Configuring projects without installing the Microsoft Game Development Kit

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This topic covers configuring projects to build with MSBuild while referencing extracted Microsoft Game Development Kit (GDK) files. To download example projects that use MSBuild and CMake, see the Project configuration samples section.

Section What's covered
Platform property and target files Types and location of property and target files that are a part of the GDK
Overriding MSBuild properties How to override properties to work with a flat-deployed GDK
Gaming.Xbox.XboxOne.x64 and Gaming.Xbox.Scarlett.x64 project customization Steps to configure your Xbox project to work with a flat-deployed GDK
Gaming.Xbox.XboxOne.x64 and Gaming.Xbox.Scarlett.x64 property overrides for the GDK Xbox properties overrides to work with a flat-deployed GDK
Gaming.Xbox.XboxOne.x64 and Gaming.Xbox.Scarlett.x64 property overrides for Windows 10 SDK Xbox properties overrides to work with a flat-deployed Windows 10 SDK
Gaming.Xbox.XboxOne.x64 library and include references Library and include reference paths for Xbox One projects
Gaming.Xbox.Scarlett.x64 library and include references Library and include reference paths for Xbox Series X|S projects
Gaming.Xbox.XboxOne.x64 and Gaming.Xbox.Scarlett.x64 extension libraries Xbox property files for the extension libraries (that is, Xbox.Game.Chat)
Gaming.Desktop.x64 project customization Steps to configure your PC desktop project to work with a flat-deployed GDK
Gaming.Desktop.x64 property overrides for the GDK PC desktop properties overrides to work with a flat-deployed GDK
Gaming.Desktop.x64 property overrides for Windows 10 SDK PC desktop properties overrides to work with a flat-deployed Windows 10 SDK
Gaming.Desktop.x64 library and include references Library and include reference paths for PC desktop projects
Gaming.Desktop.x64 extension libraries PC desktop property files for the extension libraries (that is, Xbox.Game.Chat)
Property configuration for PC-side tools Property overrides to properly use PC-side tools
Visual Studio version-specific overrides Property overrides required for versions of Visual Studio
Visual Studio 2019 platform overrides Property overrides of the Platform folder location in Visual Studio 2019
Visual Studio 2022 platform overrides Property overrides of the Platform folder location in Visual Studio 2022
Project configuration samples Samples to get up and running with a flat-deployed GDK
CMake sample CMake sample to integrate a project with a flat-deployed GDK
MSBuild sample MSBuild sample to integrate a project with a flat-deployed GDK

Platform property and target files

Included in the GDK extracted files is a set of property and target files that are used as part of building the Gaming.Xbox.XboxOne.x64, Gaming.Xbox.Scarlett.x64, or Gaming.Desktop.x64 platforms. These platforms are imported from the Microsoft.Cpp.Default.props lookup when building with our platform defined. Inspecting these files will help you better understand how the platform MSBuild components work and how best they can be integrated into your build system.

Sixteen instances of these files exist, based on the version of Visual Studio, the Platform Toolset version, and platform target. The example paths from an extracted GDK folder are as follows.

  • C:\ExtractedGDK\220300\Microsoft GDK\220300\GXDK\VS2019\flatDeployment\MSBuild\Microsoft\VC\v150\Platforms\Gaming.Xbox.XboxOne.x64
  • C:\ExtractedGDK\220300\Microsoft GDK\220300\GXDK\VS2019\flatDeployment\MSBuild\Microsoft\VC\v150\Platforms\Gaming.Xbox.Scarlett.x64
  • C:\ExtractedGDK\220300\Microsoft GDK\220300\GXDK\VS2019\flatDeployment\MSBuild\Microsoft\VC\v160\Platforms\Gaming.Xbox.XboxOne.x64
  • C:\ExtractedGDK\220300\Microsoft GDK\220300\GXDK\VS2019\flatDeployment\MSBuild\Microsoft\VC\v160\Platforms\Gaming.Xbox.Scarlett.x64
  • C:\ExtractedGDK\220300\Microsoft GDK\220300\GXDK\VS2022\flatDeployment\MSBuild\Microsoft\VC\v150\Platforms\Gaming.Xbox.XboxOne.x64
  • C:\ExtractedGDK\220300\Microsoft GDK\220300\GXDK\VS2022\flatDeployment\MSBuild\Microsoft\VC\v150\Platforms\Gaming.Xbox.Scarlett.x64
  • C:\ExtractedGDK\220300\Microsoft GDK\220300\GXDK\VS2022\flatDeployment\MSBuild\Microsoft\VC\v160\Platforms\Gaming.Xbox.XboxOne.x64
  • C:\ExtractedGDK\220300\Microsoft GDK\220300\GXDK\VS2022\flatDeployment\MSBuild\Microsoft\VC\v160\Platforms\Gaming.Xbox.Scarlett.x64
  • C:\ExtractedGDK\220300\Microsoft GDK\220300\GXDK\VS2022\flatDeployment\MSBuild\Microsoft\VC\v170\Platforms\Gaming.Xbox.XboxOne.x64
  • C:\ExtractedGDK\220300\Microsoft GDK\220300\GXDK\VS2022\flatDeployment\MSBuild\Microsoft\VC\v170\Platforms\Gaming.Xbox.Scarlett.x64
  • C:\ExtractedGDK\220300\Microsoft GDK\220300\GRDK\VS2019\flatDeployment\MSBuild\Microsoft\VC\v150\Platforms\gaming.desktop.x64
  • C:\ExtractedGDK\220300\Microsoft GDK\220300\GRDK\VS2019\flatDeployment\MSBuild\Microsoft\VC\v160\Platforms\gaming.desktop.x64
  • C:\ExtractedGDK\220300\Microsoft GDK\220300\GRDK\VS2022\flatDeployment\MSBuild\Microsoft\VC\v150\Platforms\gaming.desktop.x64
  • C:\ExtractedGDK\220300\Microsoft GDK\220300\GRDK\VS2022\flatDeployment\MSBuild\Microsoft\VC\v160\Platforms\gaming.desktop.x64
  • C:\ExtractedGDK\220300\Microsoft GDK\220300\GRDK\VS2022\flatDeployment\MSBuild\Microsoft\VC\v170\Platforms\gaming.desktop.x64

The difference between the v150, v160, and v170 folders for Visual Studio 2019 and Visual Studio 2022 is the use of the v141 (v150), v142 (v160), or v143 (v170) Platform Toolset version (which is defined in the $(PlatformToolset) property).

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Overriding MSBuild properties

There are multiple ways to override MSBuild properties in your projects. One convenient method is to create a Directory.Build.props file in the same directory as the project file. Properties defined in this file will be automatically applied when building the project. If the file is not present, the overrides will not be applied. This means you can use the same project file whether or not the Microsoft Game Development Kit (GDK) is installed. If the Microsoft Game Development Kit (GDK) is installed, remove or rename the Directory.Build.props to use the normal build process.

