f# console app doesn't work. c# console app does

Question

I am attempting to deploy a simple f# console app to a coworkers computer but it keeps failing. After double clicking on the app icon, the console window appears but then the Microsoft error reporting window shows up asking if I would like to send the error report, I decline then some text flashes in the console window. It looks like an error message, but the window closes too fast to tell. The weird thing is, if I create a similar C# app, it works. I am targeting .net 4 client framework in release mode.

Here is the code

f# code (doesn't work):

open System

printfn "print test"
Console.ReadLine() |> ignore

c# code (does work):

using System;
using System.Collections.Generic;
using System.Linq;
using System.Text;

namespace TestCApplication
{
    class Program
    {
        static void Main(string[] args)
        {
            Console.WriteLine("Testing...");
            Console.ReadLine();
        }
    }
}

Answer 1

The F# analog of your C# snippet would be not your F# code, but the following:

System.Console.WriteLine "print test"
System.Console.ReadLine() |> ignore

While the app off 2-liner above will run, similarly to one off your C# snippet, just on raw .NET, use of printfn function in your F# code requires certain F#-specific core components being deployed on the target computer, which is likely not the case. The latter explains the observed behavior.

Answer 2

Look at the references of your F# project and you will see one to FSharp.Core which is normally located here:

C:\Program Files (x86)\Reference Assemblies\Microsoft\FSharp\2.0\Runtime\v4.0\FSharp.Core.dll

On Windows 7 (64 bit) PC

Also look at the F# site to get the runtime download.

http://research.microsoft.com/en-us/um/cambridge/projects/fsharp/release.aspx

EDIT: here is the direct link to the runtime download (thanks ildjarn):

http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=13450