C++ Error: name followed by '::' must be a

Question

So i made a windows32 C++ dll application in visual studio 2012 and then i added a windows form in the header files section and gave it the name "UserInterface.h". When i clicked the Add button i got a popup saying "You are adding a CLR component to a native project. Your project will be converted to have Common Language Runtime support. Do you wish to continue?" and i clicked yes and it made the files "UserInterface1.cpp" and "UserInterface1.h".

but in the "UserInterface1.h" there are errors all over. here are its contents:

#pragma once

namespace AssultCubeDLL {


    //ERRORS HERE: ******************************************************
using namespace System;
using namespace System::ComponentModel;
using namespace System::Collections;
using namespace System::Windows::Forms;
using namespace System::Data;
using namespace System::Drawing;

/// <summary>
/// Summary for UserInterface
/// </summary>
    // ERROS HERE: *********************************************************
public ref class UserInterface : public System::Windows::Forms::Form
{
public:
    UserInterface(void)
    {
        InitializeComponent();
        //
        //TODO: Add the constructor code here
        //
    }

protected:
    /// <summary>
    /// Clean up any resources being used.
    /// </summary>
    ~UserInterface()
    {
        if (components)
        {
            delete components;
        }
    }

private:
    /// <summary>
    /// Required designer variable.
    /// </summary>
           // ERRORS HERE: ************************************************
    System::ComponentModel::Container ^components;

    #pragma region Windows Form Designer generated code
    /// <summary>
    /// Required method for Designer support - do not modify
    /// the contents of this method with the code editor.
    /// </summary>
    void InitializeComponent(void)
    {
        this->SuspendLayout();
        // 
        // UserInterface
        // ERRORS HERE: *******************************************************
        this->AutoScaleDimensions = System::Drawing::SizeF(6, 13);
        this->AutoScaleMode = System::Windows::Forms::AutoScaleMode::Font;
        this->ClientSize = System::Drawing::Size(284, 262);
        this->Name = L"UserInterface";
        this->Text = L"UserInterface";
        this->Load += gcnew System::EventHandler(this, &UserInterface::UserInterface_Load);
        this->ResumeLayout(false);

    }
    #pragma endregion
private: System::Void UserInterface_Load(System::Object^  sender, System::EventArgs^  e) {
         }
};
}

I added comments to where the errors pop up like "Error: name followed by '::' must be a class or namespace name." does anyone know why i am getting these problems?

Answer 1

You will need to create a mixed mode application. Microsoft has clear instructions for the required steps.

The MS instructions will resolve the problem for System and System::Collections, but does not resolve the issues for System::ComponentModel, System::Windows::Forms, System::Data, and System::Drawing.

To compile, you must add references for the missing DLLs to the application. You can remove the using <System.Windows.Forms> from the stdafx.h file. Right-click properties and select References..., then select Add New Reference, then check the following DLLs

System
System.Data
System.Drawing
System.Windows.Forms

The code will now compile.