Which version of Microsoft XML (msxml?.dll) to reference in my VB6 project

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+3 Q:

Which version of Microsoft XML (msxml?.dll) to reference in my VB6 project

I am starting getting to grips with XML through VB6. I frequently find the advice to reference version 2.6 of Microsoft XML. However, on my development computer I get a wealth of choices ranging from version 2 (msxml2.dll) to version 6 (msxml6.dll)

Which one to choose?

+2 A:

(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MSXML) If its new development work, then MSXML6 SP2 If you need to support Win95/98 then MSXML4 SP3

But echo Richard's views ... this is an obsolete technology stack.

nonnb 2010-07-15 11:08:19

+1 Just one thing: words like "obsolete" have a precise meaning. MSXML 6 is part of Windows 7, so Microsoft are committed to support it for at least 10 years. It's not "obsolete", in fact it's not even "deprecated". I'm sure Microsoft want to retire it as soon as they can, but that won't be for a while yet.

MarkJ 2010-07-15 12:21:26

I think that the 'obsolete' comment was geared toward VB6, not MSXML.

Nate Bross 2010-07-15 15:24:14

@Nate. Well, then, the same applies. The VB6 runtime is part of Windows 7 and Microsoft are committed to support it for at least 10 years. I'm positive they would **love** to kill VB6 tomorrow, but they can't. Too many of their large customers have tons of working VB6 code, and Microsoft haven't provided any upgrade path.

MarkJ 2010-07-15 16:05:10

Maybe we're arguing symantics, but VB6 IS obsolete, Microsoft maybe supporting it, but they are not activly improving it or adding features. They are simply including it in the test suit for Windows 7.

Nate Bross 2010-07-15 19:36:55

+2 A:

MSXML3 shipped with Internet Explorer 6, and is a pretty safe bet for being installed on all versions of windows today. If you are going to use a later version, you are going to have to ship the installer for it along with it. BTW nonnb is wrong and the supported version of MSXML4 SP3 is (see download details: ),

MSXML 4.0 SP3 is supported on the following operating systems:

Windows 2000
Windows Server 2003
Windows XP
Windows Vista
Windows Server 2008

and if you are going to go with an installer and not support Win95/98, you might as well go with MSXML6, use the latest code and use the MSI provided.

Kris Erickson 2010-07-15 15:20:36

+1 A:

I usually go with the XML Team's recommendations:

Using the right version of MSXML in Internet Explorer

I doubt this advice is limited to IE.

Summary: Use 6.0 if possible, 3.0 as a fallback.

Bob Riemersma 2010-07-16 04:04:59

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Which version of Microsoft XML (msxml?.dll) to reference in my VB6 project

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