Unable to run msbuild for C++ from the command line VS2017

Question

I have a project that has only ever lived in Visual Studio 2017. It's a C++ dll, and up until this point I've had no problem building it from within the Visual Studio GUI. However now I'm trying to set up automation that will build the project on the command line and upload the output files to a desired location. Here's what I've tried so far (in a brand new Command Prompt):

cd C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual Studio 14.0\VC>
vcvarsall amd64
cd C:\Users\me\development\MyProject
msbuild MyProject.slnl (or msbuild MyProject\MyProject.vcxproj)

And this gives me the error output

C:\Program Files (x86)\MSBuild\Microsoft.Cpp\v4.0\v140\Microsoft.Cpp.Platform.targets(57,5): 
error MSB8020: The build tools for v141 (Platform Toolset = 'v141') cannot be found. To build
using the v141 build tools, please install v141 build tools.  Alternatively, you
may upgrade to the current Visual Studio tools by selecting the Project menu or right-cli
ck the solution, and then selecting "Retarget solution". 
[C:\Users\dev\development\MetaReme\MetaReme\MetaReme.vcxproj]

Let me reiterate that I've been successfully building within Visual Studio 2017 targeting the v141 toolset, it's just on the command line I'm having trouble. Within my Visual Studio Installer application I have the VC++ 2017 v141 toolset checked. I've looked on the filesystem and within C:\Program Files (x86)\MSBuild\Microsoft.Cpp\v4.0\ there is no v141 folder.

Thanks!

Are you sure you are buiding for amd64 configuration when you are building from IDE ? — Mahesh
– Mahesh, Commented Jun 14, 2017 at 19:06
"Microsoft Visual Studio 14.0" is vs 2015, are you sure you are using the correct version of the developer command prompt? — Martin Ullrich
– Martin Ullrich, Commented Jun 14, 2017 at 19:07

Jake Dluhy · Accepted Answer · 2017-06-14 20:16:19Z

3

Thanks guys! I was following https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/cpp/build/building-on-the-command-line which says "By default, these tools are installed in drive:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual Studio version\VC\bin.". Obviously these docs are outdated... I was able to get it to work with the following commands

cd "C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual Studio\2017\Community\VC\Auxiliary\Build"
vcvars64
cd "C:\Users\me\development\MyProject"
msbuild MyProject.sln

answered Jun 14, 2017 at 20:16

Jake Dluhy

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matrixel Over a year ago

Running vcvars64 did not solve it for me. I found that VCTargetsPath was set as a system variable. Removing that variable fixed the issue.

Sigurd · Accepted Answer · 2018-06-12 17:30:59Z

0

It says in the first part of the paragraph in the mentioned article:

In Visual Studio 2017, these are located in the VC\Auxiliary\Build subdirectory of the Visual Studio installation directory. In Visual Studio 2015, these are located in the VC, VC\bin, or VC\bin\architectures subdirectories of the installation directory, where architectures is one of the native or cross compiler options.

As you are using Visual Studio 2017, they should be in VC\Auxiliary\Build, like you found out.

Another way to find the correct .bat files would be through the command prompt shortcuts mentioned in the same article. First locate them by expanding start->Visual Studio Year, right click and find their location. Then check the location they are pointing to.

edited Jun 12, 2018 at 17:30

answered Feb 24, 2018 at 7:04

Sigurd

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