What are the major changes from Visual C++ 4.0 to 4.2?

  • Article

In addition to performance improvements, Visual C++ 4.1 and Visual C++ 4.2 incorporate the following new features:

  • Internet server classes

    MFC wraps the new Win32 Internet (WinInet) and COM/ActiveX control technology to make Internet programming easier. See Changes from MFC Versions 3.x for a description of changes in the Microsoft Foundation Class Library.

  • AppWizard for creating Internet applications

    The ISAPI Extension Wizard creates Internet server extensions and filters. Internet server extensions and filters are DLLs based on the new Internet Server API (ISAPI) MFC classes.

    To access the ISAPI Extension Wizard, click the New command from the File menu and then click the Projects tab in the New dialog box.

  • Additions to Visual C++ wizards

    Starting with version 4.2, Visual C++ includes several changes to AppWizard (supports creating an Active document server), ActiveX ControlWizard (supports new ActiveX control options, such as windowless controls), and ClassWizard (supports asynchronous monikers) to make COM programming easier.

  • ODBC feature enhancements

    Starting with version 4.2, MFC provides multithreading support for the ODBC classes. The MFC ODBC classes no longer use asynchronous processing. Data access operations are now synchronous. Class provides improved support for transactions. Class offers support for bookmarks and provides support for bulk row fetching.

  • Remote Data Accessibility and Data Binding

    Starting with version 4.2, Visual C++ includes controls that you can bind to local or remote data sources. These controls, contained in the Component Gallery, are:

    • MSDataCombo Control

    • MSDataList Control

    • Apex Data Bound Grid Control

    • Microsoft Masked Edit Control

    • Calendar Control

    You can bind these controls to the RemoteData Control, which is also found in the Component Gallery.

  • Changes to the Visual C++ Image Editor

    The Image Editor can now read and write both GIF and JPEG file formats.

  • Small block heap manager

    For performance reasons, the C run-time library's memory-management routines for Windows NT and Windows 95 incorporate a special heap manager for small allocations.

  • Win32s advisory

    Win32s development is not supported in Visual C++ versions 4.2 and later.

  • Solution to the name-length limitation

    Starting with version 4.2, Visual C++ includes two warning messages that provide a workaround to the 255-character limit for symbol names in the debugger.

  • World Wide Web access within the development environment

    Starting with Visual C++ 4.1, you can access World Wide Web sites from within the development environment. Click the Microsoft on the Web command from the Help menu. This offers a list of Microsoft Web sites for Visual C++ developer support.