I'm working on a new project which requires Boost's regex library. I was able to use the no-compile headers, but needed some of the binaries which require being compiled. Boost's documentation for compiling in Visual Studio wasn't very helpful (resulted in several errors) and I've seen a fair number of people online having these same problems, but it took a lot of Googling to get them all, so I've included detailed steps below to help anyone with the same issues.
I'm running Windows 10 preview and Visual Studio 11 (2012), but the steps should work for other versions as well.
Step 1 - Set up a developer command prompt in Visual Studio
You will need this to compile the binaries. The VS Command window (Ctrl+W,A) didn't seem to work.
1. In VS , select "Tools" at the top, then select "External Tools" and enter the following:
-Title: "VS2013 Native Tools-Command Prompt" (your choice)
-Command: C:\Windows\System32\cmd.exe
-Arguments: /k "C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual Studio 12.0\Common7\Tools\VsDevCmd.bat" (make sure to use the correct path to your version of VS)
-Initial Directory: Select as suits your needs (if you'll use boost a bunch, I'd select the folder where you dropped boost)
2. Click OK. Now you have command prompt access under the same "Tools" menu, where it will show up as a new option.
Source: https://stackoverflow.com/questions/21476588/where-is-developer-command-prompt-for-vs2013
Step 2 - Run Bootstrap.bat from VS developer command prompt
1. Navigate to your Boost folder (mine is C:\Program Files\boost\boost_1_58_0)
2. Run `.\Bootstrap.bat` which results in the following error:
> 'cl' is not recognized as an internal or external command"
Cl.exe is is a tool that controls the Microsoft C and C++ compilers and linker. This error is because cl.exe is not in your path environment variable; it isn't automatically added when you install VS. Check by running the following:
-In PowerShell - `($env:path).replace(';',"`n")` (easy to read)
-In cmd.exe - `echo %path%` (harder to read)
4. Add cl.exe to your path by adding its parent folder "C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual Studio [your version]\VC\bin"
-Hit Win+X -> System -> Advanced System Settings -> Environment Variables -> Select "Path" under System Variables (in bottom pane) -> Edit -> paste the following to the end: ";C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual Studio 11.0\VC\bin" (don't forget the semicolon on the front)
-Test by opening a new command prompt or PowerShell window and type `cl.exe -?`
Step 3 - Re-run bootstrap with cl.exe in your path
You may be missing some environment variables for Visual Studio, resulting in the following error:
mspdb110.dll not found
1. Navigate to the Visual Studio path in your Visual Studio developer command prompt (for me it's C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual Studio 11.0\VC\bin)
2. Run `.\vcvars32.bat` which automatically sets some variables for you, but there is no output -- lack of error means likely success
Step 4 - Compile the Boost binaries
Now running .\Bootstrap.bat in your Visual Studio developer command prompt should succeed and you can now use the binaries in your project!
Related
I just want to change the exe file Visual Studio compilation path change
I am doing it like this now. i created a bat file that copied file. I have added visual studio build events. I wonder if there is an easier way.
meanwhile the exe file is being copied to the network drive
I had this problem in a different context (Elixir/Phoenix, Rust), but the root cause was the same: cl.exe could not be found during compilation.
My setup was:
Windows 10, x64
Visual Studio Community 2017 already installed, but only for C# development
For some reason the solution with installing the Visual C++ Build Tools (as #cozzamara suggested) did not work. Stops during installation with some obscure error message. Guess it did not liked my existing Visual Studio installation.
This is how I solved it:
Start up the Visual Studio Installer
Check the Desktop development with C++ (screenshots here)
Execute following command before compiling:
C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual Studio\2017\Community\VC\Auxiliary\Build\vcvars64.bat
From this on the command cl.exe works. Alternatively (and more conveniently for development) start the application 'Developer Command Prompt for VS 2017' or 'x64 Native Tools Command Prompt VS 2017'.
