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Microsoft Foundation Class Library

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Microsoft Foundation Class Library
Developer(s)Microsoft
Initial release1992; 32 years ago (1992)
Stable release
14.22.27821.0 / July 24, 2019[1]
Written inC++
Operating systemMicrosoft Windows
LicenseProprietary
Websitedocs.microsoft.com/en-us/cpp/mfc/mfc-desktop-applications

Microsoft Foundation Class Library (MFC) is a C++ object-oriented library for developing desktop applications for Windows.

MFC was introduced by Microsoft in 1992 and quickly gained widespread use. While Microsoft has introduced alternative application frameworks since then, MFC remains widely used.

History

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MFC was introduced in 1992 with Microsoft's C/C++ 7.0 compiler for use with 16-bit versions of Windows as an extremely thin object-oriented C++ wrapper for the Windows API. C++ was just beginning to replace C for development of commercial application software at the time. In an MFC program, direct Windows API calls are rarely needed. Instead, programs create objects from Microsoft Foundation Class classes and call member functions belonging to those objects. Many of those functions share their names with corresponding API functions.[2]

One quirk of MFC is the use of "Afx" as the prefix for many functions, macros and the standard precompiled header name "stdafx.h". During early development, what became MFC was called "Application Framework Extensions" and abbreviated "Afx". The name Microsoft Foundation Classes (MFC) was adopted too late in the release cycle to change these references.

MFC 8.0 was released with Visual Studio 2005. MFC 9.0 was released with Visual Studio 2008. On April 7, 2008, Microsoft released an update to the MFC classes as an out-of-band update to Visual Studio 2008 and MFC 9.[3] The update features new user interface constructs, including the ribbons and associated UI widgets, fully customizable toolbars, docking panes which can either be freely floated or docked to any side and document tabs.[4]

MFC was initially a feature of the commercial versions of Visual Studio. As such, it is not included in the freeware Visual C++ Express.[5] The Community edition of Visual Studio, introduced in 2014, however, includes MFC.

Object Windows Library (OWL), designed for use with Borland's Turbo C++ compiler, was a competing product introduced by Borland around the same time. Eventually, Borland discontinued OWL development and licensed the distribution of the MFC headers, libraries and DLLs from Microsoft[6] for a short time, though it never offered fully integrated support for MFC. Borland later released Visual Component Library to replace the OWL framework.

Features

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MFC is a library that wraps portions of the Windows API in C++ classes, including functionality that enables them to use a default application framework. Classes are defined for many of the handle-managed Windows objects and also for predefined windows and common controls.

At the time of its introduction, MFC provided C++ macros for Windows message-handling (via Message Maps[7] ), exceptions, run-time type identification (RTTI), serialization and dynamic class instantiation. The macros for message-handling aimed to reduce memory consumption by avoiding gratuitous virtual table use and also to provide a more concrete structure for various Visual C++-supplied tools to edit and manipulate code without parsing the full language. The message-handling macros replaced the virtual function mechanism provided by C++.

The macros for serialization, exceptions, and RTTI predated availability of these features in Microsoft C++ by a number of years. 32-bit versions of MFC, for Windows NT 3.1 and later Windows operating systems, used compilers that implemented the language features and updated the macros to simply wrap the language features instead of providing customized implementations, realizing upward compatibility.

The MFC ribbon resource editor allows the developer to design the ribbon graphically instead of having to use the XML-based declarative markup like the RibbonX API. Optionally, ribbon components may be programmed directly by calling a new set of ribbon class methods. The developer may mix graphical and programmatic ribbon development as is convenient. The MFC application wizard has also been upgraded to support the new features, including a check-box to select whether the application will use the ribbon or the docking panes. The new functionality is provided in new classes so that old applications still continue to run.[4] This update builds on top of BCGSoft’s BCGControlBar Library Professional Edition.[8] Microsoft has imposed additional licensing requirements on users of the ribbons.[9] These include a requirement to adhere to Microsoft UI Design Guidelines, and an anti-competition clause prohibiting the use of the UI in applications which compete with Microsoft Office.

MFC can be used by linking a static library or by adding the MFC DLL.