The MSBuild sample demonstrates the use of a Directory.Build.props file.

The following sections describe the properties we recommend that you override to point to your extracted Microsoft Game Development Kit (GDK) and where to find more details on lib and include paths.

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Gaming.Xbox.XboxOne.x64 and Gaming.Xbox.Scarlett.x64 project customization

Project customization is required to build a Gaming.Xbox.XboxOne.x64 and Gaming.Xbox.Scarlett.x64 project with MSBuild from an extracted GDK. For properties that require overriding, the most important difference between Gaming.Xbox.XboxOne.x64 and Gaming.Xbox.Scarlett.x64 is the Platform property definition.

Gaming.Xbox.XboxOne.x64 and Gaming.Xbox.Scarlett.x64 property overrides for the GDK

The following properties need to be set to enable a successful build of a project that's configured for the Gaming.Xbox.XboxOne.x64 and Gaming.Xbox.Scarlett.x64 platforms. They should be imported before the import of Microsoft.Cpp.Default.props that's defined within your project file.

Descriptions of properties being overridden

  • BWOI_GDK_Path: A user property that isn't required, but we recommend that you set it to use the property in future property values to reduce hard-coded paths.
  • Platform: Specifies the platform that will be used to compile the project. The Xbox console family options in the GDK are Gaming.Xbox.XboxOne.x64 and Gaming.Xbox.Scarlett.x64. The property is set as part of the new project template.
  • XdkEditionTarget: Overrides which GDK version is used for build compilation. It's defined in Platform.default.props and is derived from XdkEdition, an internal property that's set in xdk.props.
  • DurangoXdkInstallPath: Overrides the Microsoft Microsoft Game Development Kit (GDK) folder location of the extracted GDK. It's defined in Platform.Edition.default.props.
  • DefaultXdkEditionRootVS2019: Overrides the default location of the Visual Studio 2019-compatible Platform property and target files. It's defined in Platform.default.props. This property should only be defined when using a project with Visual Studio 2019.
  • XdkEditionRootVS2019: Overrides the location of the Visual Studio 2019-compatible Platform property and target files. It's defined in Platform.props. This property should only be defined when using a project with Visual Studio 2019.
  • DefaultXdkEditionRootVS2022: Overrides the default location of the Visual Studio 2022-compatible Platform property and target files. It's defined in Platform.default.props. This property should only be defined when using a project with Visual Studio 2022.
  • XdkEditionRootVS2022: Overrides the location of the Visual Studio 2022-compatible Platform property and target files. It's defined in Platform.props. This property should only be defined when using a project with Visual Studio 2022.
  • PlatformToolset: Overrides the specific version of the build tools to be used for building. v141 and v142 are supported in Visual Studio 2019 (v142 is defined by default). v141, v142, and v143 are supported in Visual Studio 2022 (v143 is defined by default). This is defined in Microsoft.Cpp.Defaults.props.

Example Gaming.Xbox.Scarlett.x64 property values, based on the previous extracted folder example, for reference:

<BWOI_GDK_Path>C:\ExtractedGDK\220300\</BWOI_GDK_Path>
<Platform>Gaming.Xbox.Scarlett.x64</Platform>
<XdkEditionTarget>220300</XdkEditionTarget>
<DurangoXdkInstallPath>$(BWOI_GDK_Path)Microsoft GDK\</DurangoXdkInstallPath>
<DefaultXdkEditionRootVS2019>$(XdkEditionTarget)\GXDK\VS2019\flatDeployment\MSBuild\Microsoft\VC\v160\Platforms\$(Platform)\</DefaultXdkEditionRootVS2019>
<XdkEditionRootVS2019>$(DurangoXdkInstallPath)$(XdkEditionTarget)\GXDK\VS2019\flatDeployment\MSBuild\Microsoft\VC\v160\Platforms\$(Platform)\</XdkEditionRootVS2019>
<DefaultXdkEditionRootVS2022>$(XdkEditionTarget)\GXDK\VS2022\flatDeployment\MSBuild\Microsoft\VC\v170\Platforms\$(Platform)\</DefaultXdkEditionRootVS2022>
<XdkEditionRootVS2022>$(DurangoXdkInstallPath)$(XdkEditionTarget)\GXDK\VS2022\flatDeployment\MSBuild\Microsoft\VC\v170\Platforms\$(Platform)\</XdkEditionRootVS2022>
<PlatformToolset>$(PlatformToolset)</PlatformToolset>

To override the Platform folder to detect Gaming.Xbox.XboxOne.x64-specific and Gaming.Xbox.Scarlett.x64-specific .props and targets, see the following section about Visual Studio platform overrides.

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Gaming.Xbox.XboxOne.x64 and Gaming.Xbox.Scarlett.x64 property overrides for Windows 10 SDK

The following properties need to be set only when using an extracted Windows 10 SDK. If you're using an installed Windows 10 SDK, this section can be skipped.

  • BWOI_Win10SDK_Path: A user property that isn't required, but we recommend that you set it to use the property in future property values to reduce hard-coded paths.
  • WindowsSdkDir: Overrides the location of the Windows 10 SDK.
  • WindowsSdkDir_10: Overrides the location of the Windows 10 SDK (Windows 10). This is checked via a registry key inMicrosoft.Cpp.WindowsSDK.props, which is imported during build compilation.
  • UCRTContentRoot: Overrides the location of the Universal C Runtime Library Content Root. This is defined in uCRT.props.
  • UniversalCRTSdkDir: Overrides the location of the Universal C Runtime Library SDK (Visual C++ C Runtime). This property is checked via a registry key in Microsoft.Cpp.WindowsSDK.props, which is imported during build compilation.
  • UniversalCRTSdkDir_10: Overrides the location of the Universal C Runtime Library SDK (Visual C++ C Runtime for Windows 10). This property is checked via a registry key in Microsoft.Cpp.WindowsSDK.props, which is imported during build compilation.
  • WindowsSDK_ExecutablePath_x86: Overrides the location of the x86 tools that are included in the Windows 10 SDK. Tools such as rc.exe reside in this location. This property is defined in Microsoft.Cpp.WindowsSDK.props.
  • WindowsSDK_ExecutablePath_x64: Overrides the location of the x64 tools that are included in the Windows 10 SDK. Tools such as rc.exe reside in this location. This property is defined in Microsoft.Cpp.WindowsSDK.props.
  • WindowsTargetPlatformVersion: Overrides the version of the Windows 10 SDK that's being used. This property is defined in the Platform.Edition.default.props file (walks a local path if it's not defined).
  • TargetPlatformVersion: Overrides the version of the Windows 10 SDK that's being used. This property is defined in Microsoft.Cpp.WindowsSDK.props.

