Installing Visual C++ 2010 Express
Installing Visual C++ 2010 Express
In this C++ video tutorial, we demonstrate how to install Microsoft's free C++ compiler and Integrated Development Environment (IDE): Visual C++ 2010 Express.
- To begin, open a browser and navigate to Microsoft's download page: http://www.microsoft.com/express/downloads/
- Down the page, left-click the triangle next to "Visual C++ 2010 Express" and then left-click the arrow under this to the right "Select language..." to expand the language list
- Left-click "English" to begin the download process. You may see a warning message at the top of the page telling you that Internet Explorer has blocked the download under the page tabs. Left-click this message bar to expand a menu of options. The top of the menu item reads "Download File," left-click it. (You may need to go back to the previous step to select English again.)
- At this point, you should see a dialog with the title "File Download - Security Warning." Left-click the "Run" button on the dialog and another dialog will pop up with the title "Internet Explorer - Security Warning." Left-click the "Run" button again. This will begin the setup wizard.
- You should now see the setup dialog with the words "Welcome to Setup" below the title bar. Left-click the "Next" button.
- This brings up the "License Terms." If you accept the terms, left-click the radio button next to "I have read and accept the license terms" and left-click the "Next" button.
- This brings up the installation options. These options will vary depending on your machine type and what is installed on it. Left-click the boxes next to whatever you would like to install and left-click the "Next" button.
- This takes you to the destination folder dialog. Left-click the "Install" button to accept the default installation location.
- This begins the installation and should see a window with the words "Download and Install Process" and a progress bar in it.
- If you are installing the "Microsoft .Net Framework 4," you will be told to restart your computer after it is installed. Close down all other programs that are running and then left-click the "Restart Now" button. Let the computer shut down and restart by itself.
- When the restart finishes, log in and you will see the installation continue for a while. After the installation finishes, you will see a window with the words "Setup complete" in it. Left-click the "Exit" button to finish the installation.
- Now we want to start up the IDE. Left-click the start button in the lower left-hand corner of the desktop. Left-click "All Programs" in the list.
- Find the "Microsoft Visual Studio 2010 Express" folder and left-click it. Then left-click the icon next to "Microsoft Visual Studio 2010 Express" below the folder.
- This opens the IDE and you are ready to begin programming C++. Although Microsoft Visual C++ 2010 Express is free to use, you will need to register it within 30 days of the installation. You can do this by following the directions at http://www.microsoft.com/express/support/regins/