Walkthrough: Using MSBuild to Create a Visual C++ Project

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10/25/2021

This walkthrough demonstrates how to use MSBuild in a command prompt to build a Visual Studio C++ project. You'll learn how to create an XML-based .vcxproj project file for a Visual C++ console application. After building the project, you'll learn how to customize the build process.

Important

Don't use this approach if you intend to edit the project file later by using the Visual Studio IDE. If you create a .vcxproj file manually, the Visual Studio IDE might not be able to edit or load it, especially if the project uses wildcards in project items. For more information, see .vcxproj and .props file structure and .vcxproj files and wildcards.

This walkthrough illustrates these tasks:

Creating the C++ source files for your project.
Creating the XML MSBuild project file.
Using MSBuild to build your project.
Using MSBuild to customize your project.

Prerequisites

You need these prerequisites to complete this walkthrough:

A copy of Visual Studio with the Desktop development with C++ workload installed.
A general understanding of the MSBuild system.

Note

Most of the low-level build instructions are contained in the .targets and .props files that are defined under the default targets folder, stored in the property $(VCTargetsPath). It's where you'll find files such as Microsoft.Cpp.Common.props. The default path for these files in Visual Studio 2017 is under %VSINSTALLDIR%Common7\IDE\VC\VCTargets\. Visual Studio 2015 and earlier versions stored them under %ProgramFiles(x86)%\MSBuild\Microsoft.Cpp\v4.0\<version>\.

Note

Most of the low-level build instructions are contained in the .targets and .props files that are defined under the default targets folder, stored in the property $(VCTargetsPath). It's where you'll find files such as Microsoft.Cpp.Common.props. The default path for these files is under %VSINSTALLDIR%MSBuild\Microsoft\VC\<version>\. The <version> path element is specific to the version of Visual Studio. It's v160 for Visual Studio 2019. Visual Studio 2017 stored these files under %VSINSTALLDIR%Common7\IDE\VC\VCTargets\. Visual Studio 2015 and earlier versions stored them under %ProgramFiles(x86)%\MSBuild\Microsoft.Cpp\v4.0\<version>\.

Create the C++ source files

In this walkthrough, you'll create a project that has a source file and a header file. The source file main.cpp contains the main function for the console application. The header file main.h contains code to include the <iostream> header file. You can create these C++ files by using Visual Studio or a text editor such as Visual Studio Code.

To create the C++ source files for your project

Create a folder for your project.

Create a file named main.cpp and add this code to the file:

// main.cpp : the application source code.
#include <iostream>
#include "main.h"
int main()
{
   std::cout << "Hello, from MSBuild!\n";
   return 0;
}

Create a file named main.h and add this code to the file:

// main.h: the application header code.
/* Additional source code to include. */

Creating the XML MSBuild Project File

An MSBuild project file is an XML file that contains a project root element (<Project>). In the example project you'll build, the <Project> element contains seven child elements:

Three item group tags (<ItemGroup>) that specify project configuration and platform, source file name, and header file name.
Three import tags (<Import>) that specify the location of Microsoft Visual C++ settings.
A property group tag (<PropertyGroup>) that specifies project settings.

To create the MSBuild project file

Use a text editor to create a project file that is named myproject.vcxproj, and then add the root <Project> element shown here. (Use ToolsVersion="14.0" if you're using Visual Studio 2015, ToolsVersion="15.0" if you're using Visual Studio 2017, or ToolsVersion="16.0" if you're using Visual Studio 2019.)
```
<Project DefaultTargets="Build" ToolsVersion="16.0" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/developer/msbuild/2003">
</Project>
```
Insert the elements in the next procedure steps between the root <Project> tags.

Add these two <ProjectConfiguration> child elements in an <ItemGroup> element. The child element specifies debug and release configurations for a 32-bit Windows operating system:

<ItemGroup>
  <ProjectConfiguration Include="Debug|Win32">
    <Configuration>Debug</Configuration>
    <Platform>Win32</Platform>
  </ProjectConfiguration>
  <ProjectConfiguration Include="Release|Win32">
    <Configuration>Release</Configuration>
    <Platform>Win32</Platform>
  </ProjectConfiguration>
</ItemGroup>

Add an <Import> element that specifies the path of the default C++ settings for this project:
```
<Import Project="$(VCTargetsPath)\Microsoft.Cpp.default.props" />
```
Add a property group element (<PropertyGroup>) that specifies two project properties, <ConfigurationType> and <PlatformToolset>. (Use v140 as the <PlatformToolset> value if you're using Visual Studio 2015, v141 if you're using Visual Studio 2017, or v142 if you're using Visual Studio 2019.)
```
<PropertyGroup>
  <ConfigurationType>Application</ConfigurationType>
  <PlatformToolset>v142</PlatformToolset>
</PropertyGroup>
```
Add an <Import> element that specifies the path of the current C++ settings for this project:
```
<Import Project="$(VCTargetsPath)\Microsoft.Cpp.props" />
```
Add a <ClCompile> child element in an <ItemGroup> element. The child element specifies the name of the C/C++ source file to compile:
```
<ItemGroup>
  <ClCompile Include="main.cpp" />
</ItemGroup>
```
Note

<ClCompile> is a build target and is defined in the default targets folder.
Add a <ClInclude> child element in an <ItemGroup> element. The child element specifies the name of the header file for the C/C++ source file:
```
<ItemGroup>
  <ClInclude Include="main.h" />
</ItemGroup>
```
Add an <Import> element that specifies the path of the file that defines the target for this project:
```
<Import Project="$(VCTargetsPath)\Microsoft.Cpp.Targets" />
```

Complete Project File

This code shows the complete project file that you created in the previous procedure. (Use ToolsVersion="15.0" for Visual Studio 2017, or ToolsVersion="14.0" for Visual Studio 2015.)

