c++ - what's the relation of "win32 project" name in visual studio to x86 or x64 platform

Question

I'm using Visual Studio for c++ programming, and after working and writing programs in x86 environment (32bit Mode) I tried to build my x86 project in x64 environment so I thought that I should create a win64 console project instead of win32 console project but there were not such as an option in VC2010 . so I want to ask that for building x64 projects I should also choose win32 project and change the settings for compiling in x64 inside the project using instruction in here?

I'm using windows 7 64bit.

if your answer is yes then why it is called win32?

Answer 1

• "Win32" is the name of the OS API.
• "Win32 Console Application" got its name from the API (not from bit-ness).

Win32 API can be used both by 32-bit and by 64-bit applications. So, a Win32 Console Application can be built both for 32-bit and for 64-bit. For the latter, create the "x64" configuration in the Configuration Manager.