Using CMAKE with visual studio buildtools 2017 ; unable to access UWP libs - c++

Question

I'm trying to to use CMAKE with Visual Studio Buildtools 2017; and no matter what combination of flags or otherwise I am unable to get a working compilation. (I tried buildtools 2015 as well) I'm unable to access UWP libs, specifically platform.winmd
I always end with
fatal error C1107: could not find assembly 'platform.winmd': please specify the assembly search path using /AI or by setting the LIBPATH environment variable [C:\Users\ehiller\Dev\src\github.com\erichiller\uwp-js-test\build\winsearch.vcxproj]
My CMAKELISTS.txt looks like:
cmake_minimum_required(VERSION 3.7)
set(lib "winsearch")
file(GLOB SOURCE_FILES "src/module/winSearch/*.cpp" "src/module/winSearch/*.h")
add_library( ${lib} SHARED ${SOURCE_FILES})
set( MSVS15_COMPILE_FLAGS "/ZW" )
SET( CMAKE_CXX_FLAGS "${CMAKE_CXX_FLAGS} ${MSVS15_COMPILE_FLAGS}" )
set_target_properties(${lib} PROPERTIES PREFIX "" SUFFIX ".node")
target_include_directories(${lib} PRIVATE ${CMAKE_JS_INC})
target_link_libraries(${lib} ${CMAKE_JS_LIB})
And I have removed all the source except for a blank function and a call to include #include <collection.h>
CMAKE itself is being called like:
cmake.exe "C:\Users\ehiller\Dev\src\github.com\erichiller\uwp-js-test" --no-warn-unused-cli -G"Visual Studio 15 2017 Win64" -DCMAKE_JS_VERSION="3.4.0" -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE="Release" -DCMAKE_RUNTIME_OUTPUT_DIRECTORY="C:\Users\ehiller\Dev\src\github.com\erichiller\uwp-js-test\build" -DCMAKE_JS_INC="C:\Users\ehiller\.cmake-js\electron-x64\v1.4.5\src;C:\Users\ehiller\.cmake-js\electron-x64\v1.4.5\deps\v8\include;C:\Users\ehiller\.cmake-js\electron-x64\v1.4.5\deps\uv\include;C:\Users\ehiller\Dev\src\github.com\erichiller\uwp-js-test\node_modules\nan" -DNODE_RUNTIME="electron" -DNODE_RUNTIMEVERSION="1.4.5" -DNODE_ARCH="x64" -DCMAKE_JS_LIB="C:\Users\ehiller\.cmake-js\electron-x64\v1.4.5\x64\node.lib"
The full output upon execution is:
info TOOL Using Visual Studio 15 2017 Win64 generator, as specified from commandline.
info CMD CLEAN
info RUN C:\Users\ehiller\AppData\Local\omega\system\cmake\bin\cmake.exe -E remove_directory "C:\Users\ehiller\Dev\src\github.com\erichiller\uwp-js-test\build"
> uwp-js-test#0.0.1 compile C:\Users\ehiller\Dev\src\github.com\erichiller\uwp-js-test
> cmake-js build -c "C:\Users\ehiller\AppData\Local\omega\system\cmake\bin\cmake.exe" -G "Visual Studio 15 2017 Win64"
info TOOL Using Visual Studio 15 2017 Win64 generator, as specified from commandline.
info CMD CONFIGURE
info RUN C:\Users\ehiller\AppData\Local\omega\system\cmake\bin\cmake.exe "C:\Users\ehiller\Dev\src\github.com\erichiller\uwp-js-test" --no-warn-unused-cli -G"Visual Studio 15 2017 Win64" -DCMAKE_JS_VERSION="3.4.0" -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE="Release" -DCMAKE_RUNTIME_OUTPUT_DIRECTORY="C:\Users\ehiller\Dev\src\github.com\erichiller\uwp-js-test\build" -DCMAKE_JS_INC="C:\Users\ehiller\.cmake-js\electron-x64\v1.4.5\src;C:\Users\ehiller\.cmake-js\electron-x64\v1.4.5\deps\v8\include;C:\Users\ehiller\.cmake-js\electron-x64\v1.4.5\deps\uv\include;C:\Users\ehiller\Dev\src\github.com\erichiller\uwp-js-test\node_modules\nan" -DNODE_RUNTIME="electron" -DNODE_RUNTIMEVERSION="1.4.5" -DNODE_ARCH="x64" -DCMAKE_JS_LIB="C:\Users\ehiller\.cmake-js\electron-x64\v1.4.5\x64\node.lib"
Not searching for unused variables given on the command line.