Example property values, based on the previous extracted folder example, for reference:

<BWOI_Win10SDK_Path>C:\ExtractedWin10SDK\</BWOI_Win10SDK_Path>
<WindowsSdkDir>$(BWOI_Win10SDK_Path)Windows Kits\10\</WindowsSdkDir>
<WindowsSdkDir_10>$(WindowsSdkDir)</WindowsSdkDir_10>
<UCRTContentRoot>$(WindowsSdkDir)</UCRTContentRoot>
<UniversalCRTSdkDir>$(WindowsSdkDir)</UniversalCRTSdkDir>
<UniversalCRTSdkDir_10>$(WindowsSdkDir)</UniversalCRTSdkDir_10>
<WindowsSDK_ExecutablePath_x86>$(WindowsSdkDir)bin\$(WindowsTargetPlatformVersion)\x86</WindowsSDK_ExecutablePath_x86>
<WindowsSDK_ExecutablePath_x64>$(WindowsSdkDir)bin\$(WindowsTargetPlatformVersion)\x64</WindowsSDK_ExecutablePath_x64>
<WindowsTargetPlatformVersion>10.0.19041.0</WindowsTargetPlatformVersion>
<TargetPlatformVersion>$(WindowsTargetPlatformVersion)</TargetPlatformVersion>

The Microsoft GDK requires Windows 10 SDK (19041) or later. You can make use of the Windows SDK (20348, 22000, or 22621) if you want, but it's not required.

As of the October 2023 release, Windows 11 SDK (22000) or later is required. You can make use of Windows 11 SDK, Version 22H2 (22621) if you want, but it's not required. Replace all instances of "10.0.19041.0" with "10.0.22000.0".

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Gaming.Xbox.XboxOne.x64 library and include references

Library and include references do not need to be directly overridden, because they derive from the previously mentioned overridden paths. This section is for reference only.

These references are defined in Platform.Edition.props within the Gaming.Xbox.XboxOne.x64 Platform folder. The properties are constructed as follows.

<Console_LibRoot>$(WindowsSDKDir)Lib\$(TargetPlatformVersion)\</Console_LibRoot>
<Console_EndpointLibRoot>$(DurangoXdkInstallPath)GXDK\gameKit\Lib\amd64;$(DurangoXdkInstallPath)GXDK\gameKit\Lib\amd64\XboxOne;$(DurangoXdkInstallPath)GRDK\gameKit\Lib\amd64</Console_EndpointLibRoot>
<Console_EndpointIncludeRoot>$(DurangoXdkInstallPath)GXDK\gameKit\Include\;$(DurangoXdkInstallPath)GXDK\gameKit\Include\XboxOne\;$(DurangoXdkInstallPath)GRDK\gameKit\Include\</Console_EndpointIncludeRoot>
<Console_WindowsIncludeRoot>$(WindowsSDKDir)Include\$(TargetPlatformVersion)\</Console_WindowsIncludeRoot>
<Console_Libs Condition="'$(Console_Libs)'==''">pixevt.lib;d3d12_x.lib;xgameplatform.lib;xgameruntime.lib;xmem.lib;xg_x.lib</Console_Libs>
<Console_UCRTRedistDebug>$(WindowsSDKDir)bin\$(TargetPlatformVersion)\x64\ucrt\</Console_UCRTRedistDebug>
<Console_SdkRoot>$(DurangoXdkInstallRoot)</Console_SdkRoot>
<Console_SdkIncludeRoot>$(Console_EndpointIncludeRoot);$(WindowsSDK_IncludePath);$(UniversalCRT_IncludePath);$(VC_VC_IncludePath);</Console_SdkIncludeRoot>
<Console_SdkLibPath>$(Console_EndpointLibRoot);$(WindowsSDK_LibraryPath_x64);$(UniversalCRT_LibraryPath_x64);$(VC_LibraryPath_VC_x64_OneCore)</Console_SdkLibPath>

Example defines of library and include properties in MSBuild logs:

Console_EndpointIncludeRoot = C:\ExtractedGDK\220300\Microsoft GDK\220300\GXDK\gameKit\Include\;C:\ExtractedGDK\220300\Microsoft GDK\220300\GXDK\gameKit\Include\XboxOne\;C:\ExtractedGDK\220300\Microsoft GDK\220300\GRDK\gameKit\Include\
Console_EndpointLibRoot = C:\ExtractedGDK\220300\Microsoft GDK\220300\GXDK\gameKit\Lib\amd64;C:\ExtractedGDK\220300\Microsoft GDK\220300\GXDK\gameKit\Lib\amd64\XboxOne;C:\ExtractedGDK\220300\Microsoft GDK\220300\GRDK\gameKit\Lib\amd64
Console_ExtLibPaths = C:\ExtractedGDK\220300\Microsoft GDK\220300\GRDK\ExtensionLibraries\Xbox.Services.API.C\DesignTime\CommonConfiguration\neutral\ExtensionLibrary.props
Console_ExtLibPathsString = C:\ExtractedGDK\220300\Microsoft GDK\220300\GRDK\ExtensionLibraries\Xbox.Services.API.C\DesignTime\CommonConfiguration\neutral\ExtensionLibrary.props
Console_GRDKExtLibNamesString = PlayFab.Party.Cpp|PlayFab.PartyXboxLive.Cpp|Xbox.Game.Chat.2.Cpp.API|Xbox.Services.API.C
Console_GRDKExtLibRoot = C:\ExtractedGDK\220300\Microsoft GDK\220300\GRDK\ExtensionLibraries\
Console_LibRoot = C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Kits\10\Lib\10.0.19041.0\
Console_Libs = pixevt.lib;d3d12_x.lib;xgameplatform.lib;xgameruntime.lib;xmem.lib;xg_x.lib
Console_SdkIncludeRoot = C:\ExtractedGDK\220300\Microsoft GDK\220300\GRDK\ExtensionLibraries\Xbox.Services.API.C\DesignTime\CommonConfiguration\neutral\Include;C:\ExtractedGDK\220300\Microsoft GDK\220300\GXDK\gameKit\Include\;C:\ExtractedGDK\220300\Microsoft GDK\220300\GXDK\gameKit\Include\XboxOne\;C:\ExtractedGDK\220300\Microsoft GDK\220300\GRDK\gameKit\Include\;C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Kits\10\Include\10.0.19041.0\um;C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Kits\10\Include\10.0.19041.0\shared;C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Kits\10\Include\10.0.19041.0\winrt;C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Kits\10\Include\10.0.19041.0\cppwinrt;C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Kits\10\Include\10.0.19041.0\ucrt;C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Kits\10\Include\10.0.19041.0\ucrt;;C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio\2022\Enterprise\VC\Tools\MSVC\14.30.30705\include;;
Console_SdkLibPath = C:\ExtractedGDK\220300\Microsoft GDK\220300\GRDK\ExtensionLibraries\Xbox.Services.API.C\DesignTime\CommonConfiguration\neutral\Lib\Release\v143;C:\ExtractedGDK\220300\Microsoft GDK\220300\GXDK\gameKit\Lib\amd64;C:\ExtractedGDK\220300\Microsoft GDK\220300\GXDK\gameKit\Lib\amd64\XboxOne;C:\ExtractedGDK\220300\Microsoft GDK\220300\GRDK\gameKit\Lib\amd64;C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Kits\10\Lib\10.0.19041.0\ucrt\x64;C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Kits\10\Lib\10.0.19041.0\um\x64;C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Kits\10\lib\10.0.19041.0\ucrt\x64;;C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio\2022\Enterprise\VC\Tools\MSVC\14.30.30705\lib\onecore\x64
Console_SdkRoot = C:\ExtractedGDK\220300\Microsoft GDK\
Console_SdkToolPath = C:\ExtractedGDK\220300\Microsoft GDK\220300\GXDK\bin\XboxOne\
Console_UCRTRedistDebug = C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Kits\10\bin\10.0.19041.0\x64\ucrt\
Console_WindowsIncludeRoot = C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Kits\10\Include\10.0.19041.0\

