Create C++ GUI project

Bryan Kelly 401

Windows 11, VS Professional 2019, Version 16.11.44, C++

I want to create a project that starts up with a GUI.

Select project template: Windows Desktop Application. The text states: A project for an application with a graphical user interface that runs on Windows. The options are: C++, Windows, Desktop.

Create that project, do an immediate build and run. It opens what looks like a console window. It does not open a GUI.

I suspect the basic looping function to service a GUI is not present.

Look in Solution Explorer -> Header Files, Resource files, Source Files and there is nothing that looks like a blank GUI to edit.

Look in Resource view -> Dialog and the only item there is only IDD_ABOUTBOX

Looking through all the template options does not reveal anything that looks like I need.

What are the steps to create an application with a GUI? A GUI that can be edited with the “Toolbox” and drag and drop tools?

Bryan Kelly 401 Reputation points

2025-02-13T04:33:22.99+00:00

I attempted to post this question a minute ago. After the puzzle displayed a verification complete message, the web page then proclaimed 404 - page not found. This has been common for me. Do others get this often?

And it did this a second time. And a third. Fourth.

The URL is: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/answers/questions/2157098/create-c-gui-project

Fifth time: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/answers/questions/2157099/create-c-gui-project

I saved those URLs and tried to visit them, 404 for each

Sixth: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/answers/questions/2157100/create-c-gui-project
RLWA32 47,256 Reputation points

2025-02-13T08:05:50.1+00:00

I have also experienced the frustrating situation that you have described. The tag to use when you post your complaint and ask for resolution is Microsoft Q&A
Bryan Kelly 401 Reputation points

2025-02-15T05:52:35.73+00:00

Several years ago, I very distinctly remember using VS C++ such that it created a default and simple Windows / GUI project. Without writing any code or adding any extensions, the selected project template opened up a GUI ready to use. I then opened the "Toolbox," dragged some controls on the GUI, compiled, ran, and there they were. All the support software to monitor for things such as button clicks was already present. Where do I find such a project in VS 2019? Do I need to upgrade to something later?
Bryan Kelly 401 Reputation points

2025-02-18T20:09:12.0033333+00:00

Following the guidance from RLWA32 on 15 Feb

Open the Visual Studio Installer and click Modify …

Action: Start VS -> Create a new Project -> Scroll down to the bottom of the templates -> click on “Install more tools and features”

Guidance: Under the "Installation Details" pane expand the node for "Desktop Development with C++".

Action: The first item was already checked. Enabled “C++ MFC for …”. Enabled “C++CLI support…” Because it was enabled in your image and not mine. Enable all the C++ Modules and tools, just to improve the odds of success. Enable: MSVC V140 – vs 2015 C++ build tools (v14.00) and build tools.

Enable five options for Windows SDK, I presume Software Development Kit, just to improve the odds of success.

Click “Install while downloading”

Waited to install to complete, paused this task for a few days

Now the system has three MFC options. Tried three times and within a few seconds of creating the Create button, received two dialogs with errors. Those will be posted.

Create a new directory: D:\VS and put the new project in there with a never before used name.

Options taken: template MFC Application, Application type changed to Dialog, in Advanced Features disable ActiveX controls.

Same results.

And to make it easy: VS Professional 2019, Version 16.11.44

Microsoft .NET Framework Version 4.8.09032

Suggestions please.
Bryan Kelly 401 Reputation points

2025-02-18T20:12:42.71+00:00

Second attempt to post this.

Following the guidance from RLWA32 on 15 Feb

Open the Visual Studio Installer and click Modify …

Action: Start VS -> Create a new Project -> Scroll down to the bottom of the templates -> click on “Install more tools and features”

Guidance: Under the "Installation Details" pane expand the node for "Desktop Development with C++".

Action: The first item was already checked. Enabled “C++ MFC for …”. Enabled “C++CLI support…” Because it was enabled in your image and not mine. Enable all the C++ Modules and tools, just to improve the odds of success. Enable: MSVC V140 – vs 2015 C++ build tools (v14.00) and build tools.

Enable five options for Windows SDK, I presume Software Development Kit, just to improve the odds of success.

Click “Install while downloading”

Waited to install to complete, paused this task for a few days

Now the system has three MFC options. Tried three times and within a few seconds of creating the Create button, received two dialogs with errors. Those will be posted.

Create a new directory: D:\VS and put the new project in there with a never before used name.

Options taken: template MFC Application, Application type changed to Dialog, in Advanced Features disable ActiveX controls.

Same results.

And to make it easy: VS Professional 2019, Version 16.11.44

Microsoft .NET Framework Version 4.8.09032

Suggestions please.
RLWA32 47,256 Reputation points

2025-02-18T20:20:10.7+00:00

I give up. You did things that I did not tell you to do.
Bryan Kelly 401 Reputation points

2025-02-18T20:57:24.4966667+00:00

Third attempt to post. Cleared browsing history and restarted MS Edge

Following the guidance from RLWA32 on 15 Feb

Open the Visual Studio Installer and click Modify …

Action: Start VS -> Create a new Project -> Scroll down to the bottom of the templates -> click on “Install more tools and features”

Guidance: Under the "Installation Details" pane expand the node for "Desktop Development with C++".