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I solved the problem by writing code like this in the Post build field, I just ensured that the exe was copied to the field I wanted
COPY $(TargetPath) "\x.x.x.x\ortak\yakup\TestApp.exe"
pause
$(TargetPath) = It gives the location where the exe exited, along with the exe name
"C:\yakup\project\TestApp.exe" like
The command 'xsd' in the Visual Studio (2010) command window is not fiding my file.
Tried full path 'c:\...\etc...', tried path from project folder, tried any sub path of the full path, tried only the file name (as shown on any example in the web of the usage of the tool).
The file is inside the project inside a subfolder, like "project\schema\mySchema.xsd".
Command used
>Tools.Shell xsd <path\>myfile.xsd /classes
returns:
The operation could not be completed. System could not find specified file.
What work around can I make, how should I properly use the tool? (Am I using it wrongly?)
To find XSD.exe these days, go to:
C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft SDKs\Windows\v10.0A\bin\NETFX 4.7.2
Tools\xsd.exe
Step by step:
Go to C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft SDKs\Windows\
Click latest version (e.g. v10.0A)
Click Bin
Select latest .NET Version e.g. NETFX 4.7.2 Tools
There is xsd.exe
When you launch the shortcut that opens the Visual Studio Command Prompt you execute a batch file that set some important string inside the PATH environment variable. These strings contain the folder names where the XSD tool is located.
The shortcuts are located in this folder on my dev PC with Visual Studio 2013
C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual Studio 12.0\Common7\Tools\Shortcuts
The shortcut that opens the Command Prompt for Visual Studio x86 Native Tools is something like this
%comspec% /k ""C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual Studio 12.0\VC\vcvarsall.bat"" x86
So, unless your installation is damaged you should be able to find the correct command in the relative directory of your Visual Studio 2010 install.
I need to run web.exe file from my developer command prompt in Visual Studio 2013. By default, the command prompt is not installed in Visual Studio 2013.
Previously, I was using Visual Studio 2012. It had developer command prompt installed by default.
Does anyone know why VS2013 doesn't have developer command prompt by default? How can I setup developer command prompt for VS2013?
For some reason, it doesn't properly add an icon when running Windows 8+. Here's how I solved it:
Using Windows Explorer, navigate to:
C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Visual Studio 2013
In that folder, you'll see a shortcut named Visual Studio Tools that maps to (assuming default installation):
C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual Studio 12.0\Common7\Tools\Shortcuts
Double-click the shortcut (or go to the folder above).
From that folder, copy the shortcut named Developer Command Prompt for VS2013 (and any others you find useful) to the first directory (for the Start Menu). You'll likely be prompted for administrative access (do so).
Once you've done that, you'll now have an icon available for the 2013 command prompt.
From VS2013 Menu Select "Tools", then Select "External Tools". Enter as below:
Title: "VS2013 Native Tools-Command Prompt" would be good
Command: C:\Windows\System32\cmd.exe
Arguments: /k "C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual Studio 12.0\Common7\Tools\VsDevCmd.bat"
Initial Directory: Select as suits your needs.
Click OK.
Now you have command prompt access under the Tools Menu.
I used a modified version of this answer - based on my experiences adding it to VS 2010:
Select Tools >> External Tools in Visual Studio
Click Add
Title: I use Visual Studio Command &Prompt
&P Makes P a alt-shortcut key (when menu active)
I originally used C, but that conflicts with the existing shortcut for Customize
Command: C:\Windows\System32\cmd.exe
Arguments: \k "C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual Studio 12.0\Common7\Tools\vsvars32.bat
/k keeps a secondary session active so the window doesn’t close on the .bat file
Initial Directory: I use $(ProjectDir) (from the dropdown)
Click OK.
Now you have command prompt access under the Tools Menu.
See also: Add command prompt to Visual C# Express 2010
You can simply go to Menu > All Programs > Visual Studio 2013. Select the folder link "Visual Studio Tools". This will open the folder. There is bunch of shortcuts for command prompt which you can use. They worked perfectly for me.
I think the trick here might be there are different versions for different processors, hence they put them all together.
I don't know if this changed recently -- the answer given by Samuel did not apply to me even though that link seemed authoritative.
