Visual Studio 2017 Support

[gamecreator]

It's been a year since Visual Studio 2017 came out.  A package should be available on the download page and directions should be updated.  I just tried to enter the Ludum Dare with SFML again and I had to go through hoops only to end up with an error I couldn't fix because the sample program wouldn't run.

[Elias Daler]

Aren't v140 (VS 2015) and v141 (VS 2017) binary compatible? What problems did you have?

[gamecreator]

An error code when trying to run the EXE.  I suspect it has something to do with 32-bit vs 64-bit DLLs but at that point I just got frustrated and gave up since I own other engines/libraries that work right from the start without having to Google for solutions every step.

[Elias Daler]

What error did you get? Once you understand how to link SFML, it's not that hard. And there are plenty of tutorials about setting SFML up. As far as I'm aware, the problem is not the lack of binaries built with VS 2017.

[gamecreator]

This one: https://en.sfml-dev.org/forums/index.php?topic=19882.0
But I was already compiling in release.  And I got the 2017 version from the nightly-builds site which may have been a mistake.  I'll try again later going through this site: https://www.kimsgamedev.com/setup-sfml-project-visual-studio-2017/

Thank you for the help.  But I still suggest that SMFL get current.

[Gamachara]

There are things here that can seem obvious to the experienced and baffling to the newbie. If this is how I got caught up then I think I know the confusion here.

The version number is not the same as the year for the release. Visual Studio 2017 is version 15. If you open Visual Studio 2017, go to help, then the about screen you'll see.

As for the build configuration incompatibility stuff it's definitely common and can be frustrating. Sometimes it's an obvious mismatch (trying to compile a 32 bit program while including 64 bit SFML) but sometimes it's a little deeper or more confusing than that. Generally if there are strange issues like this VS is where you should look first.

I've encountered issues when Visual Studio is working and building fine, I update VS, then it insists the build configuration is incompatible. I came to find out somehow I had to create a new build profile with exactly the same values and name as the old one to make it work.

In my experience Visual Studio can be incredibly buggy with solution and project files.

[gamecreator]

I agree.  There are some strange quirks about naming and functionality for VS.  But that's why the internet is here for people to help each other out as they come across problems and solutions.  I ended up making a minor project after the link I mentioned above helped me get started.  I suggest it for anyone else that might come across this thread.