Problem with Windows binary

[dantedarkstar]

Hello !

I downloaded Windows binary for experimental simutrans, along with the configuration files and tried to run it. Unfortunately, it immediately throws error.

(here starts the description of the error and the problem, not really that important, but included because it just might turn out useful)
The error is literally (in polish windows) "Nie można uruchomić aplikacji, ponieważ jej konfiguracja jest niewłaściwa.", which I found the english counterpart "the application has failed to start because the application configuration is incorrect."
Looking around the net I found out that programs compiled under Microsoft Visual Studio generate such error, along with specific error entries in the windows events log. Looking there, sure I found the following (with translation of important parts):

Generate Activation Context nie powiodło się dla C:\Games\simutrans102\Simutrans-Experimental.exe. Odpowiedni komunikat o błędzie: Operacja ukończona pomyślnie. (Generate Activation Context failed for c:\...)
Resolve Partial Assembly nie powiodło się dla Microsoft.VC90.CRT. Odpowiedni komunikat o błędzie: Odnośny zestaw nie jest zainstalowany w tym systemie. (Resolve Partial Assembly failed for Microsoft.VC90.CRT ... appropriate set not installed)
Nie można odnaleźć zestawu zależnego Microsoft.VC90.CRT; ostatni błąd: Odnośny zestaw nie jest zainstalowany w tym systemie. (Cannot find dependency set Microsoft.VC90.CRT ... not installed)

(end of problem description, back to main topic of this post)
Anyway, my point is not to complain, but just make you aware, that if you compile your project under MS Visual Studio, there might be such problems for anyone using binaries, unless they installed some libraries for VS or something. You are using MS Visual Studio, right ? I found out that some other people had similar problem with VS2008 and completely unrelated program. They said that the dependency on Microsoft.VC80.CRT was in his manifesto, without him putting it there and without it being needed (probably put there by VS2008 by itself, of course for the higher and just cause ). Here is the link, probably useless because it's in polish
http://forum.gamedev.pl/index.php?action=printpage;topic=9224.0
Anyway, you may consider trying different windows compiler or shooting down this unnecessary (?) dependency, so that the binaries you make can be actually used by people without having to install extra libraries/redistributables/whatever the hell is needed (provided that people will get to know what's wrong in the first place instead just telling "it doesn't work").

Anyway, as for me, I'll probably try installing C++ compiler (I don't have one at the moment) and going from the source code. But that's not for today nor tomorrow, but the weekend at earliest. Until then, I'm afraid I can't check out this simutrans version.

[jamespetts]

Dantedarkstar,

thank you very much for your feedback :-) I use MSVC++ on Windows because it is a user friendly system, and easier to configure than, for example, MinGW. From what I am aware, Prissi (the lead developer) also uses MSVC++ (although the nightly binaries might be compiled by others with a different compiler).

However, you do not need to install the compiler to get Simutrans-Experimental to work: all that you have to do is download the redistributable package, the link to which is here. My ultimate plan is to have a .exe Windows installer for a complete Simutrans-Experimental package, including the program itself, one or more fully compatible paksets, and all necessary library files (and likewise, to have a .deb and .rpm for Linux, and a .app for Mac). Until then, however, I will put some additional information in the "how to get Simutrans-Experimental" post to explain to users what they must install.

Thank you again for your feedback :-)

[dantedarkstar]

Finally the weekend and I had time to try installing the MS C++ redistributable !

...

Unfortunately it still doesn't work  :(
I installed the redistributable from the link you provided (I think I installed it... I mean it ran without errors, and now it shows up on the program list, but it didn't show any "succesfully finished" message after installing itself). It didn't work.
I restarted the computer thinking "maybe something didn't 'catch up' properly". It still doesn't work.
The error was the same as before.

I had to install MS C++ redistributable 2008, and then voila !
The link you provided here and on the "how to get" page are for redistributable 2005, which is apparently the wrong one (it only installed Microsoft.VC80.CRT, while Microsoft.VC90.CRT was needed, and redistributable 2008 installed that). The binary needs redistributable 2008. So update yer linkz

By the way, here are two links concerning manifests and dependencies that I visited along the way (trying to figure out what the hell is wrong). May come useful to you if you use MS programming stuff. Or maybe you know it well and it's of no use, anyway... here they are.
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms235342.aspx
http://connect.microsoft.com/VisualStudio/feedback/ViewFeedback.aspx?FeedbackID=362837

[prissi]

For that reason all "official" versions are compiled natively on their respective platforms using MinGW, GCC, GCC/BC on BeOS and the OBJ-GCC from MAC.

[jamespetts]

Dante,

ahh - thank you very much! That is a very helpful diagnosis. For anyone who is interested, the link to the correct version is here.