INFO: MSDN Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)Last reviewed: December 10, 1998 |
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SUMMARYThere are six sections in this document: SECTION 1: General MSDN Questions and Answers SECTION 2: Development Library Content Questions and Answers SECTION 3: Development Platform Content Questions and Answers SECTION 4: Development Library Support Questions and Answers SECTION 5: Development Platform Support Questions and Answers SECTION 6: General Developer Questions MORE INFORMATIONSECTION 1: General MSDN Questions and AnswersQ1. How much does a membership in the Developer Network cost? A. MSDN Level 1 membership costs $195 U.S. ($275 CAN) per year, MSDN Level 2 membership is $495 U.S. ($555 CAN) per year. Developers who are currently members of MSDN Level 1 can upgrade to Level 2 membership for $395 U.S. ($555 CAN). International customers, please contact your local subsidiary. Q2. If I upgrade to Developer Network Level 2 membership, do I get a rebate for the Windows NT SDK/DDK CD that I recently purchased? A. Realizing that most developers already have one or more of the individual components of the Development Platform, we chose not to have an upgrade price (no one would pay the suggested retail price). Instead of using marketing tactics, we chose to have one "real price" for all developers. Q3. How can I join the Developer Network? A. In the U.S. and Canada, call (800) 759-5474, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. In France, call 05 90 59 04 (Toll Free). In Germany, call 0130 81 02 11 (Toll Free). In the Netherlands, call 06 022 24 80 (Toll Free). In the United Kingdom, call 0800 96 02 79 (Toll Free). For any other country in Europe, call +31 10 258 88 64. In Japan, call 03-5461-2617. Everywhere else, call 402-691-0173. Q4. What is the difference between MSDN Level 1 and Level 2 membership? A. MSDN Level 1 membership provides information that you need to develop for Windows and Windows NT via the searchable Development Library (CD) and the Developer Network News. Level 2 membership includes Level 1 benefits plus all the operating systems and Windows, Windows for Workgroups, and Windows NT SDKs and DDKs on the Development Platform (CD set). Q5. How do I get setup support for the Development Library or Platform? A. For Library setup support, call (425) 635-7033. For Platform setup support, call (800) 936-5800. Q6. How do I get product support for the contents of the Development Platform? A. Development Platform support is available by calling (800) 936-5800. Q7. What licensing agreements are available for Level 1 and 2 memberships? A. Level 1 membership includes a single-user license for the Development Library. Level 2 membership includes a single-user license that applies to both the Development Library and Platform. For the Development Library, additional user licenses to share a single CD over a network may be purchased for $40 ($55 CAN) each. Each additional user license allows one designated user to install the Development Library viewer software on a single workstation to access the CD contents. To order additional user licenses, call (800) 759-5474. For large workgroups, Level 1 memberships with concurrent-user licenses are available in two configurations: a five-user license is $595 ($835 CAN) and a twenty-five-user license is $2495 ($3495 CAN). Concurrent- user licenses permit the members of a large group to install the Development Library viewer software on their workstations, but allow no more than five (or twenty-five) users to run the application at a given time. The number of developers supported by a concurrent-user license depends primarily on their usage patterns and network performance. Developers who expect to make heavy use of the Development Library should consider individual memberships. Q8. What about Level 2? Are additional user licenses available? A. No. Level 2 membership includes a single-user license for both the Development Library and Development Platform. Because Microsoft operating systems can be licensed only to a single user, additional licenses are not available for Level 2 memberships. Q9. What is the Windows Development Toolkit (WDT)? A. The Windows Development Toolkit is a retail product that provides the base level toolkits that developers need to write applications for Windows, WFW and Windows NT. It is essentially an entry level product for developers who want to "get their feet wet" with Windows programming. It is not designed to satisfy the demands of other Windows programmers. This is Microsoft's only retail software development kit for Windows. All other kits have been discontinued and are available via MSDN only. This product includes:
Major differences between MSDN Level 2 and WDT:
- MSDN includes DDKs - WDT does not
Q10. I'm not a MSDN member, but I'd like to check out the Developer Network News free of charge. How can I do that? A. Limited Developer Network News subscriptions are available. Send email with your mailing address to: CIS: >INTERNET:msdn@microsoft.com Internet: msdn@microsoft.com Q11. I didn't get my disc this month, so how can I get it? A. If you have a membership problem or question, call the Microsoft Developer Network Service Center at (800) 759-5474. Q12. How can I send in a suggestion for the next version of MSDN? A. Please send in your MSDN suggestions to one of the following addresses: Internet: msdn@microsoft.com
Mail: Microsoft Developer Network
One Microsoft Way
Redmond, WA 98052-5399
Fax: (425) 936-2490
Attn: Developer Network