A couple of things
1) For some reason, the folder in the start menu is called Visual Studio 2013, and not Microsoft Visual Studio 2013. Using the win8 apps interface you might see the 2010 entry Microsoft Visual Studio 2010, and since you don't see the new 2013 folder Microsoft Visual Studio 2013 next to it, you assume it isn't there. But it is.. Just a few page scrolls away..
2) It seems the Windows 8 (or 8.1 at least) cannot display sub-folders. I tried creating a folder underneath the Visual Studio 2013 folder with shortcuts, and the entire folder just didn't show.
3) Which is why what is installed is a shortcut. Not sure what the windows 7 behavior is with a shortcut in the start menu, but the apps menu just displays it like a folder. When you click on it, it brings you to the so-called missing shortcuts in explorer.
Final solution: under C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs, create a new folder called Microsoft Visual Studio 2013. Copy the shortcuts from C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual Studio 12.0\Common7\Tools\Shortcuts to that new folder. Then you'll have your icons using the windows 8 app interface under the heading which is the new folder name.
You'll also be able to just start typing from the start screen VS2013, and the icons will now show up.
Since any solution given so far will open the command prompt on the project folder, you would still have to navigate to the project's folder. If you are interested in getting the command prompt directly into the project's folder, here is my 2 steps:
Right-click in solution explorer on the project name (just under
the solution name) and choose the command "Open Folder in File
Explorer"
Once the Windows Explorer is open, just type in the
address bar "cmd" and then hit enter!
Et voila! Hope that helps
Visual studio command prompt is nothing but the regular command prompt where few environment variables are set by default. This variables are set in the batch script : C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual Studio 14.0\Common7\Tools\VsDevCmd.bat . So basically to get a visual studio command prompt for a particular version, just open regular command prompt and run this batch script : C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual Studio 14.0\Common7\Tools\VsDevCmd.bat (Change the visual studio version based on your installed version). Voila you have got the visual studio command prompt. You can write a script to run the batch file and open cmd.exe.
Works with VS 2017
I did installed Visual Studio Command Prompt (devCmd) extension tool.
You can download it here: https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/items?itemName=ShemeerNS.VisualStudioCommandPromptdevCmd#review-details
Double click on the file, make sure IDE is closed during installation. Open visual studio and Run Developer Command Prompt from VS2017
I'm using VS 2012, so I navigated to "C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Microsoft Visual Studio 2012\Visual Studio Tools" and ran as administrator this "Developer Command Prompt for VS2012" shortcut. In command shell I pasted the suggested
aspnet_regiis -i
and as I suspected this did not yield any success on Windows 10:
So all I needed to do was "Turn Windows Features On/Off" at Control Panel and restart my machine to effect the changes. That did resolve the issue. Thanks.
When I open a Visual Studio command prompt (for example, opened with menu Start -> Programs -> Microsoft Visual Studio 2008 -> Visual Studio Tools -> Visual Studio 2008 Command Prompt), I get:
Setting environment for using Microsoft Visual Studio 2008 x86 tools.
C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio 9.0\Common7\IDE>
What kind of tools are available, and what are the most common uses of this command prompt?
It basically just sets several of the Visual Studio binary locations into the PATH environment variable for that command window instance. This means you can use all the various commands and tools without having to include the full paths.
There's a partial list of some of the tools available on MSDN in .NET Framework Tools and Tools (.NET Framework).
The Visual Studio command prompt is a convenient way to access the command line tools that ship with the .NET Framework SDK and, if installed the, Windows Platform SDK tools.
By providing the Visual Studio command prompt, Microsoft allows you to run these tools without requiring your PATH, INCLUDE, LIB and LIBPATH environment variables to contain all the additional paths to the various folders where Visual Studio and the .NET SDK are installed. Instead, these folder references are added on the fly when you start the Visual Studio command prompt allowing you to run the tools.
For example, if you open a regular command prompt you cannot run xsd.exe without changing to the directory "C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio 8\SDK\v2.0\Bin". However, in the Visual Studio command prompt you can just type xsd.exe /?, and it works.
Please see the MSDN article .NET Framework Tools for a complete list of the tools provided with Visual Studio 2008 SP1 and details on what they do.
