.NET SDK, what is it?

[dee-u]

What's the use of .Net SDK? Should it be installed together with the .Net Framework so apps made in .Net will work?

[jmcilhinney]

The .NET SDK is the software development kit for .NET. It contains the basic components necessary to create a .NET app, but has nothing to do with running a .NET app. I'm not sure which it is, but Visual Studio either sits on top of the SDK (which is the case I think) or reproduces its functionality, so it is not needed as a seperate component if you have the IDE.

[dee-u]

I dont have VS.Net on this computer but I am currently installing .Net SDK, will it provide me with an IDE for developing in .Net?

[grilkip]

I dont have VS.Net on this computer but I am currently installing .Net SDK, will it provide me with an IDE for developing in .Net?

nope. But there's always SharpDevelop, a free open-source IDE for .NET.

[techgnome]

The SDK is the libraries needed to build a .NET app. It also comes with the compiler needed to make the assemblies (EXE or DLL). However, it's up to you to create the files and make the project.

Visual Studio is basicaly a graphical user interface to the SDK. It allows you to create files necessary in a somewhat user friendly manner. It also takes care of the job of invoking the compiler to build the project.

Tg

[jmcilhinney]

You can also get the free Borland C# Builder Personal Edition for non-commercial use here.

[dee-u]

nope. But there's always SharpDevelop, a free open-source IDE for .NET.

Is SharpDevelop intended for C# only? When I tried to import my VB.Net solution it has converted it but when I double-clicked on my command buttons the codes are now gone.

[jmcilhinney]

You can also get the free Borland C# Builder Personal Edition for non-commercial use here.

Forget I ever said this. I must have had the impression that I was in a C# forum because of the mention of SharpDevelop. It doesn't take much to confuse me, you know. I think that a big flashing neon sign is needed to tell me where I am, and I don't mean one above my head saying "You are here".

[dee-u]

You could have just deleted that post.

[mendhak]

If you head over to C:\WINDOWS\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v1.1.4322, you'll see a lot of EXEs in there in addition to other files. Over the course of your VB.NET life you will be making use of a few of these, such as csc.exe, vbc.exe (c#,vb.net compilers), wsdl.exe (web proxy class generator) and so on.

[dee-u]

Were those files put there when I installed the .Net framework or when I installed the .Net SDK? It seems when I installed .Net SDK a problem of mine about running an app made in .Net was solved.

[mendhak]

That is not the framework folder. The framework folder is accessible through C:/Windows/Assembly (for me, Windows 2003). Those are the common files required for running the .NET apps.

I am not sure why installing the SDK helped you run your app. Did you get a newer version of the framework with the SDK? As in, was 1.0 installed and then you got 1.1?

[dee-u]

I don't really know what did that SDK do...

BTW, they are both 1.1

[techgnome]

IT may be that the newly installed SDK included the SP1 for .NET 1.1. I know that recently I tried running an app written in .NET and it wouldn't work until I installed the SP. I think the SP fixed something in the HTTP/INet communication assembly area.

Tg