Conference abbott::visual_basic

2516.0. "16 bit versus 32 bit determination" by NUBOAT::HEBERT (Captain Bligh) Thu Mar 13 1997 14:52

Something seems to be broken in my environment. I use VB 4 Pro in two
places: on my 486 at home that's running DOS and Windows 3.1 (16-bit
mode); and on the Alpha XL266 in my office that's running NT 4.0 and
FX!32 V1.1 (32-bit mode). I've been sneakernetting my source files back
and forth for about  a month with no problems. Then last week the system
in the office, on which I run the 32-bit VB, began exhibiting this new
behavior. 

When I launch VB it comes up in 32-bit mode. I can play around there,
create a new 32-bit app, all is fine.

If I load my project, VB switches over to 16-bit mode by itself. 

I can't find anything in the environment options that affects this. 

There are no elaborate custom controls... no data controls... all
strictly plain white bread off the menu. 

I've set some little traps in the code, and where I do #If Win32, it
shows that the system thinks it's in 32-bit mode. But VB will not
properly parse 32 bit-style file and directory names. i.e., embedded
spaces in file names or directory names get truncated at 8 characters and
at the first space encountered. And, sometimes at run time it converts
existing long file names to the 16 bit format (foo~1.bar etc), as in file
select boxes etc. 

The system was NOT doing this a week ago. I have not installed anything
new on the system...

Could I have nudged some obscure control somewhere?

Art

	Have you considered getting a copy of the VB 5.0 for Alpha NT
	and creating a native application?

	I know it doesn't help the current problem, but it's an
	alternative.

							mike

Well, that's actually under way. I have copied the 139mb ZIP file to my
system, and I've been chipping away at finding enough disk space to hold
the 309mb VB5-A. 

I tried to unzip the VB5-A kit and sort of found out that I needed a
later version of PKUNZIP than the one I had. so yesterday I downloaded
the PKWARE software that's specifically for our Alpha. Running *that*
against the humongous ZIP file results in "not enough virtual memory"
failures. 

So, I'm working on these issues. 

Meanwhile, it's intriguing that I can run the 32-bit VB 4 (Pro, by the
way) and watch it come up, complete with a stack of neat controls. Then
when I load my project VB 4 clips about six controls off the stack as if
to say "Sorry, 16-bit only."

I wonder if there's something in the .VBP file that switches between 16
and 32 bit?

Art