In trying to debug a VS2015 MFC native C++ build problem I realized my knowledge is weak about SDKs. I just installed Update 2 for VS2015 and now the $(WindowsSDK_IncludePath) variable is set to C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Kits\10\Include\10.0.10240.0\ucrt. (I didn't check this before the update.)
But I notice that in this location:
C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Kits
I have the following folders:
8.0, 8.1, 10, NETFXSDK
Does that mean I currently have several SDKs installed right now?
I also found these folders at this location:
C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft SDKs\Windows
v10.0A, v6.0A, v7.0A, v7.1A, v8.0, v8.0A, v8.1, v8.1A
And if I have several SDKs installed, is it possible to target different ones for different VS2015 projects?
This link was helpful but in my project the Target Platform and Target Platform Version fields are totally blank:
How to tell Visual Studio 2015 to use the latest UCRT from Windows 10 SDK
I have not seen a good overview in the documentation and I just need a better understanding here and I appreciate any tips.
mitch
Yes, you can have multiple SDKs installed. The property pages in Visual Studio allow you to choose one. The Target Platform Version is not what you want. In the page you referenced, look further down in the property list for Platform Toolset.
The details are given in this MSDN article:
https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ff770576.aspx
Here's the relevant part for you:
To change the project toolset
In Visual Studio, in Solution Explorer, open the shortcut menu for your project (not for your solution) and then choose Properties to open your project Property Pages dialog box.
In the Property Pages dialog box, open the Configuration drop-down list and then select All Configurations.
In the left pane of the dialog box, expand Configuration Properties and then select General.
In the right pane, select Platform Toolset and then select the toolset you want from the drop-down list. For example, if you have installed the Visual Studio 2010 toolset, select Visual Studio 2010 (v100) to use it for your project.
Choose the OK button.
If you have multiple projects/libraries, it's best if they all use the same toolset.
Related
Hell'o
I've just installed Visual Studio 2017 (enterprise).I opened my project whom I created in Visual Studio 2015. My project uses windows.h library but VS2017 cannot find this library. How to repair this?
My solution was :
Open the project properties
Into General --> SDK Version
I just picked the 10.0.15063.0 version instead of 8.1
And it worked.
I solved this issue by re-running the Visual Studio Installer and selecting the "Modify" button. Once presented with the Workloads screen I clicked on the "Individual Components" tab and selected all of the latest "Windows 10 SDK" Checkboxes(version 10.0.15063.0). My guess is that the entry for "Desktop C++ x86 and x64" is the one the actually fixes it but it is only speculation because none of those options were checked when I ran the installer and as you can see I checked all of them.
This happens when you have customized include/library paths in legacy projects. If you added your own additional paths in project properties, VisualStudio 2017 can't automatically figure out base paths when switching between platforms/toolsets - normally it automatically puts correct paths there, but if you added customizations, VS won't touch them.
This is legitimate problem which I ran into myself recently when migrating old project targeted for Windows XP into VS2017. None of the answers or comments listed/linked here so far are helpful. I have all legacy SDKs in VisualStudio 2017 installer, and none of that fixed VS not finding essential includes such as <windows.h>. In my case the project was using v120 toolset from VS2013, which is superseded by v140_xp in newer VS.
After setting correct platform and toolset understood by VS2017, I did the following to resolve the problem:
Open project properties, go to VC++ Directories, for 'Include Directories' and for 'Library Directories', choose <Inherit from parent or project defaults>. This will remove your additional paths.
Click 'Apply'. This will reset include path to something like $(VC_IncludePath_x86);$(WindowsSdk_71A_IncludePath_x86) (will vary for SDKs).
Re-add your extra paths here, or better yet - under C/C++/General -> Additional Include Directories and Linker/General -> Additional Library Directories.
I got it fixed when I simply changed "General => Windows SDK version" to a different version, submitted the changes and then changed it back.
The problem occurs when you migrate your C++ project from a more updated visual studio version to a lesser one.
To solve the issue simply go to your :
Project's properties-->General-->SDK Version [and here unroll to show installed SDK versions so you downgrade to an available version {Since the required one seems unavailable hence the error}].
Once one of the Available SDKs selected, Apply, and go back to your code, and everything gonna get fixed.
If the installation was ok it should be here:
C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Kits\10\Include\10.0.15063.0\um\Windows.h
So be sure it is on the include path of the project properties.
Or if you prefer by manual edit in the .vcxproj file at the IncludePath Tag line:
<IncludePath>$(VC_IncludePath);$(WindowsSDK_IncludePath);C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Kits\10\Include\10.0.15063.0\um;C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Kits\10\Include\10.0.15063.0\shared;</IncludePath>
TL;DR: make sure the checkbox, marked below, is checked.
In the Include Directories Dlgbox, there's an option at the bottom "Inherit from..." that needs to be checked. Somehow it got unchecked after moving a project to a different solution.
So, in my case, resetting to defaults and adding custom paths again wasn't even needed.
You have to go in Visual Studio 2017 Installer, choose Individual Components, and manually select and install Windows 8.1 SDK.
This step work for me.
