Hello everyone, I hope someone can help.

I have been working on a C++ DirectX9 demo game on-and-off for the last few years, and now that I have it finished I find that the agencies and companies I am sending it to as an example of my work can't run it.

It says that a directX .dll file is missing and refuses to run. I have asked them if they have the latest directX runtime installed and they have. I have even tried including the dll in the source folder but still no luck.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated,

Benn

We had simular problems with the Old MDX System, one way to fix it was to include the redist that matches the SDK that you are using inside your installer.

We found that even though people said they had the latest DX Installed they where only thinking of the DX9c, but as most of the dev guys know sometimes things change in the sdk that are not in the main dx9c release, so either publish the redist package inside your instaler or point them to the current Web Installer for the DX System.

I have not yet experimented with the installer software as yet, this problem is occuring when they try to simply run my .exe file. I had a friend update his DX and then try it and he had the same problem. It is really frustrating when I have put a lot of time and effort in for me to be stuck at the final hurdle :(

Do I need to include the redist files in the folder that my demo.exe is?

Thanks again

Benn

The problem as always here is likely that the machines that don't work have not got some of the optional files. You cannot actually answer the questions 'do you have the right DirectX 9 installed' unless you have run the web installer since that makes sure you have ALL the files.

Installing the SDK just installs the core files and THAT SDKs optional files.

Using a machine where someone says they have DirectX 9 installed just means they have the core files and possibly some of the optional files.

So either get them to run the web installer - INSIST ON IT! (folk will ignore you and tell you they don't need to). If it still fails after this then you have screwed something up in your app - missing media or hard coded paths or something.

-or- follow the SDK instructions and make a proper installer that include the redist for the SDK you are using. If you want to impress with a demo then this is the way to do it anyway. Not understanding how the DX runtime works and sending out non running apps is not a great way to get a job.

The ZMan [MVP/Moderator]:

So either get them to run the web installer - INSIST ON IT! (folk will ignore you and tell you they don't need to).

ZMan's crazy, don't listen to him. :) (hey ZMan, long time no see. still can't get em to put the old forum back. at least kill this one cause its making the main DX9 dev forums look sad with their un-use. ;) ) Anyhow, I had the same problem you had. The problem is that they don't have a specific dx9 dll that gets installed with i'm assuming is the SDK. Goto C:\Windows\System32. Do a "dir d3dx*.dll /s" at the command prompt with cmd.exe. You'll notice a ton of d3dx_##.dll files. Here's my list for reference:

Microsoft Windows [Version 6.0.6000]
Copyright (c) 2006 Microsoft Corporation.  All rights reserved.

C:\Windows\system32>dir d3dx*.dll /s

 Directory of C:\Windows\system32

11/29/2006  01:06 PM           440,080 d3dx10.dll
10/02/2007  09:55 AM           487,784 D3DX10d_36.dll
03/15/2007  04:57 PM           443,752 d3dx10_33.dll
05/16/2007  04:45 PM           443,752 d3dx10_34.dll
07/19/2007  06:14 PM           444,776 d3dx10_35.dll
10/02/2007  09:56 AM           444,776 d3dx10_36.dll
10/02/2007  09:55 AM         3,799,400 d3dx9d_33.dll
10/12/2007  03:13 PM         3,896,336 D3DX9d_36.dll
02/05/2005  07:45 PM         2,222,800 d3dx9_24.dll
03/18/2005  05:19 PM         2,337,488 d3dx9_25.dll
05/26/2005  03:34 PM         2,297,552 d3dx9_26.dll
07/22/2005  07:59 PM         2,319,568 d3dx9_27.dll
12/05/2005  06:09 PM         2,323,664 d3dx9_28.dll
02/03/2006  08:43 AM         2,332,368 d3dx9_29.dll
03/31/2006  12:40 PM         2,388,176 d3dx9_30.dll
09/28/2006  04:05 PM         2,414,360 d3dx9_31.dll
11/29/2006  01:06 PM         3,426,072 d3dx9_32.dll
03/12/2007  04:42 PM         3,495,784 d3dx9_33.dll
05/16/2007  04:45 PM         3,497,832 d3dx9_34.dll
07/19/2007  06:14 PM         3,727,720 d3dx9_35.dll
10/12/2007  03:14 PM         3,734,536 d3dx9_36.dll
11/02/2006  04:46 AM            53,248 d3dxof.dll
              22 File(s)     46,971,824 bytes

     Total Files Listed:
              22 File(s)     46,971,824 bytes
               0 Dir(s)  39,685,636,096 bytes free

C:\Windows\system32>

As you can see, there seems to be a new dll with every SDK revision. A very messy system in my opinion. Ingenious if you want to force developers to spread the DX install to all people. Get them to clean that implementation up if you can ZMan. :) So, just make sure they have the latest d3d9_##.dll you have and put it in the same directory as your executable. That should solve the problem. If not, go with ZMan's advice. Hope that helps.

ps. beware installers. i've worked with InstallShield, and its good, but do you really want to risk polluting a potential employers machine showing off your elite code if it doesn't go "right" and "breaks" their machine? just something to think about.

The d3dx files are ONE OF the optional parts of DX that I talked about and though some people dont like the design its very good becuase it measn that for the very changeable parts of dx that change due to game industry requests you dont have to worry about backward compatibility.

making sure you have the LATEST will not always help. You need to have the one that the developers of the app used...

Which is why i jsut keep telling people to run the web installer... it will put all the versions on your machine.. mkes it compatbile with all apps. Don't just 'get d3dx' either.. who knows what people have added...

For reference XACT files and XInput files also have the potential to change each SDK... its only 3 times a year so nothing to worry about.... disk space is cheap.

Props to ZMan for burning the midnight oil. I didn't know people on the west coast worked after 5pm. :) Anyhow, ZMan is correct. His method is the safest for 99% of the cases, and I'd go with his advice. My solution is a "quick-fix" method if u just want to quickly show a friend yer demo and yer friend hates installing anything new, DX installer included, on their machine. Even MS people like ourselves have linux-M$-hating friends that don't like to install anything, including the MS OS sometimes. And what better way to convert them by showing them how D3D kicks opengl's a$$.

MS (and us MVPs) do not condone or support copying random bits of the DX runtimes. It is in fact directly agaisnt the EULA. If you mess up you (or your customers) machine doing this, or you put their machine at a secrity risk becuase MS cannot patch the DLL becuase its in the wrong place then... well its your fault...

There are just 2 supported methods... the web installer and writing your own installer using the DX SDK official redist. There is NEVER (not even 1%) a good reason to do it any other way. There are many other things that need to be right than just d3dx...