diff --git a/README.md b/README.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..0ab62c9 --- /dev/null +++ b/README.md @@ -0,0 +1,38 @@ +# cb-legacy-dev: CodeBlocks for Legacy Software Development + +This is an IDE installer which creates a pre-configured environment that allows rapid GUI application development for Windows 3.11/Win32s (!), Windows 9x or modern targets, even with cross-platform capabilities. +It uses a bunch of configuration files, installation scripts, compilers, frameworks, sample C++ projects and wizard templates. This project heavily relies on CodeBlocks and wxWidgets framework. + +The main idea was to simplify the process of making simple applications for legacy systems as much as possible (you can create and run a test application for Windows 3.11 in less than a minute thanks to built-in configuration wizard). +And thanks to wxWidgets, which miraculously can work with Win32s-extended Windows 3.11 allows to avoid writing platform-specific code for an ancient system. The most recent version that works with Win32s is 2.8.12. + +**Video overview and tutorial: https://youtu.be/d6L272OApVg** + +[](https://youtu.be/d6L272OApVg) + +**Features:** +* Automatic installer (single batch file) +* Pre-configured CodeBlocks IDE +* Windows 3.11 and Windows 95 integrated with IDE (using DOSBox-X): you can build and run the application in Win 3.11/95 with a single mouse click +* Automatic Windows 3.11/95 installation in DOSBox-X: you provide your own genuine installation disks/CD +* Mouse and network integration between Win 3.11/95 guests and host system +* Easy GUI development thanks to wxWidgets and easy-to-use configuration wizards +* wxWidgets modified to work with Win 3.11 targets (version 2.8.12), version 3.0.5 modified to work with Win 95 +* Unicode for Win 9x targets thanks to MSLU/Unicows (works with wxWidgets 3.0.5) +* TDM-GCC 4.7.1 for Win9x+ targets, BCC5.5 compiler (needs to be downloaded separately) for Win 3.11/Win32s targets +* MinGW-w64 and wxWidgets 3.2 for modern 64-bit targets +* As a bonus: DJGPP and OpenWatcom compilers for DOS (with DOSBox integration) + +**Prerequisites:** +* Windows for Workgroups 3.11 English version installation disks - for Win 3.11 IDE integration +* Windows 95 OSR2 English installation CD (WIN95 subdirectory) - for Win 95 IDE integration +* free Borland 5.5 C++ compiler - installation script will try to download it automatically +* drivers and updates for Win 3.11/Win 95 - installation script will try to download them automatically + +**Screenshots:** + +![wxWidgets selection and Win 3.11/95 integration choice](docs/wizard1.jpg) +![Win 3.11 sample](docs/sample1.jpg) +![Win 3.11 sample](docs/w31.jpg) +![Win 3.11 video player](docs/w31vid.jpg) +![Win 95 sample](docs/w95.jpg)