[Mono-list] Mono version for Win ME/9x (searching for Serge :-)))

[Serge]

Hello,

there are two problems with Mono on Win9x.
1) Win9x systems lack Unicode APIs; only handful of them implemented, some just stubbed.
Mono uses Unicode versions of Win32 APIs to avoid unnecessary conversions.
There is Microsoft Layer for Unicode Library, that emulates these calls, but there are certain problems
with linking this library using LD linker.
So I wrote a simple wrapper for Unicode Library, it's available here [1].
Someone else also coded a similar library (libunicows), it can be used as well.
The trick is to rebuild Mono, placing wrapper library before kernel32 and others Win32 libs in the linker's
specs file, so that corresponding API calls would be overriden by wrapper library calls.

2) There is another problem, somehow related to Boehm Garbage Collector. On Win9x,
after running Mono for some time, machine simply locks/hangs. This happens either when
running Mono itself for sufficiently long time, or afterwards when launching arbitrary app, or
when restarting system. Compiling Mono without GC solves this problem, but running without
GC imposes certain limitations on what kind of programs you will be able to execute with Mono.

All in all, at the moment, to use Mono under Win9x, the only way is to build it yourself, using
Unicows library (and optionally without GC). Contact me if you need detailed instructions.

Please note, that if you want to start playing with C# on your 9x-machine, there is another options.
Microsoft .NET Framework Redist (see [2]) can be installed under 98/ME systems, it includes
C# compiler (or you could use MCS).
It lacks documentation and some tools (such as ildasm, debugger and C++ compiler).
(In fact with a bit of hacking it's possible to install full .NET SDK under 9x, but redist is enough
to start writting C# programs).


Sergey


[1] http://mono.eurosoft.od.ua/files/unimono.zip
[2]
http://msdn.microsoft.com/downloads/default.asp?url=/downloads/sample.asp?url=/msdn-files/027/001/829/msdncompositedoc.xml&frame=fal
se



----- Original Message -----
From: Vixon
To: mono-list@ximian.com
Sent: Saturday, August 17, 2002 11:21 PM
Subject: [Mono-list] Mono version for Win ME/9x (searching for Serge :-)))


Hi at all from a new (italian) programmer interesting in MONO...
Some days ago I download mono 4 windows from http://www.superin.formativ.net/mono/mono.htm and after the installation on my "old" PC
(Pentium II 266Mhz, 96Mb RAM, operating system Windows ME) I try to compile from the DOS prompt some short C# program (helloworld.cs
and some others vey very simple program)...but at this point I see on the screen a "continuous scrolling" of the some message
"(process:4294674131): ** WARNING **: System.IO.SeekOrigin unknown value 0xffffffff". I try also with a demo program included in the
mono 4 windows but the same happen...
I try to compile the program using the batch file using tha batch file mcs, msc myfile.cs....but something don't work correctly..I
ask to Guenther Roith mailto:groith@tcrz.net to help me, but Johannes write to me, that he will be in Denmark for the next two weeks
and also that mono 4 win don't work on Win9x/ME, and he write also to ask Serge 8on this list) if is possible to understand my
problem or try to generate a mono version for win ME....Serge is possible ? Please, I'm very interesting in C# but I want this use
my "old" PC and so I cannot install Microsoft .NET framework SDK and so on....

Thank you and Best Regards to Johannes, Serge and all the friend of this list that will help me !!
Vixon
vixon@libero.it