how to determine what windows operating systems are compatible with my application?

[vincegrear]

Hey all
I have 3 questions. I'm almost done creating an application using Visual Studio 2012, using the visual basic language. The funny thing is, I'm not exactly sure of what version of vb I'm using to write it in.

So my first question is how do I know what version of the visual basic language I'm using? What is the difference between vb.net, and vb6?

My second question is how do I determine the minimum operating system requirement, and hardware requirements for my application? Is there an easy way to analyze my program to get all the minimum requirements? I'll need to know once I'm going to make it available for download.

It isn't a very large application, but does allow for saved sessions with text data saved, and has a few image resources.

It runs Ok on my windows 7 operating system.

My third question is, if it runs ok on my windows 7 system, will it run on windows 8?

Thanks in advance.

[dunfiddlin]

What is the difference between vb.net, and vb6?

Without starting a riot, let's just say you're not using VB6 (and indeed cannot using VS2012).

My second question is how do I determine the minimum operating system requirement, and hardware requirements for my application?

You'll get some indication from determining/deciding what .Net framework you're compiling for (if you've made no changes to VS settings and you're running in W8, then it's probably 4.5 which is not available, I believe, in XP). If it's 4 then you're generally good for XP through to W8. Obviously you can't compile for 64 bit and run on 32 bit though you can do it the other way round. Hardware requirements you'll have to figure out the old fashioned way ... testing, testing and more testing, though unless you're doing something really graphics heavy you're unlikely to need anything super-duper!

if it runs ok on my windows 7 system, will it run on windows 8?

Yes! Well, yes according to Microsoft. To what degree you should trust that is one of the many questions resulting in the less than stellar demand for W8! As I am among the reluctant I cvan offer no experience in the matter.

[.paul.]

.NET Framework System Requirements

.NET Framework 4.5
.NET Framework 4
.NET Framework 3.5
.NET Framework 2.0
.NET Framework 1.0 and 1.1

VB6

[jmcilhinney]

So my first question is how do I know what version of the visual basic language I'm using? What is the difference between vb.net, and vb6?

If you're using VS 2012 then you're using VB 2012, which is the 6th version of VB.NET. VB.NET and VB6 are basically different languages based on the same syntax. They have a rather different underlying architecture but the code looks very similar.

My second question is how do I determine the minimum operating system requirement, and hardware requirements for my application? Is there an easy way to analyze my program to get all the minimum requirements? I'll need to know once I'm going to make it available for download.

For a basic .NET application, you should generally just specify the .NET version. Unless you're doing something rather exotic or intensive, specific hardware requirements are all but meaningless these days. The .NET version will dictate the OS versions that are supported.

If you want to support XP then ensure that you don't use any version-specific features of later Windows versions, e.g. don't use the Windows API Code Pack, which provides a .NET API to the new features of Windows 7.

Also, if you target the Any CPU platform then your app will run in 32- or 64-bit mode depending on the OS. Under certain circumstances you will need to target the x86 platform to force the app to run in 32-bit mode for compatibility with existing 32-bit-only components, e.g. if you use an Access database.

My third question is, if it runs ok on my windows 7 system, will it run on windows 8?

You'd have to try fairly hard to make an app run on Windows 7 and not on Windows 8. There are always some areas of incompatibility but the vast majority of apps won't venture into those areas. .NET helps in this regard because you simply build against the appropriate .NET Framework and that all but guarantees that your app will work on any OS that supports that .NET version.

[vincegrear]

Brilliant. I owe you guys one.

So all I need to do really is determine which .net framework I've designed my app around, and then look up the supported operating systems.

Now at the risk of asking another extremely silly question, how do I determine the .net framework that my app centers around??

[.paul.]

these are the defaults:

vb2002 = .Net 1.0
vb2003 = .Net 1.1
vb2005 = .Net 2.0
vb2008 = .Net 3.5 (but from 2008 on you can select a framework to target)
vb2010 = .Net 4.0
vb2012 = .Net 4.5

[vincegrear]

Yes I see how I can target which ever one I want now.
I'm wondering if I should target the .net 4.0, or should I stay up to date and go with the 4.5?

[jmcilhinney]

Yes I see how I can target which ever one I want now.
I'm wondering if I should target the .net 4.0, or should I stay up to date and go with the 4.5?

If you're not using any .NET 4.5 features then there's no specific need to target 4.5. In fact, if you're not using any features of a later version then there's no need to target anything later than 2.0. I would tend to use 3.5 as a minimum unless a customer specifically required otherwise because 3.5 introduced LINQ and I find that to be an invaluable tool.

You also should consider compatibility. Check this out to see what .NET versions are available on each version of Windows by default:

http://blogs.msdn.com/b/astebner/arc...of-the-os.aspx

Also, based on the information provided by .paul. earlier, you're going to exclude XP users if you target .NET 4.5.

[vincegrear]

Copy that. Thanks guys