they have the releas ;). Just a hint if you havn't tried it.

/Frasse

Menge · July 21, 2003

nope

all release binaries

just seldom pcs install managed directx... the problem is not the binary... but the managed extensions themselves

Nerseus · July 21, 2003

Hmm... as far as Win2003 goes, I haven't found anything that *doesn't* run on it. My Direct3D apps work fine (written in c# and DX9) as well as all installed games, even older ones. The oldest one I had (that I tried) had to use the compatability to imitate Win98, but even it worked fine.

I'm using a Radeon 9500 Pro (a nice card) - I wonder if that's the difference? I also used an nVideo GeForce 2 GTS and everything worked fine on that, too.

I run the DX9 SDK in Debug Mode as well. I have not installed the 9.0a update.

-Nerseus

Nerseus · July 21, 2003

An update... I had forgotten I'd done this, but a friend of mine just had Win2003 troubles and we figured it out:

In your Display properties (right click desktop, Properties then Settings), click the Advanced button.

Then on the Troubleshoot Tab, make sure the slider (Hardware Acceleration) is all the way to the right.

Seems Win2003 keeps it set lower as a default, to prevent problems.

Hope that helps, mutant (or anyone else)!

-Nerseus

mutant · July 21, 2003

Im using GeForce4, its a good card, came with my computer which I bought very recently (2.5 weeks).

What you said Nerseus could just be the problem but I already got rid of the Win2003 installation and went back to XP pro, I guess I can always try again :)

steved · July 23, 2003

Windows 2003 is an excellent server OS, and that's it's purpose. As far as I can tell, it can do everything XP can do, and more. If you're trying to run it as a desktop OS, don't expect everything to run out of the box - it won't.

As for MDX, I've found I've had to package any required DLLs w/ my apps, thus far. I'll let you guys know if I find a way around this.

Menge · July 24, 2003

actually, i like 2003 to some extent as a desktop os. (i use it as)

tho i mess a lot with its server stuff. i've found some bugs that were in the initial xp release and slipped into 2003 :P

Co2 · July 25, 2003

What I've done some far is tell people (or do it myself) to run mdxredist.msi (~ 1100 Kb) after they installed the .net framework. This file is avaible with the DirectX 9 SDK in the folder %DXSDK%\Redist\DirectX9 where %DXSDK% is where you installed the SDK.

It shows a commun windows install dialog without any message box telling you it installed something but it seems to work. I think it installs the DirectX 9 Managed libraries in the GAC.

I hope it helps.

Bye

Menge · July 25, 2003

Co2,

it doesn't work on some machines. dunno why. it simply does absoluytely nothing

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