The Visual Studio command prompt has a few tools with it. Some tools are for repairing the install of Visual Studio. One of the tools I love using is for WCF. You type wcftestclient and you get a client to test your WCF services.
The article The Visual Studio Command Prompt has a nice explanation:
Let's look at the "Visual Studio Command Prompt" in more detail.
It appears to just set the path for you and put you in (Ta Da!) the VC
directory under Visual Studio. Not even the C# directory and certainly
not the VB directory. I guess they assume that anyone who uses this
tool is really hard core and programs directly against the hard drive
with a magnifying glass and a magnet.
What it actually does is run this DOS command. (In my case.)
%comspec% /k ""C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio
10.0\VC\vcvarsall.bat"" x86
What does vcvarsall.bat do? Well, it sets the target compiler
environment so you can compile code for a different processor.
One use seems to be to call the XML Class Generator for using XSD schemas for serialization/deserialization:
XML Class Generator for C# using XSD for deserialization
Simple example
After installing Desktop development with C++ as part of the VS Installer, it installs C++ CMake tools for Windows. Let's run this cmake.exe file!
VS Developer Command Prompt
C:\Directory>cmake --version
cmake version 3.21.21080301-MSVC_2
Windows Command Prompt
C:\Directory>cmake --version
'cmake' is not recognized as an internal or external command,
operable program or batch file.
Why example behaves as it does
The VS Developer Command Prompt knew the command cmake, yet the Windows command prompt didn't.
Its almost as if it is and isnt a path variable - Schrodingers cat, errr path!
So where is cmake.exe that the VS developer command prompt says it knows about?
VS Developer Command Prompt
C:\Directory>where cmake
C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio\2022\Community\Common7\IDE\CommonExtensions\Microsoft\CMake\CMake\bin\cmake.exe
Okay so that means C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio\2022\Community\Common7\IDE\CommonExtensions\Microsoft\CMake\CMake\bin\ must be a PATH variable.
Lets double check:
C:\Directory>set PATH
Path=C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio\2022\Community\Common7\IDE\CommonExtensions\Microsoft\CMake\CMake\bin;
It is, great. Now why didnt the windows command prompt find it?
Windows Command Prompt
C:\Directory>set PATH
Hmmm, I'm looking at the list and its not there.
Now Simon Steven's and MikeD's answer can be put in context:
It basically just sets several of the Visual Studio binary locations into the PATH environment variable for that command window instance. This means you can use all the various commands and tools without having to include the full paths.
I have three different versions of Visual Studio installed on my machine,
Visual Studio 2003, Visual Studio 2008, and VS2005.
How do I start a particular version of Visual Studio using a command prompt?
devenv.exe opens the latest version of Visual Studio. What should I do if I want to open Visual Studio 2003 using a command prompt?
Haven't tested on preceding versions - but to launch Visual Studio 2019 you can just enter start devenv to launch right away without entering into a path
You have to use the path to distinguish them. For instance, here is the Visual Studio 2005 command on my laptop:
"C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio 8\Common7\IDE\devenv.exe"
Here's another tip: You can figure out how to run various Windows applications from the command line by finding them in the Windows Start Menu, right-clicking on the icon, select properties, and then on the Shortcut tab, look at the Target textbox. Copy that text out and usually you can use it at a console command line.
This answer is a different way to handle starting Visual Studio in any version of Windows, by using the Windows Key {windows logo} start to start the target application.
Pin each version to the task bar. One way is to right click an active running program and select 'Pin to Taskbar. Or find in the program manager and right click again to pin.
Pin each different version right next to the task bar. For this example pin each version in succession 2003, 2005 and finally 2008. Make sure they are next to the start button for easier index number memorization.
To launch the 2003 version hit the WindowsKey then number 1.
To launch 2005 WindowsKey 2.
To launch 2008 WindowsKey 3.
This is fast and easy and can launch multiple instances without bringing up the command console.
Use devenv.exe for the specific version of Visual Studio. There will be one located in the Common7\IDE folder of the install. Here are the directories as I remember for the various versions.