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Gaming.Xbox.Scarlett.x64 library and include references

Library and include references do not need to be directly overridden, because they derive from the previously mentioned overridden paths. This section is for reference only.

These references are defined in Platform.Edition.props within the Gaming.Xbox.Scarlett.x64 Platform folder. The properties are constructed as follows.

<Console_LibRoot>$(WindowsSDKDir)Lib\$(TargetPlatformVersion)\</Console_LibRoot>
<Console_EndpointLibRoot>$(DurangoXdkInstallPath)GXDK\gameKit\Lib\amd64;$(DurangoXdkInstallPath)GXDK\gameKit\Lib\amd64\Scarlett;$(DurangoXdkInstallPath)GRDK\gameKit\Lib\amd64</Console_EndpointLibRoot>
<Console_EndpointIncludeRoot>$(DurangoXdkInstallPath)GXDK\gameKit\Include\;$(DurangoXdkInstallPath)GXDK\gameKit\Include\Scarlett\;$(DurangoXdkInstallPath)GRDK\gameKit\Include\</Console_EndpointIncludeRoot>
<Console_WindowsIncludeRoot>$(WindowsSDKDir)Include\$(TargetPlatformVersion)\</Console_WindowsIncludeRoot>
<Console_Libs Condition="'$(Console_Libs)'==''">pixevt.lib;d3d12_xs.lib;xgameplatform.lib;xgameruntime.lib;xmem.lib;xg_xs.lib</Console_Libs>
<Console_UCRTRedistDebug>$(WindowsSDKDir)bin\$(TargetPlatformVersion)\x64\ucrt\</Console_UCRTRedistDebug>
<Console_SdkRoot>$(DurangoXdkInstallRoot)</Console_SdkRoot>
<Console_SdkIncludeRoot>$(Console_EndpointIncludeRoot);$(WindowsSDK_IncludePath);$(UniversalCRT_IncludePath);$(VC_VC_IncludePath);</Console_SdkIncludeRoot>
<Console_SdkLibPath>$(Console_EndpointLibRoot);$(WindowsSDK_LibraryPath_x64);$(UniversalCRT_LibraryPath_x64);$(VC_LibraryPath_VC_x64_OneCore)</Console_SdkLibPath>

Example defines of library and include properties in MSBuild logs:

Console_EndpointIncludeRoot = C:\ExtractedGDK\220300\Microsoft GDK\220300\GXDK\gameKit\Include\;C:\ExtractedGDK\220300\Microsoft GDK\220300\GXDK\gameKit\Include\Scarlett\;C:\ExtractedGDK\220300\Microsoft GDK\220300\GRDK\gameKit\Include\
Console_EndpointLibRoot = C:\ExtractedGDK\220300\Microsoft GDK\220300\GXDK\gameKit\Lib\amd64;C:\ExtractedGDK\220300\Microsoft GDK\220300\GXDK\gameKit\Lib\amd64\Scarlett;C:\ExtractedGDK\220300\Microsoft GDK\220300\GRDK\gameKit\Lib\amd64
Console_ExtLibPaths = C:\ExtractedGDK\220300\Microsoft GDK\220300\GRDK\ExtensionLibraries\Xbox.Services.API.C\DesignTime\CommonConfiguration\neutral\ExtensionLibrary.props
Console_ExtLibPathsString = C:\ExtractedGDK\220300\Microsoft GDK\220300\GRDK\ExtensionLibraries\Xbox.Services.API.C\DesignTime\CommonConfiguration\neutral\ExtensionLibrary.props
Console_GRDKExtLibNamesString = PlayFab.Party.Cpp|PlayFab.PartyXboxLive.Cpp|Xbox.Game.Chat.2.Cpp.API|Xbox.Services.API.C
Console_GRDKExtLibRoot = C:\ExtractedGDK\220300\Microsoft GDK\220300\GRDK\ExtensionLibraries\
Console_LibRoot = C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Kits\10\Lib\10.0.19041.0\
Console_Libs = pixevt.lib;d3d12_xs.lib;xgameplatform.lib;xgameruntime.lib;xmem.lib;xg_xs.lib
Console_SdkIncludeRoot = C:\ExtractedGDK\220300\Microsoft GDK\220300\GRDK\ExtensionLibraries\Xbox.Services.API.C\DesignTime\CommonConfiguration\neutral\Include;C:\ExtractedGDK\220300\Microsoft GDK\220300\GXDK\gameKit\Include\;C:\ExtractedGDK\220300\Microsoft GDK\220300\GXDK\gameKit\Include\Scarlett\;C:\ExtractedGDK\220300\Microsoft GDK\220300\GRDK\gameKit\Include\;C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Kits\10\Include\10.0.19041.0\um;C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Kits\10\Include\10.0.19041.0\shared;C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Kits\10\Include\10.0.19041.0\winrt;C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Kits\10\Include\10.0.19041.0\cppwinrt;C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Kits\10\Include\10.0.19041.0\ucrt;C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Kits\10\Include\10.0.19041.0\ucrt;;C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio\2022\Enterprise\VC\Tools\MSVC\14.30.30705\include;;
Console_SdkLibPath = C:\ExtractedGDK\220300\Microsoft GDK\220300\GRDK\ExtensionLibraries\Xbox.Services.API.C\DesignTime\CommonConfiguration\neutral\Lib\Release\v143;C:\ExtractedGDK\220300\Microsoft GDK\220300\GXDK\gameKit\Lib\amd64;C:\ExtractedGDK\220300\Microsoft GDK\220300\GXDK\gameKit\Lib\amd64\Scarlett;C:\ExtractedGDK\220300\Microsoft GDK\220300\GRDK\gameKit\Lib\amd64;C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Kits\10\Lib\10.0.19041.0\ucrt\x64;C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Kits\10\Lib\10.0.19041.0\um\x64;C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Kits\10\lib\10.0.19041.0\ucrt\x64;;C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio\2022\Enterprise\VC\Tools\MSVC\14.30.30705\lib\onecore\x64
Console_SdkRoot = C:\ExtractedGDK\220300\Microsoft GDK\
Console_SdkToolPath = C:\ExtractedGDK\220300\Microsoft GDK\220300\GXDK\bin\Scarlett\
Console_UCRTRedistDebug = C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Kits\10\bin\10.0.19041.0\x64\ucrt\
Console_WindowsIncludeRoot = C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Kits\10\Include\10.0.19041.0\

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Gaming.Xbox.XboxOne.x64 and Gaming.Xbox.Scarlett.x64 extension libraries

Extension libraries exist for Xbox.Services.API.C, Xbox.Game.Chat.2.Cpp.API, Xbox.XCurl.API, PlayFab.Party.Cpp, and PlayFab.PartyXboxLive.Cpp. If you're using these features, they should be imported into your project and the associated properties overridden, based on what's defined in the following .props files.

