Re: [HACKERS] Build with Visual Studio & MSVC

Hi all,

A remark linked to the preceding discussion:

Even if I could find some interest in compiling postgresql with Microsoft=
=92s C=20
compiler, I understand the technical and organizational difficulties impl=
ied by=20
such a feature. If I want to rebuild from sources postgresql, I have to g=
o the=20
developers way, here use the mingw toolchain.

I think that writing _extensions_ for postgresql is another story.

Even before version 8.0, the binary win32/cygwin distribution contained=20
precompiled libraries for client side programming with VisualC. This allo=
ws you=20
to write postgresql client code in VC _and_ without rebuilding postgresql=
 yourself.

Something similar (I think it has been discussed earlier but don=92t reme=
mber the=20
decisions) should exist for writing UDFs (stored procedures, the main rea=
son for=20
our use of postgresql compared to commercial databases where this feature=
 is=20
generally badly documented, to say the least). It would be nice if this w=
as=20
possible _without_ rebuilding postgresql from sources. This would imply t=
hat the=20
binary native win32 distribution of postgresql contains (or that a supple=
mentary=20
package exists) the libraries (and headers) that are necessary. Having th=
ese=20
libraries in mingw format would be nice, having them for VC++ would proba=
bly be=20
very helpful to some of us.

Jean-Marc


Dave Page wrote:
> =20
>=20
>     -------------------------------------------------------------------=
-----
>     *From:* [email protected]
>     [mailto:[email protected]] *On Behalf Of *Chuck
>     McDevitt
>     *Sent:* 09 September 2005 19:38
>     *To:* [email protected]
>     *Cc:* PostgreSQL-development
>     *Subject:* [HACKERS] Build with Visual Studio & MSVC
>=20
>     Just for fun, I went through PostgreSQL 8.1 and did a complete buil=
d
>     using Microsoft=92s C and the latest Visual Studio.
>=20
>     With a few minor tweaks, everything compiled with no errors.
>=20
>     =20
>=20
>     My assumption is that because PostgreSQL is a UNIX/Linux-centric
>     project (and gcc/gdb centric), this really isn=92t of much interest=
 to
>     anyone.
>=20
>     So other than this e-mail, I don=92t plan to do anything with this
>     except for my own amusement.
>=20
>     =20
>=20
>     If I=92m wrong, and there is some real interest in supporting MSVC,
>     let me know, and I=92ll put some work into cleaning it up and makin=
g
>     patches out of it, etc.=20
>=20
>     =20
>=20
> Hi Chuck,
>=20
> =20
>=20
> We discussed this again on list only the other day in fact! Basically=20
> we're not particulalry interested in supporting VS prject files in plac=
e=20
> of gmake/autoconf, purely because they will undoubtedly cause=20
> maintenance headaches as the majority of our developers don't have=20
> Windows boxes, let alone a copy of Visual Studio.
>=20
> =20
>=20
> However, if you need something to keep yourself amused (unless I can=20
> persuade you to come help out with psqlODBC :-) ), we would be=20
> interested in patches that allow us to use Microsoft's compiler as an=20
> alternative to gcc.
>=20
> =20
>=20
> It's interesting to know it built fairly easily though...
>=20
> =20
>=20
> Regards, Dave.
>=20
> =20
>=20
> =20
>=20



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