How to use VisualC++ for Maya Plug-in

I'm writing These for Maya animator who want to know how to start writting own Plug-in.
Now Microsoft give us Visual C++ as Free.
It's good chance to learn how to make plug-in for Maya without any costs.

1.How to install and setting Microsoft Visual C++ 2005 Express Edition

Reference
http://www.awug.dk/community/index.php?action=profile;u=2;sa=showPosts

- Download and install Microsoft Visual C++ 2005 Express Edition
   http://lab.msdn.microsoft.com/express/visualc/default.aspx
(or Microsoft Visual C++ 2005 Express Edition Japanese version)
http://www.microsoft.com/japan/msdn/vstudio/express/visualc/

- Download and install Microsoft Platform SDK for x86.
   http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyId=A55B6B43-E24F-4EA3-A93E-40C0EC4F68E5&displaylang=en

-How to install PlatformSDK(I'm explaining it in this document)
   http://msdn.microsoft.com/vstudio/express/visualc/usingpsdk/

Then Open C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio 8\VC\VCProjectDefaults\corewin_express.vsprops
Replace
AdditionalDependencies="kernel32.lib"
to
AdditionalDependencies="kernel32.lib user32.lib gdi32.lib winspool.lib comdlg32.lib advapi32.lib shell32.lib ole32.lib oleaut32.lib uuid.lib"
Save and Close.

Then Start Visutal C++ 2005 Express Edition
from menu, Tool -> Options -> Projects and Solutions -> VC++ Directories
Show directories for: Include/Library/Executable Files:

   Include: C:\Program Files\Alias\Maya7.0\include and C:\Program Files\Microsoft Platform SDK\Include
   Library: C:\Program Files\Alias\Maya7.0\lib and C:\Program Files\Microsoft Platform SDK\Lib
   Execute: C:\Program Files\Alias\Maya7.0\bin and C:\Program Files\Microsoft Platform SDK\Bin

- Below is setting of project. Maybe you might need to set each time when you make new project.
   (Gray lines are not necessary)

    from menu, Project -> Properties
    Configuration Properties -> General -> Configuration Type: Dynamic Library (.dll).

    C/C++ -> General -> Additional Include Directories:C:\Program Files\Alias\Maya7.0\include; C:\Program Files\Microsoft Platform SDK\Include
    C/C++ -> Preprocesser -> Preprocessor Definations: WIN32;_DEBUG;_WINDOWS;_USRDLL;NT_PLUGIN
        If you are using iostream, also you need to add REQUIRE_IOSTREAM.
        and be careful. this option has small difference between debug and release.
    C/C++ -> Code Generation -> Runtime Library: Multi Threaded or Multi-threaded Debug DLL (/MDd)

    Linker -> General -> Output file: yourProject.mll
    Linker -> General -> Additional Library Directories: C:\Program Files\Alias\Maya7.0\lib; C:\Program Files\Microsoft Platform SDK\Lib
    Linker -> Input ->Additional Dependencies:odbc32.lib odbccp32.lib OpenMaya.lib Foundation.lib
    Linker -> Command Line -> Additional Options: /export:initializePlugin /export:uninitializePlugin

2.Project Settings

VC8 can't use Maya7 plug-in wizard.
Actually you don't need to use that, but you might be confused about project setting.
Below lists are the project settings made by Plug-inWizard with VC7.
I also attached VC8 setting converted from VC7 project.

General
General

Debugging

Command and Symbol Path is empty when I open the HelloWorldProject with VC7.

CPP>General
CPP_General

Additional Include Directories
..\..\include
Debug Information Foramt
Program Database for Edit & Continue(/ZI)(Debug Mode)

CPP>Optimization
CPP_Optimization

CPP>Preprocessor
CPP_Preprocessor

There are no _AFXDLL and _MBCS in helloWorldProject.

CPP>CodeGeneration
CPP_CodeGeneration

Only Release mode of helloWorld, It has
Enable String Pooling Yes(/GF)
Enable Function-Level Linking Yes(/Gy)

CPP>Language
CPP_Language

Everything No in HelloWorld.

CPP>Precompiled Headers
CPP_Precompiled Headers

CPP>OutputFiles
CPP_OutputFiles

helloWorld is
ASM List Location .\Debug/
Object File Name .\Debug/
Program Database File Name .\Debug/

CPP>BrowseInformation
CPP_BrowseInformation

CPP>Advanced
CPP_Advanced

Compile As Default in HelloWorld.

