Visual C++ 2010: Changes to MSVC runtime deployment (no more SxS with manifest)

Question

Where can I find some official note, kb article or other documentation describing changes to the Visual Studio 2010 C/C++ runtime linking and deployment policy?

Unde

Answer 1

You already answered most of your question, the side-by-side deployment of the CRT was a nightmare that got way too many programmers in trouble. Microsoft agreed and gave up on it for the VS2010 release. It's back to a DLL in c:\windows\system32, named msvcr100.dll. And msvcp100.dll, vcomp100.dll, atl100.dll, mfc100.dll, mfcm100.dll, the other runtime support DLLs. The way it was for VS2003 and earlier editions. Now it is again the user's burden to sort out a DLL Hell problem. The person least likely to be able to do so but they do tend to have a budget to pay for support. Unlike programmers that need to get help from a free web site :)

But you can help, app-local deployment is now again enabled, you can deploy msvcr100.dll in the same directory as your main EXE. That was explicitly checked and forbidden in previous versions. App-local has some niceties, it isolates you from well-meant but unfortunate updates that break your app. Albeit that you are now yourself responsible for getting updates deployed that fix a security hole. If that's uncomfortable then deploy and rely on the copy in the system directory.

Do not try to link to msvr100_clr0400.dll, that's a private copy for use by the CLR. Much like msvcr.dll is a private copy for use by Microsoft DLLs. You don't have the .lib file you need to link to these DLLs.

Answer 2

Just a couple of links about the topic – I hope someone will find them useful:

• Visual Studio 2010 changes for VC++ (part 5)
• Visual C++ Application: How to use manifests and re-distributable assemblies?