x64 builds and Windows 7

[Ralf Habacker]

Casper van Donderen schrieb:
 > I knew all the stuff about only being able to use x64 DLL's and stuff
 > only on x64, that's why I was saying: make a different installer. then
 > you can have the x64 installer set KDEROOT_X64 env var
on windows it is not required to set any environment var for kde.
 > and when the user then accidentally downloads the 32-bit installer 
too that would
 > say: nothing installed yet because it cannot find the installed x64
 > packages....
 >
 > The biggest problem will be the mixing of 32 and 64 bit packages. I
 > think we have to split that out as early as possible.
 >
 > Say the 32-bit package of kget is available but the 64 isn't. the guy
 > is using the universal installer on x64 and pushes the button: 'look
 > for 32-bit packages' he finds kget and downloads that. Then in the
 > worst case his system will lock up....
 >
You assume that 32 bit and 64 bit package could be installed into one
install root, which is not possible with the current installer.

The installer will ask you for a installation root and a compiler type.
On a x64 system he will be able to choose between msvc 64 and msvc 32 
bit (maybe mingw32/64 too).
Then he can install packages only of the choosen type into the selected 
install root, because x64 packages have the x64 term in the package name.
When he run next time the installer and choose the same install root, he
is not able to change the compiler type for this install root. He can
again only install packages for the previously selected compiler.

If he wants to install 32 bit packages too, he can start the installer,
choose a different install root, select 32bit msvc compiler and is able
to installs 32 bit applications without any interferences with the 64bit
installation.

 > I think your solution pasted above causes a lot more work for the
 > people making the installer/emerge scripts will it not?
 >
No, this logic is already implemented in the installer, there is only
the gui part for choosing x64 compiler and small fixes for x64 packages
files detection required.

The emerge system is also ready for creating x64 packages, you have only 
to set the EMERRGE_ARCHITECTURE environment variable to x64.

 > (I don't have x64 compatible Visual Studio (Express edition can't do
 > that) and need to find out if I can compile packages for XP/Vista with
 > the Win7 SDK, or that I need to use the 2k5 PSDK. (anyone know this?)
 >
This VS is included in the msdn, maybe KDE e.V. can sponsor a license
for this.

Regards
  Ralf