Microsoft Visual C++ (MSVC) is a compiler for the C, C++, C++/CLI and C++/CX programming languages by Microsoft. MSVC is proprietary software; it was originally a standalone product but later became a part of Visual Studio and made available in both trialware and freeware forms. It features tools for developing and debugging C++ code, especially code written for the Windows API, DirectX and .NET.
Many applications require redistributable Visual C++ runtime library packages to function correctly. These packages are frequently installed separately from the applications they support, enabling multiple applications to use the package with only a single installation. These Visual C++ redistributable and runtime packages are mostly installed for standard libraries that many applications use."Do I need these Microsoft Visual C++ redistributables?". Ask Leo!. Retrieved 2012-11-18.
History The predecessor to Visual C++ was called Microsoft C/C++. There was also a Microsoft QuickC 2.5 and a Microsoft QuickC for Windows 1.0. The Visual C++ compiler is still known as Microsoft C/C++ and as of the release of Visual C++ 2015 Update 2, is on version 14.0.23918.0.
16-bit versions Microsoft C 1.0, based on Lattice C, was Microsoft's first C product in 1983. It was not K&R C compliant. C 2.0 added large model support, allowing up to 1MiB for both the Code Segment and Data Segment. C 3.0 was the first version developed inside Microsoft. This version intended compatibility with K&R and the later ANSI standard. It was being used inside Microsoft (for Windows and Xenix development) in early 1984. It shipped as a product in 1985. C 4.0 added optimizations and CodeView, a source-level debugger. C 5.0 added loop optimizations and huge memory model (arrays bigger than 64 KB) support. C 5.1 released in 1988 allowed compiling programs for OS/2 1.x. The fourteen 5.25" disk (two of which were 1.2 MB, the others 360k) version included QuickC. The eleven 720k 3.5" disk version included with the OS/2 Software Development Kit included MASM 5.1 (a single executable that worked under both MSDOS and OS/2 1.x). C 6.0 released in 1989 added support for tiny memory model and better support for the ANSI C89 standard (the documentation explicitly says that it is not 100% compliant but it appears to be close enough for practical purposes). It added the Programmer's Workbench IDE, global flow analysis, a source browser, and a new debugger. To the surprise of many, C++ was not included even though competitors already had offerings. C/C++ 7.0 was released in 1992. Dropped OS/2 support. Compilation required a 386 processor plus the included DOS extender, 386MAX, though for users to be able to target DOS extenders in their own programs they write, one of several later-released third-party tools was required. Added built-in support for C++ and MFC (Microsoft Foundation Class Library) 1.0.Retrieved from http://support.microsoft.com/kb/196831. Visual C++ 1.0, which included MFC 2.0, was the first version of "Visual" C++, released in February 1993. It was Cfront 2.1 compliant and available in two editions: Standard: replaced QuickC for Windows. Professional: replaced C/C++ 7.0. Included the ability to build both DOS and Windows applications, an optimizing compiler, a source profiler, and the Windows 3.1 SDK. The Phar Lap 286 DOS Extender Lite was also included. Visual C++ 1.5 was released in December 1993, included MFC 2.5, and added OLE 2.0 and ODBC support to MFC. It was the first version of Visual C++ that came only on CD-ROM. Visual C++ 1.51 and 1.52 were available as part of a subscription service. Visual C++ 1.52b is similar to 1.52, but does not include the Control Development Kit. Visual C++ 1.52c was a patched version of 1.5. It is the last, and arguably most popular, development platform for Microsoft Windows 3.x. It is available through Microsoft Developer Network.
