A simple Visual Studio project template for creating Windows Forms applications using C++/CLR.
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If you encounter any bugs or issues, feel free to report them or leave feedback on the Marketplace page.
A simple Visual Studio project template for building Windows Forms applications using C++/CLR.
This template provides a project structure similar to the standard C# Windows Forms Application template available in Visual Studio.
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Compatibility: The template has been tested with Visual Studio 2022. If you encounter issues with Visual Studio 2017 or 2019, please report them.
Watch the installation and setup guide
You can also learn more about Windows Forms and C++ GUI development.
Older versions of Visual Studio provided easier support for creating Windows Forms projects with C++/CLR. In newer Visual Studio versions, there is no equivalent project template available by default.
This extension provides a simple starting point for creating GUI applications using C++/CLR, Windows Forms, and the .NET Framework.
Download and run the extension installer.
Once installed:
- Open Visual Studio.
- Select Create a new project.
- Search for CppWinForms.
- Select the project template and create your project.
If you receive a build tools or platform toolset error:
Open the project properties and select the Visual Studio version installed on your system under:
Configuration Properties → General → Platform Toolset
Apply the changes and rebuild the project.
The default form can be found in:
Header Files → MyForm.h
Open MyForm.h to use the Visual Studio Windows Forms Designer.
If the Designer initially displays an error:
Close MyForm.h, wait a few seconds for Visual Studio to finish loading the project, and open the file again.
If you find a bug or have a suggestion for improving the template, feel free to report it through the project or contact through GitHub.