SECTION 2: Development Library Content Questions and AnswersQ1. When will the Office Development Kit (ODK) show up? A. Most of the ODK (what was ready) was shipped in the April Library. We're working to prepare and test the rest of the ODK so it will show up in its entirety in the July Library. SECTION 3: Development Platform Content Questions and AnswersQ1. Does the Development Library serve as the documentation for the Development Platform? A. Yes, the Development Library provides the documentation for the SDKs and DDKs distributed via the Development Platform, in addition to other information. Q2. Can I get printed copies of the documentation for the development kits included on the Development Platform? A. Yes. Printed copies of selected manuals can be ordered from Microsoft Press at (800) MS-PRESS for an additional cost. Documentation for the operating systems is not provided as part of the Developer Network. Q3. Why doesn't the Development Platform contain compilers? A. The full SDKs (tools, headers, libs, docs, and so forth) are included on the Development Platform. Traditionally, SDKs do not contain compilers. The Development Platform is intended to be a development platform to which you add the compiler of your choice from the vendor of your choice. The only exception to this rule is when a compiler is not generally available, such as the Alpha and MIPS compilers in the Win32 SDK. These will remain in the SDK (and thus the Development Platform) until these compilers are generally available. Q4. Will Windows 95 be included in the Development Platform? A. Windows 95 will be included once the Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA) is removed. We do not include NDA software on the Development Library or Platform. There are public Windows 95-related technical articles and other information on the Development Library. Q5. Why isn't Pen Windows on the Development Platform? A. Pen Windows is included in Windows 3.1. The only thing not included is the tablet driver that is specific to the pen tablet the customer is using (this comes from the tablet's manufacturer). The Pen SDK is included in the Windows 3.1 SDK, and pen driver samples are in the DDK. Q6. Does the Development Platform contain the MAPI SDK? A. Yes, the Development Platform contains the Simple MAPI SDK and CMC SDK, which are the kits developers need to mail-enable their applications. However, we don't have a full MAPI SDK, which would allow developing a MAPI- compatible mail provider. This SDK is not ready for distribution in the July Platform. Q7. What is the difference between the Simple MAPI SDK and Extended MAPI SDK? A. The Simple MAPI is a simple, quick API for mail-enabling applications so that apps can access the messaging features of Windows for Workgroups or Microsoft Mail 3.x. Extended MAPI is a more complex, object-oriented API for building messaging-reliant applications like mail clients, groupware applications, and so forth. The Extended MAPI is currently in beta and under NDA. Q8. Is the OLE 2.0 SDK 16-bit or 32-bit? A. It's 16-bit. The 32-bit OLE is included in the Windows NT 3.5 (Daytona) SDK. Q9. Is the MAC Mail 3.1 MPW C SDK to be included on the Development Platform? A. We are looking at this, but there are no current plans. Q10. Why isn't the LAN Manager PDK on the Development Platform? A. To include this content would require extensive work (specifically, for the documentation). We do not have enough demand for this content to justify the effort. We will continue to sell the LM PDK separately as long as we have customer demand and as long as MS continues to sell LAN Manager. Q11. When will Win G information show up on the Development Platform? A. We are planning on including the final version of WinG on the October Platform. SECTION 4: Development Library Support Questions and AnswersQ1. My search ranges keep disappearing. Why? A. There is a bug in the software. Ranges are stored in a file called VIEWER.INI which is located in your Windows directory. If you have lost your ranges, you can run Setup to have the default ranges restored. Create ranges you use often. Make a backup of VIEWER.INI. If your ranges should disappear again, simply restore the backup version of VIEWER.INI, or at least the search range section, [MSDNCDx. Ranges]. Q2. Where can I find the Development Library's sample code? A. The files referred to in the Knowledge Base are part of the Microsoft Software Library, which can be found on the Internet at ftp.microsoft.com in the /SOFTLIB/MSLFILES directory. Q3. Where is VxD Lite? A. VxD Lite was removed from the Development Library due to licensing issues. MSDN Level 2 members can use the DDK instead. Q4. Why do I get a General Protection Fault after double clicking on the Development Library icon? A. This problem can occur if the Library is trying to refer to a topic that does not exist. Edit VIEWER.INI in the Windows directory using a text editor. In the [MSDNCDx.Last] section, set Source=0. Save the file and try the Library icon again. Q5. My CD-ROM reports "Unable to read drive d:". What's wrong? A. The most common reason for this is debris and dust on the disc. Use a soft cloth or facial tissue and some water (mild detergent if necessary). Wipe the disc from the center to the edge. NEVER use solvents of any kind as they may have an adverse effect on the polycarbonate material that the CD is made of. The second most common reason is that the CD-ROM drive is in need of cleaning or repair. Some older CD-ROM drives are unable to read more than 540 MB on a CD. If you suspect a bad CD, call the Microsoft Developer Network order center at (800) 759-5474 and request a replacement disc. Q6. When I search I get a "An error has occurred: [1 | 5]". What's wrong? A. The Library search engine uses the space pointed to by the MS-DOS TEMP environment variable (usually set in AUTOEXEC.BAT). Be sure that TEMP is not assigned to a RAM drive. Some searches require as much as 4 megs, sometimes more! Be sure you have enough space on your hard drive. If TEMP is assigned to a network drive, the Windows directory will be used by default. There is a bug in the search engine that doesn't release the system resources it uses. This only happens when you use a custom "Restricted" range. After 5 or so searches, all of your system resources will be used up. Closing the Viewer software will free