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Dave Novo

Windows Software Development Kit - why?

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When installing Delphi 10.4.2 or Delphi 11 it prompts me to install the Windows Software Development Kit. With lots of options (see below). What do I need that for? Are any of the things in the Development Kit necessary for Delphi to run properly? Or are these ancillary tools and/or libraries that are completely optional?

 

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Edited by Dave Novo
clarified affected Delphi versions

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The docs are pretty clear: https://docwiki.embarcadero.com/RADStudio/Alexandria/en/Installation_Notes#Windows_10_SDK

Quote

Windows 10 SDK

If you choose to install C++ or Delphi support for RAD Studio, the RAD Studio installer eventually opens the Windows 10 SDK installer, which is required for Desktop Bridge support.

You need to install the Windows 10 SDK to have the complete Windows API header files.

If you do not want to install the Windows 10 SDK, close the Windows 10 SDK installer when it opens.

 

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That means that without Windows SDK, Delphi is working but you can't build MSIX packages. Or there are also other downsides?

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Well, I also have no more info as the docs provide. In my personal experience I didn't notice any quirks when skipping the SDK installation.

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5 minutes ago, Cristian Peța said:

are also other downsides?

If you're exclusively a high level application developer then you probably don't need the SDK, but if you plan to do anything close to the OS then you should install and familiarize yourself with the development tools that comes with the OS. Imagine if your Lamborghini mechanic didn't have the official Lamborghini tools... Would you let him/her mess with your Countach?

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13 minutes ago, Anders Melander said:

Imagine if your Lamborghini mechanic didn't have the official Lamborghini tools... Would you let him/her mess with your Countach?

Official Lamborghini screwdriver and Official Lamborghini wrench? XD

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Thanks for all the help. Out of curiosity, aside from the SDK docs, which are easily available on the internet and we use all the time, are there any particular tools from the Windows SDK that you recommend? We use Innosetup for creating installers and it seems to have what we need. Although maybe it uses the MSIX from the SDK installed with Delphi behind the scenes, I have never checked that deeply.

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7 hours ago, Anders Melander said:

If you're exclusively a high level application developer then you probably don't need the SDK, but if you plan to do anything close to the OS then you should install and familiarize yourself with the development tools that comes with the OS. Imagine if your Lamborghini mechanic didn't have the official Lamborghini tools... Would you let him/her mess with your Countach?

At least I'd be careful with letting an official Ferrari mechanic touch my Enzo 😉 

Ferrari Enzo zerstört: Mechaniker zerlegt bei Spritztour Millionen-Rarität | STERN.de

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6 hours ago, Dave Novo said:

are there any particular tools from the Windows SDK that you recommend?

That really depends on what you're doing. If you at least start by finding out what's in the SDK (you can probably do that online) then you will know it's there when the need arises.

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