Intel Parallel Studio XE 2019 for Fortran Windows and win32 integration

[avm-smit]

I started using the Intel Parallel Studio XE 2019 for Fortran Windows and was reading on the integration of windows functionality, callable from Fortran.

Being used to Linux and their API packages I was surprised to learn that Intel Fortran Windows can do the windows calls by itself. When searching on topics in this area I regularly find references to Visual Fortran, Compaq Visual Fortran and also to packages like Xeffort (which we use here at the office too).

Now I'm a bit confused about all these packages and would like to learn a few things:

• in order to write a windows application in Intel Fortran, do I need external packages like Xeffort?
• can I do all regular windows calls in Intel Fortran or only a subset of them?
• what is the difference between Intel (Visual) Fortran, Compaq Visual Fortran and standard Intel Fortran considering windows functionality?
• what is the state/level of support that Intel has in mind for supporting Windows functionalities in Fortran in the future? Is it safe to rely on them?

I hope someone can answer these questions.

[Steve_Lionel]

You don't need Xeffort, though it can make some Windows programming easier. You can do almost all Windows calls directly from Fortran. The key will be whether the Windows routines you want to call are included in the various Windows API modules (KERNEL32, USER32,. etc.) that Intel provides. (If not, you may be able to write your own.)

Generally if Microsoft documents a C interface to an API routine, you can use it from Fortran. You can rely on the support not going away. There are some Windows APIs that are C++-only, and those can't be used.

Intel Visual Fortran is the name of the Intel Fortran for Windows compiler. Its heritage is from Compaq and Digital Visual Fortran. The functionality has generally just increased, with many new Windows API declarations having been added in the 16 years since Intel Visual Fortran V8 came out.

There are many worked examples of Fortran code calling into the Windows API in the Samples bundle.

[avm-smit]

Hi Steve,

thanks for your answers! Things are a bit clearer now.

Cheers Albert

[WSinc]

Hi Steve;

I was wondering if rather that trying to integrate the 2020 XE parallel with Visual Studio 2019,

I could try using the compiler separately. I.E. ifort etc, etc.

Of course, I would NOT have the convience of

a debugger. But its better than not getting anything done at all.

Just insert PRINT statements instead?

[Steve_Lionel]

Bill, please keep to your own multitudinous threads and don't post in unrelated threads. If you want to pick one of those and ask there, I'll answer. (I am still catching up on today's activity.)