-- The C compiler identification is MSVC 19.10.24930.0
-- The CXX compiler identification is MSVC 19.10.24930.0
-- Check for working C compiler: C:/Program Files (x86)/Microsoft Visual Studio/2017/BuildTools/VC/Tools/MSVC/14.10.24930/bin/HostX86/x64/cl.exe
-- Check for working C compiler: C:/Program Files (x86)/Microsoft Visual Studio/2017/BuildTools/VC/Tools/MSVC/14.10.24930/bin/HostX86/x64/cl.exe -- works
-- Detecting C compiler ABI info
-- Detecting C compiler ABI info - done
-- Check for working CXX compiler: C:/Program Files (x86)/Microsoft Visual Studio/2017/BuildTools/VC/Tools/MSVC/14.10.24930/bin/HostX86/x64/cl.exe
-- Check for working CXX compiler: C:/Program Files (x86)/Microsoft Visual Studio/2017/BuildTools/VC/Tools/MSVC/14.10.24930/bin/HostX86/x64/cl.exe -- works
-- Detecting CXX compiler ABI info
-- Detecting CXX compiler ABI info - done
-- Detecting CXX compile features
-- Detecting CXX compile features - done
-- Configuring done
-- Generating done
-- Build files have been written to: C:/Users/ehiller/Dev/src/github.com/erichiller/uwp-js-test/build
info CMD BUILD
info RUN C:\Users\ehiller\AppData\Local\omega\system\cmake\bin\cmake.exe --build "C:\Users\ehiller\Dev\src\github.com\erichiller\uwp-js-test\build" --config Release
Microsoft (R) Build Engine version 15.1.545.13942
Copyright (C) Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.
Build started 2/18/2017 9:27:58 PM.
Project "C:\Users\ehiller\Dev\src\github.com\erichiller\uwp-js-test\build\ALL_BUILD.vcxproj" on node 1 (default targets).
Project "C:\Users\ehiller\Dev\src\github.com\erichiller\uwp-js-test\build\ALL_BUILD.vcxproj" (1) is building "C:\Users\ehiller\Dev\src\github.com\erichiller\uwp-js-te st\build\ZERO_CHECK.vcxproj" (2) on node 1 (default targets).
PrepareForBuild:
Creating directory "x64\Release\ZERO_CHECK\".
Creating directory "x64\Release\ZERO_CHECK\ZERO_CHECK.tlog\".
InitializeBuildStatus:
Creating "x64\Release\ZERO_CHECK\ZERO_CHECK.tlog\unsuccessfulbuild" because "AlwaysCreate" was specified.
CustomBuild:
Checking Build System
CMake does not need to re-run because C:/Users/ehiller/Dev/src/github.com/erichiller/uwp-js-test/build/CMakeFiles/generate.stamp is up-to-date.
FinalizeBuildStatus:
Deleting file "x64\Release\ZERO_CHECK\ZERO_CHECK.tlog\unsuccessfulbuild".
Touching "x64\Release\ZERO_CHECK\ZERO_CHECK.tlog\ZERO_CHECK.lastbuildstate".
Done Building Project "C:\Users\ehiller\Dev\src\github.com\erichiller\uwp-js-test\build\ZERO_CHECK.vcxproj" (default targets).
Project "C:\Users\ehiller\Dev\src\github.com\erichiller\uwp-js-test\build\ALL_BUILD.vcxproj" (1) is building "C:\Users\ehiller\Dev\src\github.com\erichiller\uwp-js-te st\build\winsearch.vcxproj" (3) on node 1 (default targets).
PrepareForBuild:
Creating directory "winsearch.dir\Release\".
Creating directory "C:\Users\ehiller\Dev\src\github.com\erichiller\uwp-js-test\build\Release\".
Creating directory "winsearch.dir\Release\winsearch.tlog\".
InitializeBuildStatus:
Creating "winsearch.dir\Release\winsearch.tlog\unsuccessfulbuild" because "AlwaysCreate" was specified.
CustomBuild:
Building Custom Rule C:/Users/ehiller/Dev/src/github.com/erichiller/uwp-js-test/CMakeLists.txt
CMake does not need to re-run because C:/Users/ehiller/Dev/src/github.com/erichiller/uwp-js-test/build/CMakeFiles/generate.stamp is up-to-date.
ClCompile:
C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual Studio\2017\BuildTools\VC\Tools\MSVC\14.10.24930\bin\HostX86\x64\CL.exe /c /I"C:\Users\ehiller\.cmake-js\electron-x64\v1.4.5
\src" /I"C:\Users\ehiller\.cmake-js\electron-x64\v1.4.5\deps\v8\include" /I"C:\Users\ehiller\.cmake-js\electron-x64\v1.4.5\deps\uv\include" /I"C:\Users\ehiller\Dev\
src\github.com\erichiller\uwp-js-test\node_modules\nan" /ZW /nologo /W3 /WX- /diagnostics:classic /O2 /Ob2 /D WIN32 /D _WINDOWS /D NDEBUG /D "CMAKE_INTDIR=\"Release
\"" /D winsearch_EXPORTS /D _WINDLL /D _MBCS /Gm- /EHsc /MD /GS /fp:precise /Zc:wchar_t /Zc:forScope /Zc:inline /GR /Fo"winsearch.dir\Release\\" /Fd"winsearch.dir\R
elease\vc141.pdb" /Gd /TP /errorReport:queue "C:\Users\ehiller\Dev\src\github.com\erichiller\uwp-js-test\src\module\winSearch\winSearch.cpp"
winSearch.cpp
C:\Users\ehiller\Dev\src\github.com\erichiller\uwp-js-test\src\module\winSearch\winSearch.cpp : fatal error C1107: could not find assembly 'platform.winmd': please sp ecify the assembly search path using /AI or by setting the LIBPATH environment variable [C:\Users\ehiller\Dev\src\github.com\erichiller\uwp-js-test\build\winsearch.vc xproj]
Done Building Project "C:\Users\ehiller\Dev\src\github.com\erichiller\uwp-js-test\build\winsearch.vcxproj" (default targets) -- FAILED.