2008:
%ProgramFiles%\Microsoft Visual Studio 9.0\Common7\Ide\devenv.exe
2005:
%ProgramFiles%\Microsoft visual Studio 8\Common7\Ide\devenv.exe
For Visual Studio on a mac, you can:
open '/Applications/Visual Studio.app' [path_to].sln
I create an alias in my bash_profile so I can just navigate to a directory and open it in VS:
echo "alias vs=\"open '/Applications/Visual Studio.app' *.sln\"" >> ~/.bash_profile
Here is the shortcut, You can just type devenv.exe and start visual studio
You can also use the "Visual Studio 2005 Command Prompt" and "Visual Studio 2008 Command Prompt" to load a version-specific command shell environment, and then run devenv. This is typically found under Start -> Programs -> Visual Studio -> Visual Studio Tools
If you can't or don't want to access it via the Start menu, you can also "load" the VS-version specific environment in a normal command shell using the following (for VS 2008,
with a default install path): (note: change x86 as appropriate for your platform)
(32 bit) %comspec% /k ""C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio 8\VC\vcvarsall.bat"" x86
(64 bit) %comspec% /k ""C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual Studio 8\VC\vcvarsall.bat"" x86
or for VS 2008 (with default install path):
(32 bit) %comspec% /k ""C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio 9.0\VC\vcvarsall.bat"" x86
(64 bit) %comspec% /k ""C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual Studio 9.0\VC\vcvarsall.bat"" x86
Each sets the environment so if you then subsequently execute devenv it'll load the correct version.
Put C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual Studio\2019\Professional\Common7\IDE\ in the path of your computer.
Then open a new command prompt.
Change the directory to your project folder.
Type devenv to open the project in Visual Studio from the command prompt. This opens the project up in folder view. It has to have a .sln file to do the next part.
Click the switch views drop-down arrow and choose the .sln file.
The solution explorer will now display the solution.
Use an abolute path, for example, C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual Studio 9.0\Common7\IDE\devenv.exe.
1) devenv (to open VS)
2) devenv *.sln (then tab to autocomplete and enter to open VS and auto-load current solution)
By default, this only works in Developer Command Prompt.
To make it work in a normal console (I use cmder) you need to add folder path to devenv.exe to the System environment variable name Path.
For me that is this one:
C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual Studio\2017\Professional\Common7\IDE
You can also use this script and save it as vs.bat and then it will find for you *.sln file in the folder and automatically open visual studio with solution loaded (as in 2.)
Similar question where I answered: Visual studio: How to open a specific solution directly from command line?
Essentially use OpenVSSolution
Put this helper exe somewhere in your PATH
The exe scans the current directory for a .sln file
The exe opens devenv passing in the sln file
The explanation is on here: https://davemateer.com/coding/2018/11/14/Publish-dot-net-core-console-application.html
I find this incredibly useful and is how I open all solutions.
Use Window Terminal (https://github.com/microsoft/terminal), run these commands in the terminal
cd your-project-folder
.\your-solution.sln
I tried the answer that has been accepted in this question but it didnt work for me
I was able to launch Visual studio from RUN by typing devenv.exe in it.
WIN+R didnt work for opening RUN, so in command prompt, I typed the below path in command prompt
c:\WINDOWS\system32\rundll32.exe shell32.dll`,#61
use this command:
C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual Studio\2019\Community\Common7\IDE\devenv.exe
You can create a bat script for any visual studio version. You can find my script below.
start /B "" "C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual Studio\2019\Enterprise\Common7\IDE\devenv.exe"
Even, you can create an alias following this post
Go to your project directory in cmd. (ex. cd <=FOLDER_PATH=>)
type code and press enter.
To open it with Visual Studio Express 2012 for Windows Desktop do -
%comspec% /k ""C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual Studio 11.0\Common7\Tools\VsDevCmd.bat""
%comspec% is:
C:\Users\Admin>echo %comspec%
C:\Windows\system32\cmd.exe
Or just search "developer" in the Windows 8 Start Search "Apps" menu, and it will lead you to "Developer Command Prompt for VS2012".