debugging sample project VB-Calls-Fortran.sln

[Brian_Murphy]

I have built this sample project, and it runs fine, but I'm having limited success with the debugger. The instructions say... To enable debugging of Fortran code called from Visual Basic, right click on project "VBCallsFortran" and then select Properties. In the left column, select Configuration Properties > Debugging. Check the box labeled "Enable unmanaged code debugging" VS 2012 doesn't have that option, but there is Enable Native Code Debugging. Checking that gets the debugger to step into and through the fortran code, but the values of arguments cannot be examined, although local variables can. Is there something else I need to do to enable this?

[Brian_Murphy]

When I step through the VB-Calls-Fortran sample, while in the VB code I see VB data types in the Locals window like Double(), String and Object.   Then in the fortran code I see char[10] and double[4].  That's a good point that there is no C code in this project, so why it's showing C data types is a real mystery.

Do you think it's Visual Studio 2012 or Intel Fortran that is messed up?  I no longer have access to the VS 2012 install disk.

I will try to install Intel Fortran in my virtual machine with Visual Studio 2010.  If that works like it should, that is pretty convincing proof that my VS 2012 is on the fritz.

What are the VS versions that Intel Fortran Composer XE 2013 will work with?

[Brian_Murphy]

When VS 2012 Update 4 starts, it first asks if you want to repair or uninstall the existing install.  That tells me I uninstalled VS before applying the update.

[Brian_Murphy]

Ok.  I have confirmed that debugging VB-Calls-Fortran works like it should with VS 2010 installed in a virtual machine.

The question now is; how do I fix VS 2012?  Or else do I uninstall VS 2012 from my host system and install VS 2010?  However, will my current crop of projects be backwardly compatible with VS 2010???

[Steven_L_Intel1]

I don't think VS2010 will open VS2012 projects. At this point I don't know why VS2012 is not working for you.

[Brian_Murphy]

Can you suggest anyone that could fix this problem?  I would be willing to pay somebody to do it.  Depending on how much it would cost, of course.

[Steven_L_Intel1]

Right click on your VB project, select Properties > Debug. Make sure that "Enable native code debugging" and "Enable the Visual Studio hosting process" are both checked. I think you already did the former, but without this you would probably not even see Fortran code in the debugger.

I have no idea who could "fix" this for you. Do you have access to newer versions of Intel Parallel Studio XE? With a somewhat newer version you could use VS2013.

[Brian_Murphy]

Both those items were already checked.

The Intel Fortran version that I have is the only one I have access to.

Don't know what to do at this point.  Maybe something in my windows registry is screwed up.  I just did some poking around and saw over 2500 registry entries in HKCR for "C:\\Program Files (x86)\\Java\\jre1.8.0_45\\bin\\jp2iexp.dll".  That can't be a good thing.

I'm gonna put this aside to work on other things, and maybe I'll think of something new to try.  Thanks for trying to help me.  Maybe I just need a new computer.

[Steven_L_Intel1]

Given that you have a .edu address, you might qualify for our free student license for the latest version (if you are a student).

[FortranFan]

Brian Murphy wrote:

Both those items were already checked.

The Intel Fortran version that I have is the only one I have access to.

Don't know what to do at this point.  Maybe something in my windows registry is screwed up.  I just did some poking around and saw over 2500 registry entries in HKCR for "C:\\Program Files (x86)\\Java\\jre1.8.0_45\\bin\\jp2iexp.dll".  That can't be a good thing.

I'm gonna put this aside to work on other things, and maybe I'll think of something new to try.  Thanks for trying to help me.  Maybe I just need a new computer.

Something you may want to try on your computer:

1. Download freeware CCleaner, https://www.piriform.com/ccleaner/download
2. Uninstall all instances of Intel Fortran (Parallel Studio) using CCleaner
3. Uninstall all instances of Microsoft Visual Studio using CCleaner
4. In CCleaner, select "Run CCleaner" to clean all temporary files, etc.
5. Then in CCleaner, go to Registry->Scan for Issues, and have CCleaner fix all the issues
6. Reinstall Visual Studio.  As mentioned by Steve, consider switching to Visual Studio 2013 Community edition if possible: https://www.visualstudio.com/en-us/products/visual-studio-community-vs.aspx
7. Reinstall Intel Fortran 

[Brian_Murphy]

I'm not a student, and even though I still have that utexas.edu email address, I no longer work there.

A new computer is starting to look like a good idea.  Wouldn't it be something if this problem followed me to a new computer.  Actually, a new computer won't help me since I don't have an install disk for Visual Studio 2012.

Will Intel Fortran XE 2013 work with any new version of Visual Studio?  It doesn't sound like it.  For a new computer I will have to buy new versions of both Visual Studio and Intel Fortran/IMSL.  Ouch!

