Free VS.net Tools from M$

[Iced_Eagle]

http://msdn.microsoft.com/vstudio/extend/partnerdvd/

Free tools for VS.NET (No shipping charges either :cheese: ) and is just some tools and such, not the actual VS.NET programs.

This is available in all places except asian region (contact your local M$ office if you want it).

This is good only for coders (well hell it's free, download it anyways) which is why it's in the coding forum

Of course, it was on like gamedev.net and so it's all backordered.

Cheers

 

[Whistler]

I still prefer MinGW because it is free software. (http://mingw.sourceforge.net)
as HL2 code has to be built under GNU/Linux, I think it is highly possible to be built with MinGW with some small modifications.

also I live in Asia so I can't get that DVD

(some anticipated notes: please don't bug me with comments like "whether it's free software or not makes no sense" or "it's GNU so I won't use it" !!!!!!!!!)

 

[Red15]

I still prefer MinGW because it is free software. (http://mingw.sourceforge.net)
as HL2 code has to be built under GNU/Linux, I think it is highly possible to be built with MinGW with some small modifications.

also I live in Asia so I can't get that DVD

(some anticipated notes: please don't bug me with comments like "whether it's free software or not makes no sense" or "it's GNU so I won't use it" !!!!!!!!!)

I'd go as far to say "omfg, it's .net && it's visual so I won't use it !!!".
No seriously, I'd jump at every oppurtunity to build the sdk with any "free" (as in speech, not beer ) products.
Main trouble is converting those .sln files which are like the description of what goes in the client.dll and the server.dll
Actually building the server.dll shouldn't be to hard since there is a linux build_sdk directory. (Can't check now, not at home pc)
It contains a Makefile which converts .vcproj files to makefiles. The main drawback on this one is it needs to have Xerces (which is kinda weird but what do i know about xerces anyway).

Now if we could use this convertor for the .vcproj of the client.dll, we could theoretically compile it under cygwin.

Haven't found any solid instructions for doing so... Also my knowledge of Cygwin isn't really what it should be.

 

[Darkdog]

I ordered it

 

[Red15]

My guess would be that you don't need the whole dvd, just the compiler. You can also download it here : http://msdn.microsoft.com/visualc/vctoolkit2003/

But the problem with both this and the dvd would still be the fact
that there is no .sln reader included (unless it slipped past me in the dvd description).
The only thing we would need to get the SDK compiling would be
the compiler itself + guidelines to which files belong to the client.dll and server.dll

That's all there is to it. (Also the .sln file contains some parameters and defines which are also critical but one could probably find out about those from someone who has a running Visual Net 2003 running and able to compile the project.

Hereby I call to those people, we (=the community) demands free access to the information, Valve, this also goes to you. Provide us a list without constraint or even a batch/exe file to script compiling with VC toolkit and we will make you have wet dreams and let the HL2 engine live forever through many great mods.

Thank you.

*edit*
PS: Hack the planet

 

[Big Ev]

So, how do I build HL2 with this toolkit, cause I've been scouring the net and have yet to find out.

 

[Cole]

Thank you Microsoft.

 

[Zeus]

How do you build HL2 with the toolkit? Ive been trying still not working though

 

[SLH]

Why don't you just order the beta (2) of MSVS.NET 2005.

That is free, and you don't have to be an MSDN subscriber or anything.

Will find a link....

EDIT: https://www.getthebetas.com/profile.aspx

 

[Big Ev]

Why don't you just order the beta (2) of MSVS.NET 2005.

That is free, and you don't have to be an MSDN subscriber or anything.

Will find a link....

EDIT: https://www.getthebetas.com/profile.aspx

Problem is being a public beta you are not allowed to publish anything. It also takes a good amount of work to get HL2 compile on that IDE, and the builds that I had pass were filled with warnings, and not just depreciated warnings.

 

[SLH]

? I thought you can publish, just not for profit. Maybe i'm wrong. About the warnings, maybe that's because the new beta has much better standards than previous versions. Havn't tried using it to make a HL2 mod myself though, so only guessing.

Still can't complain, it's free so just give it a try, if you don't like it, try something better!

 

[Cole]

Maybe the reason we can't compile is because it has very few headers included.

 

[SLH]

Maybe the reason we can't compile is because it has very few headers included.

Are you guessing or is this one of those ' :| ' posts? :E

 

[Cole]

Are you guessing or is this one of those ' ' posts?

Guessing, but the express version dosn't include alot of the headers, not even windows.h. I can't create a D3D or Open Gl program till I find em. I could create a mod when I come home from work and try and compile it and look at the errors.

It is possible to extract the missing headers from some of the SDK's they have released and use them. The SDK's are pretty big..I believe one being 380megs and the other 400 some megs.

 

[Chrysalid]

I ordered them too. I happen to possess the Visual Studio 2005 Beta 2 DVD set too so I thought what the hell

 

[SLH]

Guessing, but the express version dosn't include alot of the headers, not even windows.h. I can't create a D3D or Open Gl program till I find em. I could create a mod when I come home from work and try and compile it and look at the errors.

It is possible to extract the missing headers from some of the SDK's they have released and use them. The SDK's are pretty big..I believe one being 380megs and the other 400 some megs.

?? I didn't say anything about the express version though.

With the beta version i ordered i am able to make DX games, windows stuff (obviously if i'm doing DX things) etc. havn't tried a HL2 mod, so can't comment on that though.

 

[Cole]

?? I didn't say anything about the express version though.

With the beta version i ordered i am able to make DX games, windows stuff (obviously if i'm doing DX things) etc. havn't tried a HL2 mod, so can't comment on that though.

Heh I guess your right.
Anyway, if we could get working headers for the Express version, we may have a free compiler.

 

[SLH]

But the beta is free anyway.... unless you're worried about legalities and stuff for selling a mod.

 

[crackhead]

i agree