Done Building Project "C:\Users\ehiller\Dev\src\github.com\erichiller\uwp-js-test\build\ALL_BUILD.vcxproj" (default targets) -- FAILED.
Build FAILED.
"C:\Users\ehiller\Dev\src\github.com\erichiller\uwp-js-test\build\ALL_BUILD.vcxproj" (default target) (1) ->
"C:\Users\ehiller\Dev\src\github.com\erichiller\uwp-js-test\build\winsearch.vcxproj" (default target) (3) ->
(ClCompile target) ->
C:\Users\ehiller\Dev\src\github.com\erichiller\uwp-js-test\src\module\winSearch\winSearch.cpp : fatal error C1107: could not find assembly 'platform.winmd': please
specify the assembly search path using /AI or by setting the LIBPATH environment variable [C:\Users\ehiller\Dev\src\github.com\erichiller\uwp-js-test\build\winsearch. vcxproj]
0 Warning(s)
1 Error(s)
Time Elapsed 00:00:00.49
I have
C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Kits\10\UnionMetadata\Windows.winmd
C:/Program Files (x86)/Microsoft Visual Studio/2017/BuildTools/VC/Tools/MSVC/14.10.24930/lib/x86/store/references/platform.winmd
And I tried including them as libraries with
target_link_libraries( ${lib} "C:/Program Files (x86)/Windows Kits/10/UnionMetadata/Windows.winmd" )
TARGET_LINK_LIBRARIES(${lib} "C:/Program Files (x86)/Microsoft Visual Studio/2017/BuildTools/VC/Tools/MSVC/14.10.24930/lib/x86/store/references/platform.winmd")
But none of that does anything either.
Nor does setting the CMAKE_SYSTEM_NAME
set( CMAKE_SYSTEM_NAME WindowsStore )
or the CMAKE_SYSTEM_VERSION
set( CMAKE_SYSTEM_VERSION 10.0 )
I even tried setting the library to every directory I could find in the sdk.bat file:
set( sd "C:/Program Files (x86)/Windows Kits/10/" )
set( WindowsSDKVersion "10.0.14393.0" )
target_link_libraries( ${lib} "${sd}bin")
target_link_libraries( ${lib} "${sd}UnionMetadata")
target_link_libraries( ${lib} "${sd}References")
target_link_libraries( ${lib} "${sd}bin")
target_link_libraries( ${lib} "{sd}bin" )
target_link_libraries( ${lib} "${sd}UnionMetadata" )
target_link_libraries( ${lib} "${sd}References" )
target_link_libraries( ${lib} "${sd}lib/${WindowsSDKLibVersion}/um/${NODE_ARCH}" )
target_link_libraries( ${lib} "${sd}include/${WindowsSDKVersion}/shared/" )
target_link_libraries( ${lib} "${sd}include/${WindowsSDKVersion}/um/" )
target_link_libraries( ${lib} "${sd}include/${WindowsSDKVersion}/winrt/" )
target_link_libraries( ${lib} "${sd}References/CommonConfiguration/Neutral" )
But that wasn't it either.
So I am at the point now that I am sure I missing something obvious. So I am hoping somebody can help me out here! Thanks!
(by the way, the cmake-js is a frontend for cmake, it just passes the flags right along to cmake and should not affect the system, but just to make sure, I tried running cmake directly, with the same results)

Answer 1

According to Microsoft's documentation to specify metadata directories, you have to pass the compiler option -AI"directory-path" for the winmd libraries. For the case of Visual C++ 2017, try augmenting the C++ options in your CMakeLists.txt file like this:
# windows.winmd search path:
set( CMAKE_CXX_FLAGS "${CMAKE_CXX_FLAGS} -AI\"C:/Program Files (x86)/Windows Kits/10/UnionMetadata\"" )
# platform.winmd search path for MSVC 2017:
set( CMAKE_CXX_FLAGS "${CMAKE_CXX_FLAGS} -AI\"C:/Program Files (x86)/Microsoft Visual Studio/2017/Community/Common7/IDE/VC/vcpackages\"" )
I have tested these two search paths only on Visual Studio 2017 and Windows 10. You will have to modify one or possibly both paths should you have different versions.