Will Intel Fortran Expression Evaluator 2025.1 work with with classic Fortran 2023.2?

[van_der_merwe__ben]

While we have tested the newer IFX compilers 2025, we have one third party component not yet  supporting IFX, so we still use the older classic 2023.2 Fortran with Visual Studio 2022 (17.14.4). In Visual Studio I see on such systems you can upgrade the expression evaluation extension from 2020.0.23.2 to 2025.1.0 from the extension marketplace. However, it does not say if it also  still supports older classic Fortran versions or not...

Does anyone know?

[andrew_4619]

I do not know the answer but I would expect it works with the integrations for the version quoted only and is not backwards compatible.

[Devorah_H_Intel]

2025 FEE doesn’t support ifort.

[Ron_Green]

As Devorah mention, ifort is not officially supported.  This status is true for the FEE. 

But here is something to consider: the FEE works with the VS debugger.  While debugging your code, the FFE is working with the debugger using compiler generated debug info and objects.  Ifx debug emissions has progressed beyond what was provided by ifort.  IFX debug emissions is more advanced than that used in ifort.  But ifort debug emissions could be considered a subset (less advanced) of the ifx emissions. 

While the configuration you describe:  New FFE in VS 2022, old ifort compiler,  I would guess would work.  No guarantees.  And certainly don't come to us if it doesn't work.  Also, you may not see improvements in debugging ifort generated applications that are available for ifx generated applications.  the debugger FFE  and debug emissions have to work together - many of the debugger fixes are combinations of emissions and FFE recognition of the new emissions and debug info.  So I don't know what, if anything, you will gain by plugging in the new FFE with the old compiler.

[van_der_merwe__ben · Accepted solution]

So I decided to just go for and updated the expression evaluation extension from version 2020.0.23.2 to 2025.1.0 in the Visual Studio extensions view. Why? Because VS offers to do it and it is easy for people to click and say yes. So while using the old Intel Fortran compiler 2023.2 (only this version is installed on this machine, no IFX version is installed), breakpoints in Fortran code still work and I can still inspects variables and vectors and structures. I understand it is not officially supported, but it works. Another reason to just upgrade the extension is that the Nuget Package manager UI now no longer hangs (provided Fortran is not still scanning all the Fortran files).

[Devorah_H_Intel]

@van_der_merwe__ben - Thank you for testing and the feedback.