up the resources again. Q7. Copy has a 32k-limit. How can I copy larger articles? A. Use CTRL-INSERT instead of Edit.Copy. Alternatively, you can install the Generic/Text Only printer driver in Control Panel and Connect it to FILE:. When you print to this printer, you will be asked for a file name. Q8. Can I copy the Development Library contents to a large hard drive and run from there? A. Yes. See the CD insert for licensing information. Q9. Words like if and then are hyperlinked when they're used as normal words in sentences. Why? A. The hyperlinking process is automated. These 'false jumps' are a byproduct of the automated process. Q10. When I print a topic with a graphic that won't fit on a page, it is printed twice. Why? A. This is a known bug. There are no known workarounds. The problem has been addressed in the July Library. Q11. When printing a topic with a button to a Postscript printer I get a DIV error. Why? A. This is a known problem. Install the Olivetti HG 308 PS Postscript printer driver and try printing to your printer with that. Q12. I get a GPF in GDI.EXE at 0014:13FE when I print. Why? A. This GPF occurs when you try to print a topic with a graphic to certain printers. If you are printing to a Hewlett-Packard printer, try using the HP4/4M printer driver instead of your usual driver. This problem has been addressed in the July Library. Q13. I see a bunch of Dr. GUI graphics. What's wrong with my system? A. The "Dr. GUI" bitmap is an anchor for graphics that weren't prepped in time, or are not available in a format that can be converted to a viewable format for the Library. If there are important graphics missing, please send email to INTERNET:msdn@microsoft.com. Q14. I get a "String Parameter is missing an ending quotation mark." message. A. This bug is caused by attempts to open multiple instances of the Library software which is not possible. Q15. How do I get the Development Library to print correctly? The graphics usually print as a black box instead of the graphic, or I get an error during printing. A. Try copying the topic and pasting to word processing application. The Library software uses screen fonts and will not print correctly and can cause other errors with some printers and printer drivers. Pasting into a word processor will usually convert these fonts to printer or Windows TrueType fonts so that they can print correctly. This problem has been addressed in the July Library. Q16. I get a GPF or other error message during the Development Library set- up. What can I do? A. One suggestion is to manually install the Library. There is a text file on the Library with instructions on how to do this. Look for the file MANSETUP.TXT. Q17. I am on a network and can't install the Development Library. Why is setup failing? A. The Library uses Viewer 2.0 and will try to copy several files to the Windows \SYSTEM sub-directory. If you are running shared Windows from a network, setup may fail because it is unable to copy these files to the network drive. You must have write privileges to the drive where Windows is installed and running. SECTION 5: Development Platform Support Questions and AnswersQ1. Development Platform .DOCs and .WRIs are unreadable. Is my disc corrupt? A. The Development Platform contains all of the operating systems and SDKs, including international ones. Some versions (i.e. Japanese) use double-byte character sets. Files created for these systems can only be read on DBCS- enables systems). To find the equivalent files in English, look on the next disc in the same directory. Q2. The liner notes say that Service Pack (SP) 3 is on the Development Platform but I can only find SP 2. Why? A. The liner notes were incorrect. Service Pack 2 is the latest. It includes CSD003, which is the latest. Q3. Which Daytona forum should MSDN Level 2 members use to get support? A. GO DAYTONADEV is the developer forum for Windows NT 3.5 prerelease developers. Q4. The WHAT6 tools on the Development Platform point me to a net location. What's up? A. The tools had a bad setup that failed to copy some files and installed icons in the Program Manager that referenced locations on the Microsoft corporate network. The correct tools are on the July Development Library. Q5. I'm having problems installing Video for Windows from the April Development Platform. Why? A. The problem was not that the SDK did not install; it was that there was no entry to install the Video for Windows run time in our installer utility. This has been fixed for the July Platform. Q6. Where are the .ERR files the Help compiler needs? A. They were tough to find on the April Platform, but are available in the same directory as the Help compiler in the July Platform. Q7. Some of the Win32 SDK (disc five) is missing. How come? A. We omitted some things on the Win32 SDK and Windows NT DDK disc (Disc 5) in April. For example, we left off the CD audio tracks that are part of the hardware compatibility tests. We will be fixing this for the July release of the Platform. Q8. What utility is needed to view the files in the \DOC directory of Development Platform disc 8? A. Japanese Windows or Windows NT. SECTION 6: General Developer Questions and AnswersQ1. How do I get more information about DevCast? A. Send mail to >INTERNET:devcomm@microsoft.com. Q2. How do I participate in Microsoft product betas like the Windows 95 beta? A. Send a brief programming profile, company name, address and phone number, plus the name of the product you wish to test, to Email: >INTERNET:msdn@microsoft.com
Mail: Beta Coordinator - X product
Microsoft
One Microsoft Way
Redmond, WA 98052
FOR WINDOWS 95: email >INTERNET:winbeta@microsoft.com
Q3. How do I find out general non-technical information about Microsoft development products? A. Call the Microsoft Developer Solutions Team at (800) 426-9400. |
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Last reviewed: December 10, 1998
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