Versions

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Product Library Version Release date
Name Version
Microsoft C/C++ 7.0 mafxcw.lib MFC 1.0 1992
Microsoft Visual C++ 1.0 Visual C++ 1.0 mfc200.dll MFC 2.0
Visual C++ 1.5 mfc250.dll MFC 2.5
Visual C++ 1.51 mfc250.dll MFC 2.51
Visual C++ 1.52c mfc250.dll MFC 2.5 (Last development platform for Windows 3.x)
Microsoft Visual C++ 2.0 Visual C++ 2.0 mfc30.dll MFC 3.0
Visual C++ 2.1 mfc30.dll MFC 3.1
Visual C++ 2.2 mfc30.dll MFC 3.2
Microsoft Visual C++ 4.0 Visual C++ 4.0 mfc40.dll MFC 4.0 (mfc40.dll included with Windows 95) August 1995
Visual C++ 4.1 mfc40.dll MFC 4.1
Visual C++ 4.2 mfc42.dll MFC 4.2 (mfc42.dll included with the Windows 98 original release) March 1998
eMbedded Visual C++ 3.0 mfc42.dll MFC 4.2
Microsoft Visual C++ 5.0 Visual C++ 5.0 mfc42.dll MFC 4.21
Microsoft Visual C++ 6.0 Visual C++ 6.0 mfc42.dll MFC 6.0 1998
eMbedded Visual C++ 4.0 mfcce400.dll MFC 6.0
Microsoft Visual C++ .NET 2002 Visual C++ .NET 2002 (Visual C++ 7.0) mfc70.dll MFC 7.0 February 13, 2002
Microsoft Visual C++ .NET 2003 Visual C++ .NET 2003 (Visual C++ 7.1) mfc71.dll MFC 7.1 April 24, 2003
Visual C++ .NET 2003 + MS11-025 (KB2465373)[10] MFC 7.10.6119.0 April 12, 2011
Microsoft Visual C++ 2005 Visual C++ 2005 (Visual C++ 8.0) mfc80.dll 8.0.50727.42 April 10, 2006
Visual C++ 2005 SP1 8.0.50727.762 August 27, 2007
Visual C++ 2005 SP1 + MS09-035 (KB973544)[11][12] 8.0.50727.4053 July 28, 2009
Visual C++ 2005 SP1 + MS11-025 (KB2467175)[10] 8.0.50727.5592 April 12, 2011
Visual C++ 2005 SP1 + MS11-025 (KB2538242)[10][13] 8.0.50727.6195 (included in redist 8.0.61000/8.0.61001[14]) June 14, 2011
Visual C++ 2005 SP1 + MS11-025 (KB2643995)[15][16] 8.0.50727.6229 2021-01-25?
Microsoft Visual C++ 2008 Visual C++ 2008 (Visual C++ 9.0) mfc90.dll 9.0.21022.8 November 19, 2007
Visual C++ 2008 + MS09-035 (KB973551)[11][12] 9.0.21022.218 July 28, 2009
Visual C++ 2008 with Feature Pack 9.0.30411 April 22, 2008
Visual C++ 2008 SP1 9.0.30729.1 August 11, 2008
Visual C++ 2008 SP1 + MS09-035 (KB973552)[11][12] 9.0.30729.4148 July 28, 2009
Visual C++ 2008 SP1 + MS11-025 (KB2467174)[10] 9.0.30729.5570 April 12, 2011
Visual C++ 2008 SP1 + MS11-025 (KB2538243)[10] 9.0.30729.6161 (installer has version 9.0.30729.5677) June 14, 2011
Microsoft Visual C++ 2010 Visual C++ 2010 (Visual C++ 10.0) mfc100.dll 10.0.30319.1 April 12, 2010[17]
Visual C++ 2010 + MS11-025 (KB2467173)[10] 10.0.30319.415 April 12, 2011
Visual C++ 2010 SP1 10.0.40219.1 March 10, 2011
Visual C++ 2010 SP1 + MS11-025 (KB2565063)[10] 10.0.40219.325 August 9, 2011
Microsoft Visual C++ 2012 Visual C++ 2012 (Visual C++ 11.0) mfc110.dll 11.0.50727.1 September 12, 2012
Visual C++ 2012 Update 1 11.0.51106.1 November 26, 2012
Visual C++ 2012 Update 3 11.0.60610.1 June 26, 2013
Visual C++ 2012 Update 4 11.0.61030.0 November 13, 2013
Microsoft Visual C++ 2013 Visual C++ 2013 (Visual C++ 12.0) mfc120.dll 12.0.21005.1 October 17, 2013
Visual C++ 2013 Update 2 12.0.30501.0 May 12, 2014
Visual C++ 2013 Update 5 + KB3138367 12.0.40649.5 February 2016?[18][16]
Visual C++ 2013 Update 5 + KB3179560 12.0.40660.0 July 8, 2016[19]
Visual C++ 2013 Update 5 + KB4032938 12.0.40664.0 July 18, 2017[20]
