What does product for 32-bit/x86-64-bit development mean ?

[chdthanh]

Dear all:

Could you please tell me differences between products for 32-bit/x86-64bit development, 32-bit development and x86-64bit development ?

If I use the product for 32-bit/x86-64bit development on 32bit-OS can I compile codes which can run on 32bit-OS and 64bit-OS ?

Thank you in advance.
Thanh

[TimP]

This combined product contains both the ia32 (32-bit) and intel64 (64-bit) compilers. You can install either or both, same as if you grabbed them separately. For the 64-bit, if under VIsual Studio, you need also the optional C++ 64-bit component (unless VS2010, where it may come in by default along with 32-bit C++).
You won't be able to test a 64-bit .exe on 32-bit OS. Your project setting (or selection of command prompt shortcut) controls whether you make 32- or 64-bit (X64) objects and exe.

[chdthanh]

Thank you for your answer.
It means that if I use 32bit-OS, I have to install both ia32 and intel64 compilers in the combined product. And then I can create executive program which can run on 32bit-OS or 64bit-OS. Am I right?
Thank you.
Thanh

[Steven_L_Intel1]

We offer the compiler for developing 32-bit applications (which will run on either 32-bit or 64-bit Windows platforms), and the compiler for developing 64-bit applications (which will run only on 64-bit Windows.) Most people download the "32/64" package so that they get both compilers. Some people have no interest in 64-bit, so we offer an installer with only the 32-bit compiler. Similarly, we offer an installer with only the 64-bit installer. These single-platform installers require that you already have a supported Visual Studio installed.

We make the combination 32/64 installer available two ways - one that includes the Visual Studio Shell environment, and one that does not. As you need install Visual Studio only once, once you have VS installed (either from one you bought separately or the one we supply), you can choose the "without Visual Studio Shell" installer in future downloads to save download time and space.

Does this help?

[mecej4]

> if I use 32bit-OS, I have to install both ia32 and intel64 compilers

You have to install the cross compiler (the compiler tools are 32-bit, but the EXEs, DLLs, OBJs and LIBs produced are 64-bit) only if you want to produce 64-bit code.

> And then I can create executive program which can run on 32bit-OS or 64bit-OS

True. But having to move the 64-bit EXEs produced to another machine that runs the 64-bit OS often makes the modify-compile-debug-test cycle quite unpleasant. As a result, and because 64-bit CPUs and OSs have been around for a number of years, there need to be specific reasons that force you to use such an unpleasant environment: since you need a 64-bit OS for debugging and testing, why not install the development system on that machine?

[chdthanh]

Dear Steve and mecej4:
Thank you very much for your explanation.

Could you please giveme advices on my following situation?

I need my application written in Intel Fortran to run on 64bit-OS because the application sometimes need momery bigger than 4GB RAM. So that,

If I complile my codes by ia32 on 32bit-OS,can the application use RAM bigger than 4GB on 64bit-OS? If not, must I do the cross compiler as described by mecej4 to have 64bit application?

If I use intel64 on 64bit-OS how can I obtain an 32bit application which can run on 32bit-OS?

By the way, what is difference between compiler intel64 and ia64? Which one should I install, either or both?

Thank you in advance.
Thanh

[TimP]

Running a 32-bit .exe under X64 will give you an increase in RAM availability (particularly if your 32-bit OS wasn't booted with /3GB) but will not overcome the 4GB limit. There's no PAE support in the compiler; it could not be done efficiently, and there's no point in it, since, as mecej4 said, hardware supporting X64 is so widely available.
You can easily build both 32- and 64-bit copies of your application, if it's worth the effort. The "ia32" 32-bit compiler works the same on the X64 OS as on the 32-bit OS.
intel64 refers to the X64 platform, while ia64 refers to Itanium, which no longer gets full support under Windows. You can't use the ia64 compiler except for an Itanium platform.

[Steven_L_Intel1]

To simplify a bit, a 32-bit application is limited to a bit less than 2GB virtual address space, no matter how much RAM you have, or whether you are on a 32-bit or 64-bit system. A 64-bit application can make use of far more virtual address space. Adding RAM improves performance, up to a point, but does not have a direct impact on the size of address space.

IA-64 is the name for systems based on Intel Itanium processors. From what you describe, you do not want to use IA-64 products. For more information, see here.

[TimP]

If your ifort is correctly installed (if necessary, repair it after major change in Visual Studio installation), there will be options on the start menu to start up Visual Studio with Intel software environment included, or to open a command prompt window with both the Visual Studio CL and ifort environments set up. Those shortcuts should have been done for you. The Microsoft compile options you chose are still available in these modes.
However, it looks like the Visual Studio gui shortcut simply starts up devenv, and making ifort available there should have been take care of by the integration into visual studio options you should have seen during ifort installation. The ifort installation or repair should tell you which eligible Visual Studio versions are visible and ask for confirmation that you want to install the integration.