Microsoft Corp is offering worldwide a pre-release version of the Microsoft Visual C++ development system for Windows and Windows NT 32-bit Edition under which the 70,000 or so registered users of the Win32 Software Development Kit will each get a free compact disk containing the new 32-bit development system, including the Microsoft Foundation Class version 2.0. Not surprisingly, it is the first NT-hosted and integrated 32-bit development environment for C and C++ developers. The pre-release version updates the command-line compiler and tools shipped with the Win32 pre-release kit, and enables skilled users to begin developing 32-bit applications for NT using Win32 and for Windows 3.1 using the Win32s application programming interface. The final version of Visual C++ 32-bit Edition is planned to be out within 90 days of the retail release of NT; all software and documentation will be distributed on CD-ROM. Microsoft claims that its Foundation Class Library 2.0 provides building blocks that encapsulate thousands of lines of reusable, robust and optimised C++ code for Windows-based applications. AppWizard enables developers to create a skeleton application that supports the building blocks, ClassWizard enables them to connect user interface elements and application code. App Studio enables the creation, editing and browsing of application resources, and Visual Workbench, described as the centrepiece, provides completely integrated editor, debugger, browser and profiler. Visual C++ 32-bit Edition is designed to make use of all the resources of NT and has been written from the ground up to be a 32-bit application taking advantage of operating system features such as multithreading. The optimisation options for small, fast code in earlier Microsoft compilers are accompanied by new ones for the 80486 and Pentium. The integrated debugger adds features to support Windows NT and a new Spy++ analysis tool provides information on threads, processes and windows in Win32 applications. Find-in-files enables a global search of project files for any string or expression; the profiler is now integrated into the Visual Workbench. Existing 16-bit Visual C++ applications can be recompiled as 32-bit.