  • C:\ExtractedGDK\220300\Microsoft GDK\220300\GRDK\ExtensionLibraries\Xbox.Services.API.C\DesignTime\CommonConfiguration\Neutral\ExtensionLibrary.props
  • C:\ExtractedGDK\220300\Microsoft GDK\220300\GRDK\ExtensionLibraries\Xbox.Game.Chat.2.Cpp.API\DesignTime\CommonConfiguration\neutral\ExtensionLibrary.props
  • C:\ExtractedGDK\220300\Microsoft GDK\220300\GRDK\ExtensionLibraries\PlayFab.Party.Cpp\DesignTime\CommonConfiguration\neutral\ExtensionLibrary.props
  • C:\ExtractedGDK\220300\Microsoft GDK\220300\GRDK\ExtensionLibraries\PlayFab.PartyXboxLive.Cpp\DesignTime\CommonConfiguration\neutral\ExtensionLibrary.props
  • C:\ExtractedGDK\220300\Microsoft GDK\220600\GRDK\ExtensionLibraries\PlayFab.Services.C\DesignTime\CommonConfiguration\neutral\ExtensionLibrary.props

Note: The .props file for Xbox.Services.API.C has added Appnotify.lib, crypt32.lib, and winhttp.lib as additional dependencies.

Extension library properties are defined in Platform.Edition.props within the target platform folder. An example of how these properties are constructed is as follows.

<GDKExtLibNames Condition="'$(GDKExtLibNames)'==''">Xbox.Services.API.C</GDKExtLibNames>
<Console_GRDKExtLibRoot>$(DurangoXdkInstallPath)GRDK\ExtensionLibraries\</Console_GRDKExtLibRoot>
<Console_GRDKExtLibNamesString>$([System.String]::Join('|', $([System.IO.Directory]::GetDirectories(&quot;$(Console_GRDKExtLibRoot)&quot;))).Replace('$(Console_GRDKExtLibRoot)',''))</Console_GRDKExtLibNamesString>
<Console_ExtLibPathsString>$([System.Text.RegularExpressions.Regex]::Replace($(GDKExtLibNames), '($(Console_GRDKExtLibNamesString))','$(Console_GRDKExtLibRoot)%24%26\DesignTime\CommonConfiguration\neutral\ExtensionLibrary.props'))</Console_ExtLibPathsString>
<Console_ExtLibPaths>$([MSBuild]::Unescape($(Console_ExtLibPathsString)))</Console_ExtLibPaths>

GDKExtLibNames allows up to five libraries to be defined. If the property isn't defined, it defaults to Xbox.Services.API.C.

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Gaming.Desktop.x64 project customization

Project customization is required to build a Gaming.Desktop.x64 project with MSBuild from an extracted Microsoft Game Development Kit (GDK).

Note

The primary differences between the Gaming.Desktop.x64, Gaming.Xbox.Scarlett.x64, and Gaming.Xbox.XboxOne.x64 property overrides are minimal. The most important thing to note is that the Gaming.Desktop.x64 files are in the GRDK path. The Gaming.Xbox.Scarlett.x64 and Gaming.Xbox.XboxOne.x64 files are in the GXDK path (excluding extension libraries).

Gaming.Desktop.x64 property overrides for the GDK

The following properties need to be set to enable a successful build of a project that's configured for the Gaming.Desktop.x64 platform. These properties should be imported before you import Microsoft.Cpp.Default.props as defined within your project file.

Descriptions of properties being overridden

  • BWOI_GDK_Path: A user property that isn't required, but we recommend that you set it to use the property in future property values to reduce hard-coded paths.
  • Platform: Specifies the platform that will be used to compile the project. The platform in the Microsoft Game Development Kit (GDK) is Gaming.Desktop.x64.
  • XdkEditionTarget: Overrides which GDK version is used for build compilation. This property is defined in Platform.default.props and is derived from XdkEdition, an internal property that's set in xdk.props.
  • DurangoXdkInstallPath: Overrides the Microsoft Microsoft Game Development Kit (GDK) folder location of the extracted GDK. It's defined in Platform.Edition.default.props.
  • DefaultXdkEditionRootVS2019: Overrides the default location of the Visual Studio 2019-compatible Platform property and target files. It's defined in Platform.default.props. DefaultXdkEditionRootVS2019 should only be defined when using a project with Visual Studio 2019.
  • XdkEditionRootVS2019: Overrides the location of the Visual Studio 2019-compatible Platform property and target files. It's defined in Platform.default.props. XdkEditionRootVS2019 should only be defined when using a project with Visual Studio 2019.
  • DefaultXdkEditionRootVS2022: Overrides the default location of the Visual Studio 2022-compatible Platform property and target files. It's defined in Platform.default.props. DefaultXdkEditionRootVS2022 should only be defined when using a project with Visual Studio 2022.
  • XdkEditionRootVS2022: Overrides the location of the Visual Studio 2022-compatible Platform property and target files. It's defined in Platform.default.props. XdkEditionRootVS2022 should only be defined when using a project with Visual Studio 2022.
  • PlatformToolset: Overrides the specific version of the build tools to be used for building. v141 and v142 are supported in Visual Studio 2019 (v142 is defined by default). v141, v142, and v143 are supported in Visual Studio 2022 (v143 is defined by default). This is defined in Microsoft.Cpp.Defaults.props.