Action: The first item was already checked. Enabled “C++ MFC for …”. Enabled “C++CLI support…” Because it was enabled in your image and not mine. Enable all the C++ Modules and tools, just to improve the odds of success. Enable: MSVC V140 – vs 2015 C++ build tools (v14.00) and build tools.

Enable five options for Windows SDK, I presume Software Development Kit, just to improve the odds of success.

Click “Install while downloading”

Waited to install to complete, paused this task for a few days

Now the system has three MFC options. Tried three times and within a few seconds of creating the Create button, received two dialogs with errors. Those will be posted.

Create a new directory: D:\VS and put the new project in there with a never before used name.

Options taken: template MFC Application, Application type changed to Dialog, in Advanced Features disable ActiveX controls.

Same results.

And to make it easy: VS Professional 2019, Version 16.11.44

Microsoft .NET Framework Version 4.8.09032

Suggestions please.
Bryan Kelly 401 Reputation points

2025-02-19T01:45:15.0866667+00:00

Fourth attempt to post here.

I followed the instructions and added the MFC components.

The first item was already checked. Enabled “C++ MFC for …”.

Enabled “C++CLI support…” Because it was enabled in your image and not mine. Enable all the C++ Modules and tools, just to improve the odds of success. Enable: MSVC V140 – vs 2015 C++ build tools (v14.00) and build tools.

Enable five options for Windows SDK, I presume Software Development Kit, just to improve the odds of success.

Click “Install while downloading”

Waited to install to complete, paused this task for a few days.

Started a new project using template: MFC App, where the description is: Builds apps with complex user interfaces the run on Windows.

Left almost all the options unchanged, but disabled ActiveX.

The build failed complaining about: Error HRESULT E_FAIL. Did a few searches then created a completely new directory for my projects and tried again. Same error. I will post the two error dialogs.

Have you any suggestions?
Bryan Kelly 401 Reputation points

2025-02-19T01:47:16.6966667+00:00

Oops, after I post, I now see my previous post.

My apologies.
Minxin Yu 12,841 Reputation points Microsoft Vendor

2025-02-19T14:07:50.77+00:00

Something in VS (such as VS configuration files) may be corrupted, or this is a potential issue in previous versions of Visual Studio. Delete the .vs and .suo files, then reopen the project.

4 answers

RLWA32 47,256 Reputation points

2025-02-13T08:02:53.4666667+00:00

If you wait for Visual Studio 2019 to finish everything (including background tasks) when it creates a new Windows Desktop Application the following is what you should see after expanding the Header Files, Resource Files and Source Files nodes in Solution Explorer.

I suggest you completely delete whatever you were previously working with and try again. Before attempting to Build and Run the project post a screenshot identical to the above so we can see what you are working with.
Please sign in to rate this answer.
Bryan Kelly 401 Reputation points

2025-02-14T04:59:24.4433333+00:00

To RLWA32

Here are my actions

Start VS, Create a new project.

Select template: Windows Desktop Application, Next. Project name is test04, then Create. Time is 8:37.

Start Task Manager and watch. Visual Studio is not doing anything. This is a 2.9 Gig system with 32 Gig memory so should be reasonably fast. Check again after typing this, sort Task Manager by name and Visual Studio is 0 or 0.1 %. Its now 8:40 so I presume the project completion is complete.

Opened up Solution Explorer, expanded it, and posted the screen shot. As best I can tell the top level window looks exactly like your screen shot, down to all the code.

Found a GUI in Resource View -> Windows Project1, under menu item Dialog, named IDD_ABOUTBOX. Put a Static Text control in there with “test string”

Build the solution, 1 succeeded. Run it with no changes. It presents what looks like a command line dialog. Not a GUI. Shrink it down and post it here.

Does that help any? Run_dialog next.

Solution Explorer

RLWA32 47,256 Reputation points

2025-02-14T08:19:55.9266667+00:00

VS2019 created exactly what you asked for. It is a GUI application. If you examine the generated code in test04.cpp you will see the code needed to create a Win32 GUI application.

Bryan Kelly 401 Reputation points

2025-02-15T04:54:23.3766667+00:00

RLWA32,

I made a reply, but it is not in this thread again. To repeat, in short, everything on my system looks exactly like your posts. I will add two screen shots. Image Solution_explorer.png shows that expanded. Image run_dialog.png shows the dialogs after the app is started. I edited the only thing that looks like a GUI to no availa. Nothing looks like a GUI.
Sign in to comment

Use comments to ask for clarification, additional information, or improvements to the question.
Minxin Yu 12,841 Reputation points Microsoft Vendor

2025-02-13T08:06:00.7366667+00:00

Hi,

The basic GUI project:
Windows Desktop Application

It opens what looks like a console window.

Can you provide more information, a screenshot of the running program. There may be multiple projects in the solution and the GUI project is not executed.

GUI editing is available for dialog box instead of Window.

You may need MFC Dialog based project.