I ran CCleaner's registry checker, and it didn't find any items related to visual studio or intel fortran.  It's not out of the question that this registry cleaner created the problem, since I do use it on occasion to clean the registry.

[FortranFan]

Brian Murphy wrote:

..  It's not out of the question that this registry cleaner created the problem, since I do use it on occasion to clean the registry.

I've been using CCleaner for a long time on multiple devices and never had problems with it.

Hopefully you can resolve your problem somehow, it's a tough one!

[Steven_L_Intel1]

Which versions of Microsoft Visual Studio are supported by various Intel compiler versions?

[IanH]

Brian Murphy wrote:
For a new computer I will have to buy new versions of both Visual Studio and Intel Fortran/IMSL.  Ouch

t might not be quite so bad... see https://www.visualstudio.com/products/visual-studio-community-vs

Depending on how long your ifort support has been dead for, you may not be looking at the full cost of a new ifort licence either.

[Brian_Murphy]

I'm confused about version numbers for intel fortran.

What I have installed says in the Help/About Visual Studio box "Intel(R) Visual Fortran Composer XE 2013 Update 4 Integration for Microsoft Visual Studio* 2012, 13.0.3624.11".  But the Release Notes documents in the install package for intel fortran says it Update 3???

The web page you provided a link to says "Composer XE 2013 SP1 Update 1 or later (compiler 14.0.1) - VS2008, VS2010, VS2012, VS2013 (includes VS2010 Shell)".  This tells me I'm behind in Intel updates (assuming 13.0 is older than 14.0).

I tried to launch the Intel Software Manager from Visual Studio, but I only get a message "cannot connect to update server".

If I ignore these inconsistencies, I'm tempted to update my system to Visual Studio Community 2013, which evidently is free for a one man company like myself, and then install my Intel Fortran XE version 13.0.3624.11 Update 4.  But it would be nice to know for sure that these products are compatible.

Are they?

[mecej4]

The 14.0.1 compiler is the oldest that is known to work with VS2013. Earlier compilers such as 14.0, 13.1 and 13.0 may not work with VS2013, or may work with reduced functionality. I built a program with IFort 11.1.070 and tried it with the VS2013 debugger; it ran without problems. You could try your particular combination.

Why not use the VS shell that came packaged with your 13.0 compiler, given your constraints?

[Brian_Murphy]

I need vb.net and C for some of my projects.  Does the VS Shell have these?

How can I get the latest update to Composer XE 2013 if the Intel Software Manager can't connect to the update server?

[mecej4]

Brian Murphy wrote:

I need vb.net and C for some of my projects.  Does the VS Shell have these?

No. Microsoft does not allow that.

How can I get the latest update to Composer XE 2013 if the Intel Software Manager (ISM) can't connect to the update server?

If you have unexpired support, you can sign into registrationcenter.intel.com , view the installers that you are entitled to download, and choose. If your support has expired, you will have to reinstall from your saved copies of the IFort installer or install disks. Similarly, with expired support you cannot download using the ISM.

[Brian_Murphy]

I went to registrationcenter.intel.com, logged in, and it tells my I have no registered products.  I try to add Intel Fortran and it tells me it's already registered.  Strange, but true.

My license was bought for me by Texas A&M University in June 2013.  So I doubt I still an active support contract.

[IanH]

mecej4 wrote:

If you have unexpired support, you can sign into registrationcenter.intel.com , view the installers that you are entitled to download, and choose. If your support has expired, you will have to reinstall from your saved copies of the IFort installer or install disks

Are you sure that you are locked out of the registration centre with expired support?  I thought all that happened was that versions released after your support expiry were not available for download.  Likewise for the software manager.  Been a while since I've had expired support though, it is about the only thing that the CEO lets me splurge on these days.

Then again, some days I'm not convinced the software manager lets you download things when your support is current.

[mecej4]

I'm never sure with GUI programs, but just now, as a test, I chose a product at the registration center for which my support expired. I saw the note below. I did not try to download to see whether this was an empty threat. It is also possible that I selected an update version because I did not see among the options the exact version which I have. I think that Intel is quite understanding in such cases, but one may need to write and request that the specific download or, failing that one's availability, the next release, be made available.

Yes, the software manager is not always up and willing.

The support period for your license has expired. To download this product update, you will need to purchase renewal licenses to extend your support from your expiration date (04 Feb 2015) to the build date of this product update (24 Apr 2015). Note that support for new renewal licenses will begin on 04 Feb 2015.

Brian Murphy: somewhere in the registration center you should look for a check box with the label "show expired versions". 

[Brian_Murphy]

What do I do about it telling me I have no registered products, but when I try to add Intel Fortran it tells me it's already registered.  At this point, I can't get anywhere with the registration center.