<Project DefaultTargets="Build" ToolsVersion="16.0" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/developer/msbuild/2003">
  <ItemGroup>
    <ProjectConfiguration Include="Debug|Win32">
      <Configuration>Debug</Configuration>
      <Platform>Win32</Platform>
    </ProjectConfiguration>
    <ProjectConfiguration Include="Release|Win32">
      <Configuration>Release</Configuration>
      <Platform>Win32</Platform>
    </ProjectConfiguration>
  </ItemGroup>
  <Import Project="$(VCTargetsPath)\Microsoft.Cpp.default.props" />
  <PropertyGroup>
    <ConfigurationType>Application</ConfigurationType>
    <PlatformToolset>v142</PlatformToolset>
  </PropertyGroup>
  <Import Project="$(VCTargetsPath)\Microsoft.Cpp.props" />
  <ItemGroup>
    <ClCompile Include="main.cpp" />
  </ItemGroup>
  <ItemGroup>
    <ClInclude Include="main.h" />
  </ItemGroup>
  <Import Project="$(VCTargetsPath)\Microsoft.Cpp.Targets" />
</Project>

Using MSBuild to Build Your Project

Enter this command at the command prompt to build your console application:

msbuild myproject.vcxproj /p:configuration=debug

MSBuild creates a folder for the output files, and then compiles and links your project to generate the Myproject.exe program. After the build process finishes, use this command to run the application from the debug folder:

myproject

The application should display "Hello, from MSBuild!" in the console window.

Customizing Your Project

MSBuild enables you to execute predefined build targets, apply user-defined properties, and use custom tools, events, and build steps. This section illustrates these tasks:

Using MSBuild with build targets.
Using MSBuild with build properties.
Using MSBuild with the 64-bit compiler and tools.
Using MSBuild with different toolsets.
Adding MSBuild customizations.

Using MSBuild with Build Targets

A build target is a named set of predefined or user-defined commands that can be executed during the build. Use the target command-line option (/t) to specify a build target. For the myproject example project, the predefined clean target deletes all files in the debug folder and creates a new log file.

At the command prompt, enter this command to clean myproject:

msbuild myproject.vcxproj /t:clean

Using MSBuild with Build Properties

The property command-line option (/p) enables you to override a property in your project build file. In the myproject example project, the release or debug build configuration is specified by the Configuration property. The operating system that you'll use to run the built application is specified by the Platform property.

At the command prompt, enter this command to create a debug build of the myproject application to run on 32-bit Windows:

msbuild myproject.vcxproj /p:configuration=debug /p:platform=win32

Assume that the myproject example project also defines a configuration for 64-bit Windows, and another configuration for a custom operating system named myplatform.

At the command prompt, enter this command to create a release build that runs on 64-bit Windows:

msbuild myproject.vcxproj /p:configuration=release /p:platform=x64

At the command prompt, enter this command to create a release build for myplatform:

msbuild myproject.vcxproj /p:configuration=release /p:platform=myplatform

Using MSBuild with the 64-bit Compiler and Tools

If you have installed Visual Studio on 64-bit Windows, the 64-bit x64 native and cross tools are installed by default. You can configure MSBuild to use the 64-bit compiler and tools to build your application by setting the PreferredToolArchitecture property. This property doesn't affect the project configuration or platform properties. By default, the 32-bit version of the tools is used. To specify the 64-bit version of the compiler and tools, add this property group element to the Myproject.vcxproj project file after the Microsoft.Cpp.default.props file <Import /> element:

<PropertyGroup>
    <PreferredToolArchitecture>x64</PreferredToolArchitecture>
</PropertyGroup>

At the command prompt, enter this command to use the 64-bit tools to build your application:

msbuild myproject.vcxproj /p:PreferredToolArchitecture=x64

Using MSBuild with a different toolset

If you have the toolsets and libraries for other versions of Visual C++ installed, MSBuild can build applications for either the current Visual C++ version or for the other installed versions. For example, if you have installed Visual Studio 2012, to specify the Visual C++ 11.0 toolset for Windows XP, add this property group element to the Myproject.vcxproj project file after the Microsoft.Cpp.props file <Import /> element:

<PropertyGroup>
    <PlatformToolset>v110_xp</PlatformToolset>
</PropertyGroup>

To rebuild your project with the Visual C++ 11.0 Windows XP toolset, enter this command:

msbuild myproject.vcxproj /p:PlatformToolset=v110_xp /t:rebuild

Adding MSBuild customizations

MSBuild provides various ways to customize your build process. These articles show how to add custom build steps, tools, and events to your MSBuild project:

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