Microsoft Visual C++ 2015 Visual C++ 2015 (Visual C++ 14.0) mfc140.dll 14.0.23026.0 July 20, 2015
Visual C++ 2015 Update 1 14.0.23506.0 November 30, 2015[21]
Visual C++ 2015 Update 2 14.0.23918.0 March 30, 2016[22]
Visual C++ 2015 Update 3 14.0.24210.0 June 27, 2016[23]
Visual C++ 2015 Update 3 14.0.24212.0 August 18, 2016
Visual C++ 2015 Update 3 + KB3165756 14.0.24215.1 September 15, 2016[24]
Visual C++ 2015 Update 3 14.0.24245.0 November 13, 2018
Visual C++ 2015 Update 3 14.0.24247.2 June 13, 2023
Microsoft Visual C++ 2017 Visual C++ 15.0 mfc140.dll 14.10.25008.0 March 7, 2017
Visual C++ 15.1? 14.10.25017.0 April 5, 2017?
Visual C++ 15.2 14.11.25325.0 May 10, 2017
Visual C++ 15.4 14.12.25810.0 October 9, 2017
Visual C++ 15.6 14.13.26020.0 March 5, 2018
Visual C++ 15.7 14.14.26405.0 May 7, 2018
Visual C++ 15.7.3? 14.14.26429.4 May 31, 2018
Visual C++ 15.8 14.15.26706.0 August 14, 2018
Visual C++ 15.9 14.16.27012.6 November 13, 2018
Visual C++ 15.9.5 14.16.27024.1 January 8, 2019
Visual C++ 15.9.6 14.16.27026.1 January 24, 2019
Visual C++ 15.9.9 14.16.27027.1 March 12, 2019
Visual C++ 15.9.15 14.16.27033.0 August 13, 2019
Visual C++ 15.9.67 14.16.27052.0 October 8, 2024
Microsoft Visual C++ 2019 Visual C++ 16.0.0 mfc140.dll 14.20.27508.1 April 2, 2019?
Visual C++ 16.1.0 14.21.27702.2 May 21, 2019
Visual C++ 16.2.0 14.22.27821.0 July 24, 2019
Visual C++ 16.3.0 14.23.27820.0 September 23, 2019
Visual C++ 16.4.0 14.24.28127.4 December 3, 2019
Visual C++ 16.5.0 14.25.28508.3 March 16, 2020
Visual C++ 16.6.0 14.26.28720.3 May 19, 2020
Visual C++ 16.6.3 14.26.28808.1 June 30, 2020
Visual C++ 16.7.0 14.27.29016.0 August 5, 2020
Visual C++ 16.7.5 14.27.29112.0 September 29, 2020
Visual C++ 16.7.8 14.27.29114.0[note 1] November 10, 2020
Visual C++ 16.8.0 14.28.29325.2 November 10, 2020
Visual C++ 16.8.2 14.28.29334.0 November 19, 2020
Visual C++ 16.9.0 14.28.29910.0 March 2, 2021
Visual C++ 16.9.2 14.28.29913.0 March 16, 2021
Visual C++ 16.9.4 14.28.29914.0 April 13, 2021
Visual C++ 16.10.0 14.29.30037.0 May 25, 2021
Visual C++ 16.10.2 14.29.30038.0 June 15, 2021
Visual C++ 16.10.4 14.29.30040.0 July 20, 2021
Visual C++ 16.11.0 14.29.30133.0 August 10, 2021
Visual C++ 16.11.4 14.29.30135.0 October 5, 2021
Visual C++ 16.11.9 14.29.30139.0 January 11, 2022
Visual C++ 16.11.32 14.29.30153.0 November 14, 2023
Visual C++ 16.11.41 14.29.30156.0 October 8, 2024
Microsoft Visual C++ 2022 Visual C++ 17.0.0RC mfc140.dll 14.30.30704.0 October 13, 2021
Visual C++ 17.0.5 14.31.30708.0 January 14, 2022
Visual C++ 17.1.0 14.31.30818.0 October 27, 2021
Visual C++ 17.1.0 14.31.30919.0 December 23, 2021
Visual C++ 17.1.0 14.31.31005.0 January 26, 2022
Visual C++ 17.1.0 14.31.31103.0 January 26, 2022
Visual C++ 17.2.0 14.32.31302.0 March 17, 2022
Visual C++ 17.2.0 14.32.31326.0 April 9, 2022
Visual C++ 17.2.5 14.32.31332.0 July 1, 2022
Visual C++ 17.4.0 14.34.31931.0 November 9, 2022
Visual C++ 17.4.5 14.34.31938.0 February 14, 2023
Visual C++ 17.6.0 14.36.32532.0 May 16, 2023
Visual C++ 17.7.1 14.38.32919.0 August 11, 2023
Visual C++ 17.8.0 14.38.33130.0 November 15, 2023
Visual C++ 17.8.6 14.38.33135.0 February 6, 2024
Visual C++ 17.9.4 14.40.33617.1 March 19, 2024
Visual C++ 17.9.4 14.40.33810.0 May 1, 2024
Visual C++ 17.9.5 14.40.33816.0 October 8, 2024

