Platform SDK
I can't find the Platform SDK download in the MSDN. I assume I will find it eventually, but most people will either not find it or will also have difficulty finding it. Anyone that has not downloaded the SDK previously will probably give up before finding it.
I did go to "Downloads" and then "SDK Downloads" and I still did not find the Palrform SDK to download. I tried everything else that is obvious to me. I will keep trying and hopfully I will find it before this gets answered, but perhaps not; regardless, I assume that it is not intentional that it is so difficult to find and I assume it is intended to make it easy to find.
Hi Simple Samples - The Platform SDK has been renamed "Windows SDK" to make it clearer exactly what's in it, but searching for "Platform SDK" on the Microsoft Download Center is still your best bet since Platform it's a less common word than "Windows". :-) If you search MS downloads for Platform SDK and sort by date, you'll find the latest SDKs-- just look for the latest Windows SDK.
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/results.aspx?DisplayLang=en&nr=20&freetext=platform+SDK&sortCriteria=date
Sometimes there are beta SDK's (e.g. there's one for Windows Longhorn Server) so as long as you're OK with some beta content, you might want to get that one-- if you want to stick to only RTM info which definitely won't change, then pick the latest non-beta Windows SDK.
Your reply is irrelevant to my comments. I said I can search. The problem is that I doubt that Microsoft intends to require everyone to search for it. The web site needs fixing.
I'm not sure I understand the problem. The PSDK seems fairly easy to find, even when not searching. For example, I clicked on
SDK Downloads link on the main MSDN Downloads page and found a link to
Microsoft Windows SDK for Windows Vista halfway down the page. What more are you looking for?
I want you to read my comments. I said I had looked at the SDK Downloads. You did not read that. You explained about searching, but I know how to search. I said I searched. Evidently the name "Microsoft Windows SDK for Windows Vista" was not clear enough for me. I am sorry if you think it is clear, but it was not. I just needed to know that it is what it is.
I agree with the descision to call the Windows SDK the Windows SDK, but they confuse people by saying "for Windows Vista". It will take a while for the change from "Platform SDK" to "Windows SDK" to take affect in our minds. Hopefully it will be easy for new people to recognize it. Microsoft is sometimes confusing in their terminology. From the point of view of Microsoft. The "for Windows Vista" part is important from Microoft's view but for most everyone else it is confusing.
OK, thanks for your feedback. I'll pass on your suggestion (for more clear naming of Windows SDK download titles) to the Windows SDK team.
What would be your ideal name for that download? "Windows SDK (Windows Vista edition)" or something like that?
 justingrant wrote: |
| What would be your ideal name for that download? "Windows SDK (Windows Vista edition)" or something like that? | |
Yes, that would be more clear and more consistent with the actual contents. If it were just me, there is no need to change it but I do answer questions in the VC forums and sometimes people ask where the SDK is at.
Thanks Sam - I passed on your feedback to the Windows SDK team. BTW, one of the cool things about Forums is now that you've asked this question, everyone else will more easily find the answer. For example, if you search for
Platform SDK MSDN on Live Search, this thread comes up as the #1 result. On Google it comes up #4, almost as good.
Yes, the relevance and use of this for others I hope will be beneficial in the future.
I have been thnking about what would be useful for the naming of the link. I think it would be helpful to say something such as "Windows API (formerly Platform SDK), Windows Vista version". Since the name Platform SDK has been used for so long, it will help to have a transition such as that.
Good suggestion. I assume "API" is a typo above, and you mean this instead?
Windows SDK (formerly Platform SDK), Windows Vista Edition Yes, I meant SDK; whatever it is called. As far as I know, API and SDK are nearly synonomous so I was a little confused. So what you have now should work very well.
I clicked that SDK Downloads link, and was greeted with "483 results found". Needless to say, the one I'm looking for was not on the first page.
"Microsoft Windows SDK for Windows Vista" is not what I want, if the name is anything to go by. I'm looking for the Win32 SDK. I don't have Vista. I don't want .NET anything. I just want to be able to write simple Windows programs for my studies, using the old WinMain() in C. Where do I get this?
If you read this thread you will have an answer but if you want someone to help you please specify what you are using; the answer might depend on what you are using.
I'm using GCC. What I'm looking for is the header and library files (windows.h, etc). I am compiling on and for XP. I checked the download for the Windows SDK but its description is:
"The Windows SDK includes documentation, samples, and tools designed to help you develop Windows applications and libraries using both Win32? and .NET Framework 3.0 technologies targeting Windows Vista."
Is this the one I need?
I'm attempting to teach myself Windows 9.x/NT/XP programming but the books I'm using assume the use of commercial compilers that already have the files I'm searching for.
Thank you for your help.
The Vista Windows SDK covers all versions of the Win32 API, all the way back to Windows 95. #define the WINVER and _WIN32_WINNT macros to the version of Windows you target.