Strictly 32-bit versions Visual C++ 1.0 (original name: Visual C++ 32-bit Edition) released in 1993 was the first version for 32-bit development (and requiring 32-bit Windows NT as a host) for the Intel 386 architecture. Although released when 16-bit version 1.5 was available, it did not include support for OLE2 and ODBC. It was also available in a bundle called Visual C++ 16/32-bit Suite, which included Visual C++ 1.5. Visual C++ 2.0, which included MFC 3.0, was the first version to be 32-bit only. In many ways, this version was ahead of its time, since Windows 95, then codenamed "Chicago", was not yet released, and Windows NT had only a small market share. Microsoft included and updated Visual C++ 1.5 as part of the 2.x releases up to 2.1, which included Visual C++ 1.52, and both 16-bit and 32-bit version of the Control Development Kit (CDK) were included. Visual C++ 2.x also supported Win32s development. It is available through Microsoft Developer Network. There was a Visual C++ 2.0 RISC Edition for MIPS and Alpha processors, as well as a cross-platform edition for the Macintosh (68000 instruction set). Microsoft Visual C++ Cross-Development Edition for the Macintosh was an add-on for Visual C++ that introduced the Windows Portability Library, originally known as Windows Library for Macintosh or Windows Layer for the Macintosh (WLM), allowing developers to write applications against the Win32 and MFC APIs that could be compiled for 68000 architecture Macintosh computers. Visual C++ 2.1 and 2.2 were updates for 2.0 available through subscription. Visual C++ 4.0, released on 1995-12-11, introduced the Developer Studio IDE. Its then-novel tiled layout of non-overlapping panels—navigation panel, combination editor/source level debugger panel, and console output panel—continues through the Visual Studio product line (). Visual C++ 4.0 included MFC 4.0, was designed for Windows 95 and Windows NT. To allow support of legacy (Windows 3.x/DOS) projects, 4.0 came bundled with the Visual C++ 1.52 installation CD. Updates available through subscription included Visual C++ 4.1, which came with the Microsoft Game SDK (later released separately as the DirectX SDK), and Visual C++ 4.2. Version number 3.0 was skipped to achieve version number parity between Visual C++ 4.0 and MFC 4.0. Visual C++ 4.2 did not support Windows 3.x (Win32s) development. This was the final version with a cross-platform edition for the Mac available and it differed from the 2.x version in that it also allowed compilation for the PowerPC instruction set. Visual C++ 5.0 (bundled with Visual Studio 97) which included MFC 4.21 and was released 1997-04-28, was a major upgrade from 4.2. Available in four editions: Learning, Professional, Enterprise, and RISC. Visual C++ 6.0 (commonly known as VC6, and available standalone in Standard, Professional and Enterprise editions, as well as bundled with Visual Studio 6.0), which included MFC 6.0, was released in 1998. The release was somewhat controversial since it did not include an expected update to MFC. Visual C++ 6.0 is still quite popular and often used to maintain legacy projects. There are, however, issues with this version under Windows XP, especially under the debugging mode (for example, the values of static variables do not display). The debugging issues can be solved with a patch called the "Visual C++ 6.0 Processor Pack".This page stresses that Users must also be running Windows 98, Windows NT 4.0, or Windows 2000. Retrieved from http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/vstudio/aa718349.aspx. Version number: 12.00.8804 Visual C++ .NET 2002 (also known as Visual C++ 7.0), which included MFC 7.0, was released in 2002 with support for link time code generation and debugging runtime checks, .NET 1.0, and Visual C# and Managed C++. The new user interface used many of the hot keys and conventions of Visual Basic, which accounted for some of its unpopularity among C++ developers. Version number: 13.00.9466 Visual C++ .NET 2003 (also known as Visual C++ 7.1), which included MFC 7.1, was released in 2003 along with .NET 1.1 and was a major upgrade to Visual C++ .NET 2002, and was the first version to support the C99 "long long" construct. It was considered a patch to Visual C++ .NET 2002. Accordingly, the English language upgrade version of Visual Studio .NET 2003 shipped for minimal cost to owners of the English-language version of Visual Studio .NET 2002. Windows 98 is the lowest officially supported version. Although simple programs will work on Windows 95 and NT 4.0, more complex programs may cause things like ws2_32.dll to be referenced, or functions missing in kernel32.dll. In later versions (Visual C++ 2005) of the compiler even simple programs won't work (unless you replace the C library) because they have a reference to function IsDebuggerPresent in kernel32.dll which only exists in Windows 98 and later. Version number: 13.10.3077 eMbedded Visual C++Douglas Boling :Programming Microsoft Windows CE .NET, Third Edition Microsoft Press; 3rd edition (June 25, 2003) Paperback: 1264 pages - Companion CD with Microsoft eMbedded Visual C++ 4.0 Service Pack 2 in various versions was used to develop for some versions of the Windows CE operating system. Initially it replaced a development environment consisting of tools added onto Visual C++ 6.0. eMbedded Visual C++ was replaced as a separate development environment by Microsoft Visual Studio 2005.
32-bit and 64-bit versions Visual C++ 2005 (also known as Visual C++ 8.0), which included MFC 8.0, was released in November 2005. This version supports .NET 2.0 and includes a new version of C++ targeted to the .NET framework (C++/CLI) with the purpose of replacing the previous version (Managed C++). Managed C++ for CLI is still available via compiler options, though. It also introduced OpenMP. With Visual C++ 2005, Microsoft also introduced Team Foundation Server. Visual C++ 8.0 has problems compiling MFC AppWizard projects that were created using Visual Studio 6.0, so maintenance of legacy projects can be continued with the original IDE if rewriting is not feasible. Visual C++ 2005 is the last version able to target Windows 98 and Windows Me.How to: Modify WINVER and _WIN32_WINNTBreaking Changes SP1 version (14.00.50727.762) is also available in Microsoft Windows SDK Update for Windows Vista. Visual C++ 2008 (also known as Visual C++ 9.0) was released in November 2007. This version supports .NET 3.5. Managed C++ for CLI is still available via compiler options. By default, all applications compiled against the Visual C++ 2008 Runtimes (static and dynamic linking) will only work on Windows 2000, Windows XP SP2 and later.Windows Platforms (CRT) A feature pack released for VC9, later included in SP1, added support for C++ TR1 library extensions. SP1 version (15.00.30729.01) is also available in Microsoft Windows SDK for Windows 7. Some versions of Visual C++ supported Itanium 2.