DirectX8 and Vista Compatibility

(split from http://forums.microsoft.com/MSDN/ShowPost.aspx PostID=1221168 to make a new question)

It is interesting that you say that because I am testing a VB6 app that was working fine on XP and below but now fails on Vista when it tries to create a DirectX8 object, specifically

Set oDX = new DirectX8

throws Error 429, ActiveX failed to create component.

Running in XP SP2 compatibility mode does not work either.

I would be really grateful if anyone has any ideas on this.  I also tried running the latest DX9 redistributable because I heard that was providing backward compatibility, but to no avail.

Thanks.

I have read on this forum and elsewhere that Vista supports earlier versions of DirectX through the use of DirectX9. Yet, I have a DirectX8 application that works perfectly well on XP but fails on Vista. Specifically:

set oDX = new DirectX8

returns Error 429 ActiveX failed to create component.

The reason this happens is because dx8vb.dll is missing on Vista RTM. When I copy this file onto my system and register it, my application works. So my questions:

1. Is dx8vb.dll missing by design, or will it be added in later Vista DX distributions
2. I need to fix my application for Vista so is it safe to redistribute just this dll (I tried running the DX8.1 runtime distribution on Vista to reinstate this file but without success. The installation appears to perform a version check and then report success without actually doing anything.)

Incidentally, I am not alone in experiencing this problem:
http://toca.game-editing.net/forum/viewtopic.php t=785&sid=e86d82f7f792a21560de765ce70dd023
http://www.bhmotorsports.com/board/viewtopic.php t=41474&sid=56
http://amabilis.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/2046019974/m/99610713631
http://www.truevision3d.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php t=14624

Thanks.

I had the same problem.

I was able to resolve it by copying DX8VB.DLL from an XP system into the Windows\System folder of Vista and registering it as a COM object (you know, the whole regsvr32 thing...)

Microsoft mistakenly forgot to include that DLL in the Vista installation, so you need to include it in your own games setup.

Hope that helps.

David

I'm not sure how it could be a violation. The file is included as part of the Direct8 and 9 redistributable. It's no different than installing the file via the directx installation package. The difference being that you can't install either DX8 or 9 onto Vista to get that file into the system. I'd be more than happy to stick to the regular system of installing an DirectX redistributable package onto the system and putting that file in place, unfortunately, that no longer works.

Microsoft claims they fully support VB6 on Vista. They also claim they fully support DirectX8 on vista.. so.. if they fully support both, then that file should have been included. So I consider it a mistake.. it had to have been an oversight. There's simply no way they could have left it out on purpose requiring a huge multitude of commercial games, medical applications, physics simulations, and myriad of other VB6 created programs to be rewritten in VB.Net and using DX9..which in of itself requires a huge rewrite of code. Not to mention having to deal with the performance hit and unsecured executable.

VB6 can't use DX9 because it was designed for VB.net (a mistake too but that's personal opinion). So, Microsoft is either going to have to change their EULA and allow that file to be installed as part of the games installation package, or they're going to have to install it onto the system during on of their Windows Updates. VB6 applications that use DirectX (and there are far, far more commercial programs doing this than some would believe) require this file. There are no if's, and's, or but's.

David

I'm sure you've probably seen this, but this is the support statement from Microsoft on VB6 and vista.

http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/vbasic/ms788708.aspx

I can not find DX8VB.DLL on either list of supported or not supported support files. Likely because, although it's specific to VB6, it's distributed with DirectX.

In my case, the program effected is a game called maximum-football (www.maximum-football.com). This is a commerical video game (providing both arcade play and coaching simulation).

I simply can not upgrade that project due to;

- Length of time to update.. it would take me months to move the code to VB.net and DirectX9

- Cost. Microsoft isn't paying me to update, so they shouldn't be forcing me to.

- Performance. I have a test harness that I use for testing portions of the game before they go into the central stream of code. I have upgraded one of these test harness to VB.net (although still using the DX8 COM DLL) and the performance was brutal. VB6 clearly gives better performance. (and yes, I had the .net build in release configuration). I simply can't update my code to these new technologies and then ask my customer base to go and buy brand new computers to play a game.

- VB.Net's executables are not secure. I simply don't trust a commercial app to be left in IL. Nore do I trust the obscuficators (sp ).

At this point, I'm telling my customer base, and potential customers to stick with WindowsXP. Those that have already migrated I tell them to download a copy of DX8VB.DLL that is available from various locations and register it with their system. At the moment, my installation package does not include that particular file, but it probably will in the next month to two months simply because it's poor customer experience to buy a game and then have to go and download system files from some 'back alley' on the Internet.

As to your point about raising concern. I agree, everyone should. Unfortunately, my personal experience is that it goes unheard. I have even approached MSFT staff at developers conventions during break out Q&A sessions about support for VB6 and DirectX and honestly, they look at me like a deer caught in headlights. The honest feeling I get is that either they just have nobody there that understands this stuff, or nobody at Microsoft cares about the millions of visual basic developers NOT building web sites or databases. I have offered to sit down with Microsoft staff and show them the challenges (and downright impassable obstacles) they are lumping onto existing developers, but frankly they seem to just not care if you're not coding in C++/C# and using the latest, greatest (which usually it isn't) technologies.

To give an extremely short list of the other VB6/DX8 commercial apps I'm aware of. I know of a company here in BC that builds applications that allow dentists to work with virtual models of a patents teeth prior to surgery. I know of another company that built a 3D virtual 18 wheeler driving simulator for teaching new drivers before getting on the real road. I know of another group of people building simulators in the Netherlands to simulating flooding in regions so they can properly develop dikes and other defenses.

I also know of at least one commerical graphics engine (www.truevision3D.com) that makes use of that dll as well.   

One other big one I forgot about. My 3D modelling program (which is what I use to create and animate my 3D models), TrueSpace 6.0 has DX8VB.DLL as a dependency. Milkshape, 3DCanvas, etc.. all have that dll as a dependency.

So, simply put, by not properly supporting existing games & applications a lot of commercial ventures are at risk... DirectX simply isn't a C++ thing anymore...

David