Example Gaming.Desktop.x64 property values, based on the previous extracted folder example, for reference:

<BWOI_GDK_Path>C:\ExtractedGDK\220300\</BWOI_GDK_Path>
<Platform>Gaming.Desktop.x64</Platform>
<XdkEditionTarget>220300</XdkEditionTarget>
<DurangoXdkInstallPath>$(BWOI_GDK_Path)Microsoft GDK\</DurangoXdkInstallPath>
<DefaultXdkEditionRootVS2019>$(XdkEditionTarget)\GRDK\VS2019\flatDeployment\MSBuild\Microsoft\VC\v160\Platforms\$(Platform)\</DefaultXdkEditionRootVS2019>
<XdkEditionRootVS2019>$(DurangoXdkInstallPath)$(XdkEditionTarget)\GRDK\VS2019\flatDeployment\MSBuild\Microsoft\VC\v160\Platforms\$(Platform)\</XdkEditionRootVS2019>
<DefaultXdkEditionRootVS2022>$(XdkEditionTarget)\GRDK\VS2022\flatDeployment\MSBuild\Microsoft\VC\v170\Platforms\$(Platform)\</DefaultXdkEditionRootVS2022>
<XdkEditionRootVS2022>$(DurangoXdkInstallPath)$(XdkEditionTarget)\GRDK\VS2022\flatDeployment\MSBuild\Microsoft\VC\v170\Platforms\$(Platform)\</XdkEditionRootVS2022>
<PlatformToolset>$(PlatformToolset)</PlatformToolset>

To override the Platform folder to detect Gaming.Desktop.x64-specific .props and targets, see the following section on Visual Studio platform overrides.

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Gaming.Desktop.x64 property overrides for Windows 10 SDK

The following properties need to be set only when using an extracted Windows 10 SDK. If you're using an installed Windows 10 SDK, this section can be skipped.

  • BWOI_Win10SDK_Path: A user property that isn't required, but we recommend that you set it to use the property in future property values to reduce hard-coded paths.
  • WindowsSdkDir: Overrides the location of the Windows 10 SDK.
  • WindowsSdkDir_10: Overrides the location of the Windows 10 SDK (Windows 10). This property is checked via a registry key in Microsoft.Cpp.WindowsSDK.props, which is imported during build compilation.
  • UCRTContentRoot: Overrides the location of the Universal CRT Content Root. This property is defined in uCRT.props.
  • UniversalCRTSdkDir: Overrides the location of the Universal CRT SDK (Visual C++ C Runtime). It's checked via a registry key in Microsoft.Cpp.WindowsSDK.props, which is imported during build compilation.
  • UniversalCRTSdkDir_10: Overrides the location of the Universal CRT SDK (Visual C++ C Runtime for Windows 10). It's checked via a registry key in Microsoft.Cpp.WindowsSDK.props, which is imported during build compilation.
  • WindowsSDK_ExecutablePath_x86: Overrides the location of the x86 tools that are included in the Windows 10 SDK. Tools such as rc.exe reside in this location. It's defined in Microsoft.Cpp.WindowsSDK.props.
  • WindowsSDK_ExecutablePath_x64: Overrides the location of the x64 tools that are included in the Windows 10 SDK. Tools such as rc.exe reside in this location. It's defined in Microsoft.Cpp.WindowsSDK.props.
  • WindowsTargetPlatformVersion: Overrides the version of the Windows 10 SDK that's being used. It's defined in the Platform.Edition.default.props folder (walks a local path if it's not defined).
  • TargetPlatformVersion: Overrides the version of the Windows 10 SDK that's being used. It's defined in Microsoft.Cpp.WindowsSDK.props.

Example property values, based on the previous extracted folder example, for reference:

<BWOI_Win10SDK_Path>C:\ExtractedWin10SDK\</BWOI_Win10SDK_Path>
<WindowsSdkDir>$(BWOI_Win10SDK_Path)Windows Kits\10\</WindowsSdkDir>
<WindowsSdkDir_10>$(WindowsSdkDir)</WindowsSdkDir_10>
<UCRTContentRoot>$(WindowsSdkDir)</UCRTContentRoot>
<UniversalCRTSdkDir>$(WindowsSdkDir)</UniversalCRTSdkDir>
<UniversalCRTSdkDir_10>$(WindowsSdkDir)</UniversalCRTSdkDir_10>
<WindowsSDK_ExecutablePath_x86>$(WindowsSdkDir)bin\$(WindowsTargetPlatformVersion)\x86</WindowsSDK_ExecutablePath_x86>
<WindowsSDK_ExecutablePath_x64>$(WindowsSdkDir)bin\$(WindowsTargetPlatformVersion)\x64</WindowsSDK_ExecutablePath_x64>
<WindowsTargetPlatformVersion>10.0.19041.0</WindowsTargetPlatformVersion>
<TargetPlatformVersion>$(WindowsTargetPlatformVersion)</TargetPlatformVersion>

The Microsoft GDK requires Windows 10 SDK (19041) or later. You can make use of Windows 10 SDK (20348) if you want, but it's not required.

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Gaming.Desktop.x64 library and include references

Library and include references do not need to be directly overridden, because they derive from the previously mentioned overridden paths. This section is for reference only.

These references are defined in Platform.Edition.props within the Gaming.Desktop.x64 Platform folder. The properties are constructed as follows.

<Console_LibRoot>$(WindowsSDKDir)Lib\$(TargetPlatformVersion)\</Console_LibRoot>
<Console_EndpointLibRoot>$(DurangoXdkInstallPath)GRDK\gameKit\Lib\amd64</Console_EndpointLibRoot>
<Console_EndpointIncludeRoot>$(DurangoXdkInstallPath)GRDK\gameKit\Include\</Console_EndpointIncludeRoot>
<Console_WindowsIncludeRoot>$(WindowsSDKDir)Include\$(TargetPlatformVersion)\</Console_WindowsIncludeRoot>
<Console_Libs>dxguid.lib;D3D12.lib;dxgi.lib;runtimeobject.lib;xGameRuntime.lib;</Console_Libs>
<Console_UCRTRedistDebug>$(WindowsSDKDir)bin\$(TargetPlatformVersion)\x64\ucrt\</Console_UCRTRedistDebug>
<Console_SdkRoot>$(DurangoXdkInstallRoot)</Console_SdkRoot>
<Console_SdkIncludeRoot>$(Console_EndpointIncludeRoot);$(WindowsSDK_IncludePath);$(UniversalCRT_IncludePath);$(VC_VC_IncludePath);</Console_SdkIncludeRoot>
<Console_SdkLibPath>$(Console_EndpointLibRoot);$(Console_LibRoot)um\x64;$(Console_LibRoot)ucrt\x64</Console_SdkLibPath>

Example defines of library and include properties in MSBuild logs:

Console_EndpointIncludeRoot = C:\ExtractedGDK\220300\Microsoft GDK\220300\GRDK\gameKit\Include\
Console_EndpointLibRoot = C:\ExtractedGDK\220300\Microsoft GDK\220300\GRDK\gameKit\Lib\amd64
Console_ExtLibPaths = C:\ExtractedGDK\220300\Microsoft GDK\220300\GRDK\ExtensionLibraries\Xbox.Services.API.C\DesignTime\CommonConfiguration\neutral\ExtensionLibrary.props
Console_ExtLibPathsString = C:\ExtractedGDK\220300\Microsoft GDK\220300\GRDK\ExtensionLibraries\Xbox.Services.API.C\DesignTime\CommonConfiguration\neutral\ExtensionLibrary.props
Console_GRDKExtLibNamesString = PlayFab.Party.Cpp|PlayFab.PartyXboxLive.Cpp|Xbox.Game.Chat.2.Cpp.API|Xbox.Services.API.C
Console_GRDKExtLibRoot = C:\ExtractedGDK\220300\Microsoft GDK\220300\GRDK\ExtensionLibraries\
Console_LibRoot = C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Kits\10\Lib\10.0.19041.0\
Console_Libs = dxguid.lib;D3D12.lib;dxgi.lib;runtimeobject.lib;xGameRuntime.lib;
Console_SdkIncludeRoot = C:\ExtractedGDK\220300\Microsoft GDK\220300\GRDK\ExtensionLibraries\Xbox.Services.API.C\DesignTime\CommonConfiguration\neutral\Include;C:\ExtractedGDK\220300\Microsoft GDK\220300\GRDK\gameKit\Include\;C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Kits\10\Include\10.0.19041.0\um;C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Kits\10\Include\10.0.19041.0\shared;C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Kits\10\Include\10.0.19041.0\winrt;C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Kits\10\Include\10.0.19041.0\cppwinrt;C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Kits\10\Include\10.0.19041.0\ucrt;C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Kits\10\Include\10.0.19041.0\ucrt;;C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual Studio\2022\Enterprise\VC\Tools\MSVC\14.30.30705\include;;
Console_SdkLibPath = C:\ExtractedGDK\220300\Microsoft GDK\220300\GRDK\ExtensionLibraries\Xbox.Services.API.C\DesignTime\CommonConfiguration\neutral\Lib\Release\v143;C:\ExtractedGDK\220300\Microsoft GDK\220300\GRDK\gameKit\Lib\amd64;C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Kits\10\Lib\10.0.19041.0\um\x64;C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Kits\10\Lib\10.0.19041.0\ucrt\x64
Console_SdkRoot = C:\ExtractedGDK\220300\Microsoft GDK\
Console_WindowsIncludeRoot = C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Kits\10\Include\10.0.19041.0\

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Gaming.Desktop.x64 extension libraries

Extension libraries exist for Xbox.Services.API.C, Xbox.Game.Chat.2.Cpp.API, Xbox.XCurl.API, PlayFab.Party.Cpp, and PlayFab.PartyXboxLive.Cpp. If you're using these features, they should be imported into your project and the proper properties overridden, based on what's defined in the following .props files.

  • C:\ExtractedGDK\220300\Microsoft GDK\220300\GRDK\ExtensionLibraries\Xbox.Services.API.C\DesignTime\CommonConfiguration\Neutral\ExtensionLibrary.props
  • C:\ExtractedGDK\220300\Microsoft GDK\220300\GRDK\ExtensionLibraries\Xbox.Game.Chat.2.Cpp.API\DesignTime\CommonConfiguration\neutral\ExtensionLibrary.props
  • C:\ExtractedGDK\220300\Microsoft GDK\220300\GRDK\ExtensionLibraries\PlayFab.Party.Cpp\DesignTime\CommonConfiguration\neutral\ExtensionLibrary.props
  • C:\ExtractedGDK\220300\Microsoft GDK\220300\GRDK\ExtensionLibraries\PlayFab.PartyXboxLive.Cpp\DesignTime\CommonConfiguration\neutral\ExtensionLibrary.props

Note: The .props file for Xbox.Services.API.C has added Appnotify.lib as an additional dependency and you will need to import that library into your project.

Extension library properties are defined in Platform.Edition.props within the target platform folder. An example of the how these properties are constructed is as follows.

<GDKExtLibNames Condition="'$(GDKExtLibNames)'==''">Xbox.Services.API.C</GDKExtLibNames>
<Console_GRDKExtLibRoot>$(DurangoXdkInstallPath)GRDK\ExtensionLibraries\</Console_GRDKExtLibRoot>
<Console_GRDKExtLibNamesString>$([System.String]::Join('|', $([System.IO.Directory]::GetDirectories(&quot;$(Console_GRDKExtLibRoot)&quot;))).Replace('$(Console_GRDKExtLibRoot)',''))</Console_GRDKExtLibNamesString>
<Console_ExtLibPathsString>$([System.Text.RegularExpressions.Regex]::Replace($(GDKExtLibNames), '($(Console_GRDKExtLibNamesString))','$(Console_GRDKExtLibRoot)%24%26\DesignTime\CommonConfiguration\neutral\ExtensionLibrary.props'))</Console_ExtLibPathsString>
<Console_ExtLibPaths>$([MSBuild]::Unescape($(Console_ExtLibPathsString)))</Console_ExtLibPaths>

GDKExtLibNames allows up to five libraries to be defined. If it isn't defined, it defaults to Xbox.Services.API.C.

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Property overrides for PC-side tools

When using the Microsoft Game Development Kit (GDK) as an extracted flat deployment, we recommend that you define these properties if you're also using PC-side tooling.

<GameDK>$(BWOI_Win10SDK_Path)</GameDK>
<GameDKLatest>$(BWOI_Win10SDK_Path)$(XDKEditionTarget)\</GameDKLatest>
<GRDKLatest>$(GameDKLatest)GRDK\</GRDKLatest>
<GXDKLatest>$(GameDKLatest)GXDK\</GXDKLatest>

Visual Studio version-specific overrides

This section details version-specific Visual Studio properties that are required to be overridden to properly work with build without installation.

Visual Studio 2019 platform overrides

Starting with Visual Studio 2019, the _PlatformFolder property was deprecated. The solution for supporting a project configuration without installation requires additional steps in Visual Studio 2019.

To do this, copy the required files from an installed version of Visual Studio 2019 to your extracted GDK path. For example:

  • For v141 Platform Toolset: C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual Studio\2019\Enterprise\MSBuild\Microsoft\VC\v150
  • For v142 Platform Toolset: C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual Studio\2019\Enterprise\MSBuild\Microsoft\VC\v160

These should be copied to match the folder structure of the following paths.

  • For v141 Platform Toolset: C:\ExtractedGDK\220300\Microsoft GDK\220300\GRDK\VS2019\flatDeployment\MSBuild\Microsoft\VC\v150\Platforms
  • For v142 Platform Toolset: C:\ExtractedGDK\220300\Microsoft GDK\220300\GRDK\VS2019\flatDeployment\MSBuild\Microsoft\VC\v160\Platforms

Note

The previous example involves copying files directly into your ExtractedGDK folder. If you would prefer to keep the extracted GDK and Visual Studio VC Targets files separate for reference/maintainability, you can copy both the ExtractedGDK and VC Targets into a new combined folder path, as previously mentioned, for referencing by your build system.

An example of this would be as follows.

  • Copy all the files from C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual Studio\2019\Enterprise\MSBuild\Microsoft\VC\v160 root (*.*) to a similar path within the C:\ExtractedGDK\220300_CombinedGDK\ folder.
  • Copy all the files from *C:\ExtractedGDK\220300\Microsoft GDK* into a similar path within the C:\ExtractedGDK\220300_CombinedGDK\ folder.
  • Change references/paths/properties to point to C:\ExtractedGDK\220300_CombinedGDK\ equivalent paths.