1. Open visual studio installer
2. at menu "Visual studio comunity 2017" --> click modify
3. at desktop development with c++ --> enable windows10 SDK for desktop and windows 8.1 SDK
4. click modify
I've also installed Visual Studio 2017 (community) first with the default composition settings.I opened my project whom I created in Visual Studio 2015. My project uses windows.h library but VS2017 cannot find this library and other problems. At first I install the missing (SDK 10 ... etc.) components. Part of problems is gone, but windows.h still not found. The problem was solved by completely uninstalling VS2017 and then installing with all the options at once.
My solution was checking paths.
Include Directories:
C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Kits\10\Include\10.0.17763.0\um;
C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Kits\10\Include\10.0.17763.0\shared;
%(AdditionalIncludeDirectories)
Library Directories:
C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual Studio\2017\Community\VC\Tools\MSVC\14.16.27023\lib\x64
and then right click Solution Explorer: Solution 'xxxxx' (1 project) line click "Retarget solution"
Remember to set Debug setting for Symbols fetch - Windows 10 must use Microsoft symbol server!
When I installed vs2017, I did select Windows development with C++ option. After installation, however, I don't see the MFC has been added. Sure enough, I get errors when I compile my application,
fatal error C1083: Cannot open include file: 'afxwin.h': No such file or directory
I cannot find the Change/Modify option with my vs2017 installation in Control Panel. How can I add "Microsoft Foundation Classes for C++" package?
If you look near the top of the VS Installer window, you'll see Workloads, Individual Components and Language Packs.
At least as far as I can see, none of the "Workloads" will include MFC in your installation. To get it, you first have to click on "Individual Components", then scroll quite a ways down to get to the "SDKs, libraries and frameworks" section. In there, you'll find a list of components for ATL and MFC support:
In the VS 2019 installer, the list of possibilities has gotten even longer. There are versions for ARM, ARM64, and x86/x64 both with and without Spectre mitigations, for each of the 141 and 142 build sets:
That's not necessarily the end of the story though: by default, even when you install that, it only installs the version Unicode build of MFC. If you want the narrow-character version, you have to install that separately. I don't think there's any entry in the installer to do this at all--but if you try to build a project that uses narrow-character MFC, you'll get an error message that includes a link to download it.
In Windows 10 with Visual Studio 2017 Community Edition to modify the Visual Studio 2017 installation, I had to go into Settings from the Windows Start menu then in the search box enter "Apps & Features" to bring up the list of installed applications (just typing in "apps" was enough to bring it up in the list).
I then looked for Microsoft Visual Studio 2017 in the list of apps, clicked on that entry which then displayed the Modify button. Clicking on the Modify button will bring up the installer to allow you to modify the various components.
I have seen cases where the installer wants to do an Update of Visual Studio 2017 before allowing you to do the Modify action. Depends on the last time you used it and the last time you did an update.
So instead of a Modify button there may instead be an Update button.
Note: see also How to install (v142) Build tools in Visual studio which describes issues seen with install order when installing both VS 2017 and VS 2019.
The VS 2017 Modify dialog has three tabs, "Workloads", "Individual components", and "Language packs". Click on the "Individual components" then scroll down to the section titled "SDKs, libraries, and frameworks" which is the last section in my install. There should be an entry for "MFC and ATL support (x86 and x64)" with a checkbox near the end.
There is a lot of stuff available from this "Individual components" view of the "Modify installation" dialog.
Just to add a tip for VS 2019:
#Jerry Coffin's answer does a good job of laying out the explosion of MFC/ATL options in VS 2019. Since there are many options and each MFC pack is 1.1+GB, here is how to pick the right one.
Platform: Hopefully you know this :) but it is in project properties.
Version: For an existing project, it is found in the project properties under "Configuration Properties -> General -> Platform Toolset"
Below is a screenshot showing both (Win32=x86 in this case). In this case I needed "C++ MFC for v141 build tools (x86 & x64)":
You should use Visual Studio Installer to make changes.
To create an MFC project, you just need to select Win32 project/Win32 Console Application for your application type, and then click OK. In Application Wizard, click next, in Application Settings, check MFC under Add common header files for:.
I'm working with cocos2d-x framework for c++ using Visual Studio 2015 Community on Windows 10.
When I try to open a solution for a created project, visual studio says some projects are unavailable. When I right click and go to "install missing feature(s)", visual studio says I have to install "Windows XP support for C++".
When I click to install I get a "Setup - Usage" window(that seems to be bigger than my screen). I don't see any button, so I hit enter, but nothing happens. Nothing downloads and nothing installs...
Does anyone have a solution to this?
The message is as follows:
Install Windows XP support for C++
Windows 7.1 SDK for targeting Windows XP
The following projects will not be loaded unless you install the above
feature
All that's needed is to add in Windows XP Support via the installation tool accessible from Control Panel. Steps:
Close Visual Studio 2015
Open Control Panel
Select 'Programs and Options'
Right click on 'Microsoft Visual Studio Professional 2016'
Select 'Change' from the menu (the only option)
Once the installation tool has set up, select 'Modify'
Expand Programming Languages --> Visual C++
Select 'Windows XP Support for C++'.