See also

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Notes

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  1. ^ Last version of library officially supporting Windows XP.[25]

References

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  1. ^ "Visual Studio 2019 Release Notes". Msdn.microsoft.com. Retrieved July 24, 2019.
  2. ^ Visual C++ Express Overview
  3. ^ "Visual C++ 2008 Feature Pack shipped". Blogs.msdn.com. Retrieved April 26, 2008.
  4. ^ a b "Quick Tour of New MFC functionality". Blogs.msdn.com. Retrieved September 10, 2019.
  5. ^ "Visual Studio Express Edition FAQ". Microsoft.com. Archived from the original on June 11, 2011. Retrieved January 6, 2012.
  6. ^ "Microsoft Buys Into Inprise, Settles Disputes". Techweb.com. Archived from the original on October 17, 2007. Retrieved January 6, 2012.
  7. ^ Williams, Mickey; David Bennett. "Creating Your Own Message Maps". Inform IT.
  8. ^ "MFC Update Powered By BCGSoft". Msdn2.microsoft.com. Retrieved November 16, 2007.
  9. ^ "Visual C++ 2008 Feature Pack Release Download Page". Microsoft.com. Retrieved May 16, 2008.
  10. ^ a b c d e f g "MS11-025: Vulnerability in Microsoft Foundation Class (MFC) Library could allow remote code execution: April 12, 2011". Microsoft.com. Retrieved June 10, 2019.
  11. ^ a b c "Microsoft Security Bulletin MS09-035 - Moderate: Vulnerabilities in Visual Studio Active Template Library Could Allow Remote Code Execution (969706)". Microsoft.com. Retrieved November 19, 2012.
  12. ^ a b c "Protect your computer from the Active Template Library (ATL) security vulnerability". Archived from the original on October 26, 2010. Retrieved October 29, 2010.
  13. ^ "Microsoft Visual Studio 2005 Service Pack 1 MFC Security Update". Microsoft.com. Retrieved November 19, 2012.
  14. ^ "Where can I download Visual C++ Redistributables?". Retrieved June 10, 2019.
  15. ^ "FIX: "HRESULT: 0x80073715" error when you install an application by using an .msi file if the file is merged with merge modules for the Visual C++ 2005 runtime library". Microsoft.com. January 25, 2021.
  16. ^ a b vcredist/source_links/README.md > Source Links Archive
  17. ^ "Visual C++ - Exploring New C++ and MFC Features in Visual Studio 2010". Msdn.microsoft.com. Retrieved November 19, 2012.
  18. ^ "Update for Visual C++ 2013 and Visual C++ Redistributable Package". Msdn.microsoft.com. Retrieved January 8, 2017.
  19. ^ "Update for Visual C++ 2013 and Visual C++ Redistributable Package". Msdn.microsoft.com. Retrieved January 8, 2017.
  20. ^ "Update for Visual C++ 2013 Redistributable Package". Retrieved June 10, 2019.
  21. ^ "Visual Studio 2015 Update 1". Msdn.microsoft.com. Retrieved June 12, 2016.
  22. ^ "Visual Studio 2015 Update 2". Msdn.microsoft.com. Retrieved June 12, 2016.
  23. ^ "Visual Studio 2015 Update 3". Msdn.microsoft.com. Retrieved June 28, 2016.
  24. ^ "Microsoft Visual Studio 2015 Update 3 (KB3165756)". Msdn.microsoft.com. Retrieved August 28, 2016.
  25. ^ C++ binary compatibility between Visual Studio versions

Further reading

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