CPP>CommandLine
CPP_CommandLine

Linker>General
Linker_General

Enable Incremental Linking No(/INCREMENTAL:NO)
Suppress Startup Banner Yes(/NOLOGO)
Additional Library Directories ..\..\lib

Linker>Input
Linker_Input

In HelloWorldProject, Additional Dependencies Also have
odbc32.lib
odbccp32.lib

Linker>Debugging
Linker_Debugging

Linker>System
Linker_System

InHelloWorldProject, SubSystem is
Windows(/SUBSYSTEM:WINDOWS)

Linker>Optimization
Linker_Optimization

Linker>EmbeddedIDL
Linker_EmbeddedIDL

Linker>Advanced
Linker_Advanced

InHelloWorldProject,Target Machine is
MachineX86(/MACHINE:X86)

Linker>CommandLine
Linker_CommandLine

InHelloWorldProject, There are only
/export:initializePlugin /export:uninitializePlugin

3.How to solve Error

These are my experiences.
If you got any problem when compiling&building your program, just check these examples.

error LNK2001: unresolved external symbol "public: virtual bool __thiscall MPxCommand::hasSyntax(void)const "

    Make sure your prject setting is correct.
    C/C++ -> Preprocesser -> Preprocessor Definations: WIN32;_DEBUG;_WINDOWS;_USRDLL;NT_PLUGIN
    Linker -> Input ->Additional Dependencies:odbc32.lib odbccp32.lib OpenMaya.lib Foundation.lib

error C2872: 'ostream' : ambiguous symbol
or
error C2065: 'cerr' : undeclared identifier

    include <iostream> and add REQUIRE_IOSTREAM to
    C/C++ -> Preprocesser -> Preprocessor Definations

fatal error LNK1104: compiler can't open 'libcimtd.lib'

    .Net 2002 code compiled with .Net 2003.
    libcimtd.lib is used with old iostream lib. and .Net2003 doesn't support this.
    change <iostream.h> to <iostream>

    and also you might need to add this after this line.
    using namespece std;

error C2065: 'i' : undeclared identifier

    if your code has such aline like his

    for (i=0;i<numSurface;i++)

    you had better change it to

    int i=0;
    for (;i<numSurface;i++)
    Maybe C++ need to define everything even such a small variable.

error LNK2001: unresolved external symbol "__declspec(dllimport) public: virtual __thiscall-----
error LNK2001: unresolved external symbol "__declspec(dllimport) public: void __thiscall-------

    Include the library:
    OpenMayaUI.lib

error LNK2019: unresolved external symbol "__declspec(dllimport) public: __thiscall MFnParticleSystem::MFnParticleSystem(void)"

    Include the library:
    OpenMayaFX.lib

Error: line 1: initializePlugin function could not be found in plug-in (your plug-in) //

    check project propaty and make sure all include&lib is correct version of Maya.
    and make sureLinker>command Line contains
    /export:initializePlugin /export:uninitializePlugin

debug is ok, release was error.But mll was created.

    Linker>General>Redister Output No
    (I'm not sure...)

LINK : warning LNK4098: defaultlib 'LIBCMT' conflicts with use of other libs; use /NODEFAULTLIB:library
libcpmtd.lib(xdebug.obj) : error LNK2019: unresolved external symbol __malloc_dbg referenced in function "void * __cdecl operator new(unsigned int,struct std::_DebugHeapTag_t const &,char *,int)" (??2@YAPAXIABU_DebugHeapTag_t@std@@PADH@Z)
libcpmtd.lib(xdebug.obj) : error LNK2019: unresolved external symbol __free_dbg referenced in function "void __cdecl operator delete(void *,struct std::_DebugHeapTag_t const &,char *,int)" (??3@YAXPAXABU_DebugHeapTag_t@std@@PADH@Z)

    I got this trouble when I changed Multi-thread DLL to Multi-thread.
    Remove _DEBUG from Preprocessor Definitions.

My plug-in works OK with my PC, but it doesn't work with other machine.
(Environment issue: Visual C++ 2005 Express)

    Change Multi-thread DLL to Multi-thread.
    It will include librarys inside DLL. Plug-in file size will become bigger.
    Delete all additional include file except OpenMaya.lib Foundation.lib.
    odbc32.lib odbccp32.lib OpenMaya.lib Foundation.lib -> OpenMaya.lib Foundation.lib
    At leaset, You had better Remove _DEBUG!
    Details

4.Technique

How to put message
    1) Put your message into Maya scriptEditor.
        MString tmpStr = ( "Values: " );
        tmpStr += (value);
        MGlobal::displayInfo(tmpStr);
        (*of course you need to define these value previously.)

    2) Output to OutputWindow.
        cout << "inputGeometry1 " << inputGeometry.apiTypeStr()<< endl;
      cerr << "aaa"<< endl;

      you don't need to care about type of variable with this way. that's good point.
        Although, you might need to include iostream.

5.Reference