Proceed with the update.
Note that selecting 'Windows XP Support for C++' automatically selects its dependencies, 'Windows 8.1 SDK and Universal CRT SDK' and 'Common Tools for Visual C++ 2015'.
What I think might have happened for the OP was that in selecting Universal Windows App Development Tools and various C++ options, they hit upon 'Windows XP Support for C++' itself or something that had it as a dependency. So they may have various components installed unnecessarily now. :-(
got your point.
Here are the steps to install it properly.
Go to the below site and try to install it. & select the option as per the snapshot attached here.
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=53587
Also, if required, please refer to the below blog.
https://devblogs.microsoft.com/cppblog/setup-changes-in-visual-studio-2015-affecting-c-developers/
Where I work, we are stuck on VS2008 and will be for quite some time as converting the projects/solutions and integrating them back into our build process would take significant time; we're planning on moving to 2013 at some point though. However, I use VS2012 at home and love a lot of the features in the IDE that are missing in 2008.
I've read that you can use 2012 as an IDE and build with the 2008 compiler, but I can't find details on how this is accomplished. Any ideas? If I open one of the masterbuild files in 2012, it inevitably asks to convert them to the 2012 format, which I really don't want to do.
Thoughts? Thanks!
Yes it is possible as can be found on the Visual Studio site. However, I believe it will only give you options of the versions you have currently installed on the machine in question.
Here are the steps as laid out in the link, provided here to ensure the information link does not get broken:
(authored and published by Microsoft)
To change the target Framework
In Visual Studio, in Solution Explorer, open the shortcut menu for your project and then choose Unload project. This unloads the project (.vcxproj) file for your project.
Note: A C++ project cannot be loaded while the project file is being modified in Visual Studio. However, you can use another editor such as Notepad to modify the project file while the project is loaded in Visual Studio. Visual Studio will detect that the project file has changed and prompt you to reload the project.
On the menu bar, select File, Open, File. In the Open File dialog box, navigate to your project folder, and then open the project (.vcxproj) file.
In the project file, locate the entry for the target Framework version. For example, if your project is designed to use the .NET Framework 4.5, locate v4.5 in the element of the element. If the element isn't present, your project doesn't use the .NET Framework and no change is required.
Change the value to the Framework version you want.
Save the changes and close the editor.
In Solution Explorer, open the shortcut menu for your project and then choose Reload Project.
In Solution Explorer, open the shortcut menu for your project and then choose Properties. In the Property Pages dialog box, in the left pane, expand Common Properties and then select Framework and References. Verify that Targeted framework shows the new Framework version.
To change the project toolset
In Visual Studio, in Solution Explorer, open the shortcut menu for your project and then choose Properties.
In the Property Pages dialog box, open the Configuration drop-down list and then select All Configurations.
In the left pane of the dialog box, expand Configuration Properties and then select General.
In the right pane, select Platform Toolset and then select the toolset you want from the drop-down list. For example, if you want to compile with the Visual Studio 2010 toolset, select Visual Studio 2010 (v100).
Choose the OK button.
Try to use CMake. It could manage out of source build. You could create a VS2012 for edit and another VS2008 based for compiling. The source will be common.
From Visual Studio 2012 Compatibility page on MSDN
Some solutions, projects, files, and other assets that you created in
Visual Studio 2010 Service Pack 1 (SP1) will run without modification
in Visual Studio 2012, but others have to be upgraded.
If your original project is 2008 then you won't be able to use it in 2012, sorry.
I installed Visual Studio 2008 on my Windows 7 x64 laptop together with installation of Service Pack 1.
Now I want to add x64 platform to my C++ solution. But there is no x64 platform available in the configuration manager for my project. I'm sure I manually selected x64 support during the Visual Studio installation and it was installed.
What is wrong with my setup?
If I recall, VS 2008 Pro doesn't install the 64-bit compiler and tools by default. You have to explicitly select them during the installation.
Control Panel -> Uninstall Programs.
Select Visual Studio and click Uninstall/Change.
Wait. Wait some more. Click Next.
Choose Add or Remove Features.
Expand MSVC 2008 -> Language Tools -> Visual C++.
Select X64 Compilers and Tools.
You'll probably need your original installation media.
Once the 64-bit compiler and tools are installed, you should be able to add a 64-bit configuration to your solution.
See "Use Visual Studio to build 64-bit application" for all you need to build x64 apps with Visual Studio 2008.
Visual Studio 2008 only comes with x64 compiler with the Professional editions and higher. You can download the free Windows SDK from MSDN to get the x64 compiler.
If your projects don't have the x64 configuration, just add that configuration via the configuration manager. I don't remember if 2008 created the x64 configuration by default but I suspect not.
I also seem to remember that you can just add the x64 configuration to the solution and it will prompt on whether or not to add it to all of the contained projects but my memory is rusty on that one.
Regardless, once you've got the configurations added, you'll need to modify anything you'd modified before in project settings. Output paths, library dependencies, etc. The New Configuration "Wizard" is pretty dumb.