The new
Microsoft Visual C++ 2008
compiler is now supported for use with the entire Ca3DE codebase.
The free
Express Edition of the compiler comes with all
features that are required to build Ca3DE and all related programs and
libraries. Moreover, Visual C++ 2008 is now bundled again with the Windows
Platform SDK (unlike its predecessor Visual C++ 2005, which requires a separate
package).
Therefore, installing and setting up an otherwise unprepared computer for Ca3DE
development is now easier then ever. The official releases of Ca3DE will
continue to ship with the Visual C++ 2005 (predecessor) compiler for a while,
though, for which Ca3DE specific setup instructions are available
in the
Wiki.
The new compiler version is more standards compliant than its predecessors and
compiles all Ca3DE code without any changes. Only the SCons related files with
program and library build instructions were updated in order to account for the
new compiler version.
In summary, that means that Ca3DE supports on Windows all of the Visual C++
6,
8 (2005) and
9 (2008)
compiler versions. Support for Visual C++
7 (2003) is also
possible on request. (Support for
OpenWatcom is still available, but
suspended until explicit developer request.)