Why `msvc_x86` toolset, in Visual Studio CMake Settings, passes `-A x64` to CMake instead of `-A Win32`?

Question

Why `msvc_x86` toolset, in Visual Studio CMake Settings, passes `-A x64` to CMake instead of `-A Win32`?

Bassem Selim 1

Hi,
I'm using Visual Studio 2022 to build a project using CMake.
It builds successfully for x86_64 architecture.

However, when I did the following:

Added CMake configuration x86-Release , from CMake Settings
Selected Release in Configuration Type
Left msvc_x86 selected as a Toolset
Selected Visual Studio 17 2022 Win64
Ran from the menu: Project -> Configure Cache

I got the configuration done for x86_64 instead of x86:

Command line: "C:\WINDOWS\system32\cmd.exe" /c "%SYSTEMROOT%\System32\chcp.com 65001 >NUL && "C:\PROGRAM FILES\MICROSOFT VISUAL STUDIO\2022\COMMUNITY\COMMON7\IDE\COMMONEXTENSIONS\MICROSOFT\CMAKE\CMake\bin\cmake.exe" -G "Visual Studio 17 2022" -A x64 -DCMAKE_CONFIGURATION_TYPES:STRING="Release" -DCMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX:PATH="F:\Work\conan\crono_pci_windows\tools\out\install\x86-Release" "F:\Work\conan\crono_pci_windows\tools" 2>&1"
1>

While I expected the command line to have -A Win32 instead.
Any idea how to set it to build for x86 (-A Win32)?
Thanks,
Bassem

Minxin Yu 13,506 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff

2022-03-14T02:06:54.463+00:00

Thanks for taking time to report this problem with us. Currently, CMake is not supported here. You can go to github for support.
Bassem Selim 1 Reputation point

2022-03-15T09:15:55.003+00:00

It's not a problem of CMake, it's an issue with C++ CMake tools for Windows in Visual Studio, that passes wrong parameters to CMake.
The problem is:
Despite of selecting x86-Release in CMake Settings in Visual Studio to build x86 arch binaries, Visual Studio passes -A x64 to CMake.

1 answer

Your answer

Minxin Yu 13,506 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff

2022-03-14T02:06:54.463+00:00

Thanks for taking time to report this problem with us. Currently, CMake is not supported here. You can go to github for support.
Bassem Selim 1 Reputation point

2022-03-15T09:15:55.003+00:00

It's not a problem of CMake, it's an issue with C++ CMake tools for Windows in Visual Studio, that passes wrong parameters to CMake.
The problem is:
Despite of selecting x86-Release in CMake Settings in Visual Studio to build x86 arch binaries, Visual Studio passes -A x64 to CMake.

Answer 1

Bassem Selim 1

I found a solution, it's by selecting a 32-bit CMake generator: from the list of available generators, e.g. Visual Studio 17 2022 instead of Visual Studio 17 2022 Win64.

Selecting x86-Release doesn't seem to be enough.

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Why `msvc_x86` toolset, in Visual Studio CMake Settings, passes `-A x64` to CMake instead of `-A Win32`?

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