Not showing compiler directories options on Windows on ARM64

[p0nce]

Hello,
and thanks for all that work!

Problem
I have trouble with VisualD on an arm64 Windows using VS 2022:

Hence, can't open VisualD projects generated through DUB, can't build if you have bad compiler paths.

Tested with VisualD:

• Visual D 1.4.0-rc5
• VisualD-v1.3.1

(I'll continue and try downgrading VisualD)

Version of VS:

Apparently this is an arm64 build that lags behing the x86_64 one?

I'm looking for a workaround to configure the compiler outside of this UI but didn't find one.

[rainers]

I suspect it is not only the settings dialogs that is not properly automatically translated to ARM, but you could try to edit the settings in the registry: The settings are stored in a private registry of VS, i.e. you can open the registry editor, select HKLM, then use "Load Hive" from the file menu to select a file similar in name as %APPDATA%\Local\Microsoft\VisualStudio\17.0_5c9c7cd8\privateregistry.bin (VS must not be running). When mounted to "vs2022", the Visual D settings can be found here: Computer\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\vs2022\Software\Microsoft\VisualStudio\17.0_5c9c7cd8\ToolsOptionsPages\Projects\Visual D Settings. Probably the most important one is "DMDInstallDir", but you might want to compare these with an Intel-system.

Don't forget to unload the hive before starting VS.

[p0nce]

Hello I don't see such keys there in the privateregistry.bin file, only UIDs to pages and package, and Sort keys.

What I see is the DMDInstallDir in HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\WOW6432Node\VisualD but modifying the path there doesn't seem to change anything with those pages and also the openability of .visualdproj

I will try to run the full installer instead. (oh well after running VIsualD+LDC+DMD rc5 installer, Visual Studio doesn't open, uninstalling everything to redo it)

[rainers]

I suspect what you see is what the installer and the extension manifest file added to the registry. Windows is supposed to auto-translate the x64 extension DLL to ARM code (similar to Rosetta on mac), but it probably fails to do so and the DLL doesn't load. I can't test that currently due to lack of an Win on ARM system, though.

[p0nce]

Some more info: uninstall everything + reinstall VS2022 community (with every Windows SDK) + VisualD

then opening the Options leads to 'package VisualD wasn't loaded correctly'.

In the activity log, the line says:

  <entry>
    <record>328</record>
    <time>2025/01/26 16:52:02.271</time>
    <type>Error</type>
    <source>VisualStudio</source>
    <description>No InprocServer32 registered for package [Visual D]</description>
    <guid>{002A2DE9-8BB6-484D-987F-7E4AD4084715}</guid>
    <hr>0x800700c1</hr>
    <errorinfo></errorinfo>
    <path>C:\Program Files (x86)\VisualD\x64\visuald.dll</path>
  </entry>

[rainers]

From what I read about VS on ARM, it is probably not compiled for ARM64EC, so it doesn't support x64 extensions. A lot of people complain about their loss of extensions.

[p0nce]

Yes, I wish there was a way to use the x86_64 version but there isn't.
I'll probably end up purchasing an old VS like 2015?

[p0nce]

Future readers, here is a way to debug D code interactively on Windows arm64, as of Jan 2025.

1. Buy Visual Studio Enterprise version <= 2019 , you may find that for about $30. I suspect older VS would be faster.
2. The VS installer will recommend you not to use the x86_64, as it is slow. And indeed it is very slow. Select C++ Desktop development as always.
3. Download a VisualD, I used Visual D 1.4.0-rc4. Convince Defender it is not a virus.
4. Ideally install VisualD on a Dev drive, else Defender will scan every process getting launch. Your own development environment is better on a Dev drive (a virtual or physical partition of the disk). Your D compilers, your repositeries, all should also be on a Dev drive.
5. Use the Mago debugger and be patient. Load .sln generated with DUB with VS 2019. Rebuild all for each debugging.

[rainers]

Thanks for the info. That made me remember that the dmd installer also contains a download link for the Community version of VS 2019, see https://github.com/dlang/installer/blob/master/windows/d2-installer.nsi#L64.

Use the Mago debugger and be patient. Load .sln generated with DUB with VS 2019.

The VS debugger extension doesn't work on ARM?

[p0nce]

I'm not sure, it seems to hang on startup, unless I'm mistaken.

[rainers]

Visual D and the debugger extension are now built for ARM64, too: https://github.com/dlang/visuald/releases/tag/v1.4.0-rc6

[p0nce]

Wow, thank you so much!