After this is completed, the following properties need to be overridden when invoking the build in Visual Studio 2019 to properly find the Platform properties and target file location.

  • Set DisableInstalledVCTargetsUse to true
  • VCTargetsPath15: Overrides the Visual Studio path for determining where the Visual Studio 2017 Build Tools (v150) property and target files are located.
  • VCTargetsPath16: Overrides the Visual Studio path for determining where the Visual Studio 2019 Build Tools (v160) property and target files are located.

Note

Because the VC Targets Path property is part of defining the XdkEditionRootVS2019 property, you can opt to avoid setting XdkEditionRootVS2019 in this case.

An example property value, based on the previous extracted folder example, for reference:

<DisableInstalledVCTargetsUse>true</DisableInstalledVCTargetsUse>
<VCTargetsPath15>$(DurangoXdkInstallPath)$(XdkEditionTarget)\GXDK\VS2019\flatDeployment\MSBuild\Microsoft\VC\v150\</VCTargetsPath15>
<VCTargetsPath16>$(DurangoXdkInstallPath)$(XdkEditionTarget)\GXDK\VS2019\flatDeployment\MSBuild\Microsoft\VC\v160\</VCTargetsPath16>

Note

In the scenario where you would like to keep the ExtractedGDK and VC Targets separate for reference/maintainability, you can specify the VCTargetsPath properties as such (where $(CombinedGDK) is the new location that you've created).

  • Set VCTargetsPath15 to $(CombinedGDK)\v150\
  • Set VCTargetsPath16 to $(CombinedGDK)\v160\

Visual Studio 2019 (16.5) property to respect Windows 10 SDK overrides

When using Visual Studio 2019 version 16.5 or later, another property needs to be set to ensure that the Windows 10 SDK property overrides are properly respected, shown as follows.

<ClearDevCommandPromptEnvVars>false</ClearDevCommandPromptEnvVars>

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Visual Studio 2022 platform overrides

Starting with Visual Studio 2019, the _PlatformFolder property was deprecated. The solution for supporting a project configuration without installation requires additional steps in Visual Studio 2022.

To do this, copy the required files from an installed version of Visual Studio 2022 to your extracted GDK path. For example:

  • For v141 Platform Toolset: C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio\2022\Enterprise\MSBuild\Microsoft\VC\v150
  • For v142 Platform Toolset: C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio\2022\Enterprise\MSBuild\Microsoft\VC\v160
  • For v143 Platform Toolset: C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio\2022\Enterprise\MSBuild\Microsoft\VC\v170

These should be copied to match the folder structure of the following paths.

  • For v141 Platform Toolset: C:\ExtractedGDK\220300\Microsoft GDK\220300\GRDK\VS2022\flatDeployment\MSBuild\Microsoft\VC\v150\Platforms
  • For v142 Platform Toolset: C:\ExtractedGDK\220300\Microsoft GDK\220300\GRDK\VS2022\flatDeployment\MSBuild\Microsoft\VC\v160\Platforms
  • For v143 Platform Toolset: C:\ExtractedGDK\220300\Microsoft GDK\220300\GRDK\VS2022\flatDeployment\MSBuild\Microsoft\VC\v170\Platforms

Note

The previous example involves copying files directly into your ExtractedGDK folder. If you would prefer to keep the extracted GDK and Visual Studio VC Targets files separate for reference/maintainability, you can copy both the ExtractedGDK and VC Targets into a new combined folder path, as previously mentioned, for referencing by your build system.

An example of this would be as follows.

  • Copy all the files from C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio\2022\Enterprise\MSBuild\Microsoft\VC\v170 root (*.*) to a similar path within the C:\ExtractedGDK\220300_CombinedGDK\ folder.
  • Copy all the files from *C:\ExtractedGDK\220300\Microsoft GDK* into a similar path within the C:\ExtractedGDK\220300_CombinedGDK\ folder.
  • Change references/paths/properties to point to C:\ExtractedGDK\220300_CombinedGDK\ equivalent paths.

After this is completed, the following properties need to be overridden when invoking the build in Visual Studio 2022 to properly find the Platform properties and target file location.

  • Set DisableInstalledVCTargetsUse to true
  • VCTargetsPath15: Overrides the Visual Studio path for determining where the Visual Studio 2017 Build Tools (v150) property and target files are located.
  • VCTargetsPath16: Overrides the Visual Studio path for determining where the Visual Studio 2019 Build Tools (v160) property and target files are located.
  • VCTargetsPath17: Overrides the Visual Studio path for determining where the Visual Studio 2022 Build Tools (v170) property and target files are located.

Note

Because the VC Targets Path property is part of defining the XdkEditionRootVS2022 property, you can opt to avoid setting XdkEditionRootVS2022 in this case.

An example property value, based on the previous extracted folder example, for reference:

<DisableInstalledVCTargetsUse>true</DisableInstalledVCTargetsUse>
<VCTargetsPath15>$(DurangoXdkInstallPath)$(XdkEditionTarget)\GXDK\VS2022\flatDeployment\MSBuild\Microsoft\VC\v150\</VCTargetsPath15>
<VCTargetsPath16>$(DurangoXdkInstallPath)$(XdkEditionTarget)\GXDK\VS2022\flatDeployment\MSBuild\Microsoft\VC\v160\</VCTargetsPath16>
<VCTargetsPath17>$(DurangoXdkInstallPath)$(XdkEditionTarget)\GXDK\VS2022\flatDeployment\MSBuild\Microsoft\VC\v170\</VCTargetsPath17>

Note

In the scenario where you would like to keep the ExtractedGDK and VC Targets separate for reference/maintainability, you can specify the VCTargetsPath properties as such (where $(CombinedGDK) is the new location that you've created).

  • Set VCTargetsPath15 to $(CombinedGDK)\v150\
  • Set VCTargetsPath16 to $(CombinedGDK)\v160\
  • Set VCTargetsPath17 to $(CombinedGDK)\v170\

Visual Studio 2022 property to respect Windows 10 SDK overrides

Additionally, another property needs to be set to ensure that the Windows 10 SDK property overrides are properly respected, shown as follows.

<ClearDevCommandPromptEnvVars>false</ClearDevCommandPromptEnvVars>

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Project configuration samples

This section describes how to get code samples for scenarios without installation.

CMake sample

The CMakeExample Sample, including instructions to get up and running, can be downloaded for reference from the Xbox Developer Downloads page. Under "Select file type," choose "GDK," and under "Select build/version number," choose the latest "Samples only" item.

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MSBuild sample

The BWOIExample Sample, including instructions to get up and running, can be downloaded for reference from the Xbox Developer Downloads page. Under "Select file type," choose "GDK," and under "Select build/version number," choose the latest "Samples only" item.

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See also

Using tools without installing the Microsoft Game Development Kit

Using the Microsoft Game Development Kit without installation