Using the Windows Binary Distribution

This page provides important information for users of the Ice binary distributions on Windows platforms.

On this page:

Overview of the Freeze Binary Distribution for Windows

The Freeze 3.7 binary distribution for Windows consists of two NuGet packages: zeroc.freeze.v120 and zeroc.freeze.v140.

These NuGet packages depend on the corresponding zeroc.ice packages and provide a C++ SDK to develop applications with Freeze and Visual Studio 2013 (zeroc.freeze.v120) or Visual Studio 2015 (zeroc.freeze.v140). These NuGet packages also contain the FreezeScript tools. You install these NuGet packages just like the zeroc.ice NuGet packages, as described in the Ice Release Notes.

The Freeze NuGet packages include the slice2freezej compiler, but don't include the Freeze for Java JAR file. If you want to develop with Freeze in Java, you need to build it from source.

NuGet Package Details

The following table shows the Freeze C++ NuGet package layout:

FolderDescription
build\native\includeC++ header files
build\native\lib\<Platform>\<Configuration>C++ import libraries
build\native\bin\<Platform>\<Configuration>C++ DLLs, FreezeScript tools, Berkeley DB tools
toolsslice2freeze and slice2freezej compilers
build\nativeVisual Studio property and target files

Installing the NuGet package imports the property and target files from the build\native folder into the project. The property file defines the following properties:

NameValueDescription
FreezeHome$(MSBuildThisFileDirectory)..\..Full path to the package root folder
FreezeToolsPath$(FreezeHome)\toolsFull path to the folder of the Slice compilers and FreezeScript tools

The targets file configures the C++ Additional Include Directories and Additional Library Directories to locate C++ headers and import libraries in the package's include and lib folders.

Using the Sample Programs

The freeze repository includes sample programs for Freeze. Simply clone this repository:

git clone -b 3.7 https://github.com/zeroc-ice/freeze.git
cd freeze/demos