Best regards,

Minxin Yu

If the answer is the right solution, please click "Accept Answer" and kindly upvote it. If you have extra questions about this answer, please click "Comment".

Note: Please follow the steps in our documentation to enable e-mail notifications if you want to receive the related email notification for this thread.
Please sign in to rate this answer.
Bryan Kelly 401 Reputation points

2025-02-14T05:07:52.8733333+00:00

To Minxin Yu,

I think my reply to RLWA32 meets your request. I started a new project and checked each of the 21 templates without finding MFC anything. In the search box of the “Create a new project” the text MFC dialog” was entered and no results found.

“MFC Dialog” does not seem to be what is wanted. Can you provide some additional guidance?

Minxin Yu 12,841 Reputation points Microsoft Vendor

2025-02-14T05:31:45.9433333+00:00

Install MFC component in Visual Studio Installer.

Minxin Yu 12,841 Reputation points Microsoft Vendor

2025-02-14T05:36:56.3333333+00:00

For Win32, please read the tutorial:
https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/win32/learnwin32/your-first-windows-program

The dialog box you edit can be opened in help -> about

RLWA32 47,256 Reputation points

2025-02-14T12:16:22.32+00:00

I think we have been down this road before -- https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/answers/questions/1421117/visual-studio-2022-forms-using-c

Bryan Kelly 401 Reputation points

2025-02-15T04:48:39.62+00:00

RLWA32,

You are right about going down this road before. I was not able to get an MFC project, became discouraged, and gave up. So try it again. I had a major crash, lost everything, and am now running VS 2019. I don’t have the key to 2021. But that should not be a problem.

In the dialog “Create a new project,” none of the options have MFC. At the bottom is a link: Install more tools and features.” Click it to get a Visual Studio Installer. It states: All installations are up to date.

OK, lets try the Modify button. That produces several groups of options.

Web and Cloud: Don’t want either one

Desktop & Mobile:

                .NET desktop development: already checked

                Universal Windows Platform development: checked

                Desktop development with C++: checked

                Mobile development with .NET: checked but not interested

                Mobile development with C++: not interested

Gaming

                Not interested, nothing about MFC or anything that looks like GUI dialog

Other Toolsets

                Data storage and processing: not interested

                Data science and analytical application, including Python and F#: no

Other Toolsets: None appear to be what I need.

&&&&&&&&&

So: How do I get MFC installed and available for use? A search indicated it has been around since 1992 so should be available in VS 2019.
Sign in to comment

Use comments to ask for clarification, additional information, or improvements to the question.
Castorix31 87,066 Reputation points

2025-02-14T08:35:01.3133333+00:00

What are the steps to create an application with a GUI? A GUI that can be edited with the “Toolbox” and drag and drop tools?

You can also use C++/CLI with WinForms, where you can drag/drop controls on the main Form, as explained in the archived thread : Create C++ Windows Forms application in Visual Studio 2017

(it works too with other VS versions)
Please sign in to rate this answer.

0 comments No comments
Sign in to comment

Use comments to ask for clarification, additional information, or improvements to the question.
RLWA32 47,256 Reputation points

2025-02-15T08:06:57.1566667+00:00

It sounds like you had created an MFC dialog-based application.

Open the Visual Studio Installer and click Modify to display the installed workloads.

Under the "Installation Details" pane expand the node for "Desktop Development with C++".

Select the two components (MFC/ATL) as highlighted in the image below and install them.

When the installer has finished, close it.

Now you should be able to run VS2019 and see the choice for "MFC App" when you want to create a new project. While the new project is being created in the MFC Application Type window choose "Dialog based" in the Application type dropdown as highlighted in the image below. When the new project creation is complete you should have what you want

.
Please sign in to rate this answer.
RLWA32 47,256 Reputation points

2025-02-17T11:32:20.78+00:00

@Bryan Kelly, Did you get MFC installed? Create the dialog-based project?

Bryan Kelly 401 Reputation points

2025-02-20T00:52:53.82+00:00

This is my fifth attempt to post here. Using the comment options rather than the answer options.

I followed the instructions and added the MFC components.

The first item was already checked. Enabled “C++ MFC for …”.

Enabled “C++CLI support…” Because it was enabled in your image and not mine. Enable all the C++ Modules and tools, just to improve the odds of success. Enable: MSVC V140 – vs 2015 C++ build tools (v14.00) and build tools.

Enable five options for Windows SDK, I presume Software Development Kit, just to improve the odds of success.

Click “Install while downloading”

Waited to install to complete, paused this task for a few days.

Started a new project using template: MFC App, where the description is: Builds apps with complex user interfaces the run on Windows.

Left almost all the options unchanged, but disabled ActiveX.

The build failed with two error dialogs. The first stated only: Cannot open file. Not helpful. The second complained about: Error HRESULT E_FAIL. Did a few searches then created a completely new directory for my projects and tried again. Same error. I will post the two error dialogs.

Have you any suggestions?

Minxin Yu 12,841 Reputation points Microsoft Vendor

2025-02-20T07:43:45.2+00:00

I've converted past duplicate answers into comments.
Sign in to comment

Use comments to ask for clarification, additional information, or improvements to the question.

Your answer