How do I run msbuild from the command line using Windows SDK 7.1?

170
votes

I'm setting up .NET 4.0 support on our CI server. I've installed .NET 4.0, and the .NET tools from the Windows 7.1 SDK.

On .NET 2.0 and 3.5, that just worked. With .NET 4, when I run the "Windows SDK 7.1 Command Prompt" from the Start menu, it complains about 

The x86 compilers are not currently installed. x86-x86
Please go to Add/Remove Programs to update your installation.
.
Setting SDK environment relative to C:\Program Files\Microsoft
SDKs\Windows\v7.1
\.
Targeting Windows Server 2008 x86 Debug

Then when I try to run msbuild, I get:

C:\Program Files\Microsoft SDKs\Windows\v7.1>msbuild
'msbuild' is not recognized as an internal or external command,
operable program or batch file.

C:\Program Files\Microsoft SDKs\Windows\v7.1>

I can't quite believe that installing the runtime and SDK will leave you with a system that can't run msbuild... have I missed some obvious step or obscure Windows Update, or is time to give up and start hacking the system path?

7
.net-4.0msbuildsdk
What is MS Build trying to build? If it's a C++ project, make sure the x86 compilers are installed. If you CI server is Server Core, make sure you install WOW64 (Though I've had no success running CI on Server Core) – vcsjones
Nope - plain .NET 4.0 web apps on a Windows Server 2008 SP1... – Dylan Beattie
Erm, so you can't quite belief that you can configure a build server without paying the license fee? The VS license allows you to install on more than one machine. I'd recommend you take advantage of that. – Hans Passant
What is the %VCTools% environment variable set to? It should be set to a path. Does cl.exe exist in that path? Also, are you on a non-English Windows? I've heard some reports of this problem on localized Windows installation. – vcsjones
stackoverflow.com/questions/887894/… – Kyle Alons

7 Answers

340
votes

To enable msbuild in Command Prompt, you simply have to add the directory of the msbuild.exe install on your machine to the PATH environment variable.

You can access the environment variables by:

  1. Right clicking on Computer
  2. Click Properties
  3. Then click Advanced system settings on the left navigation bar
  4. On the next dialog box click Environment variables
  5. Scroll down to PATH
  6. Edit it to include your path to the framework (don't forget a ";" after the last entry in here).

For reference, my path was C:\Windows\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v4.0.30319

Path Updates:

As of MSBuild 12 (2013)/VS 2013/.NET 4.5.1+ and onward MSBuild is now installed as a part of Visual Studio.

For VS2015 the path was %ProgramFiles(x86)%\MSBuild\14.0\Bin

For VS2017 the path was %ProgramFiles(x86)%\Microsoft Visual Studio\2017\<YOUR_VS_EDITION>\MSBuild\15.0\Bin

For VS2019 the path was %ProgramFiles(x86)%\Microsoft Visual Studio\2019\<YOUR_VS_EDITION>\MSBuild\Current\Bin

where <YOUR_VS_EDITION> matches the Visual Studio edition that you have installed, i.e., Preview, Community, Professional, Enterprise.

74
votes

From Visual Studio 2013 onwards, MSbuild comes as a part of Visual Studio. Earlier, MSBuild was installed as a part of. NET Framework.

MSBuild is installed directly under %ProgramFiles%. So, the path for MSBuild might be different depending on the version of Visual Studio.

For Visual Studio 2015, Path of MSBuild is "%ProgramFiles(x86)%\MSBuild\14.0\Bin\MSBuild.exe"

For Visual Studio 15 Preview, Path of MSBuild is "%ProgramFiles(x86)%\MSBuild\15.0\Bin\MSBuild.exe"

Also, Some new MSBuild properties has been added and some have been modified. For more information look here

Update 1: VS 2017

The location for the MSBuild has changed again with the release of Visual Studio 2017. Now the installation directory is under the %ProgramFiles(x86)%\Microsoft Visual Studio\2017\[VS Edition]\MSBuild\15.0\Bin\. Since, i have an Enterprise edition, the MSBuild location for my machine is "%ProgramFiles(x86)%\Microsoft Visual Studio\2017\Enterprise\MSBuild\15.0\Bin\MSbuild.exe"

Update 2: VS 2019

Path is C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual Studio\2019\Enterprise\MSBuild\Current\Bin\MsBuild.exe.

12
votes

Using the "Developer Command Prompt for Visual Studio 20XX" instead of "cmd" will set the path for msbuild automatically without having to add it to your environment variables.

6
votes

Your bat file could be like:

CD C:\Windows\Microsoft.NET\Framework64\v4.0.30319

msbuild C:\Users\mmaratt\Desktop\BladeTortoise\build\ALL_BUILD.vcxproj

PAUSE

EXIT
6
votes

For Visual Studio 2019 (Preview, at least) it is now in:

C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual Studio\2019\Preview\MSBuild\Current\Bin\MSBuild.exe

I imagine the process will be similar for the official 2019 release.

2
votes

To be able to build with C# 6 syntax use this in path:

C:\Program Files (x86)\MSBuild\14.0\Bin

-3
votes

The SetEnv.cmd script that the "SDK command prompt" shortcut runs checks for cl.exe in various places before setting up entries to add to PATH. So it fails to add anything if a native C compiler is not installed.

To fix that, apply the following patch to <SDK install dir>\Bin\SetEnv.cmd. This will also fix missing paths to other tools located in <SDK install dir>\Bin and subfolders. Of course, you can install the C compiler instead to work around this bug.

--- SetEnv.Cmd_ 2010-04-27 19:52:00.000000000 +0400
+++ SetEnv.Cmd  2013-12-02 15:05:30.834400000 +0400
@@ -228,10 +228,10 @@

 IF "%CURRENT_CPU%" =="x64" (
   IF "%TARGET_CPU%" == "x64" (
+    SET "FxTools=%FrameworkDir64%\%FrameworkVersion%;%FrameworkDir32%%FrameworkVersion%;%windir%\Microsoft.NET\Framework64\v3.5;%windir%\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v3.5;"
+    SET "SdkTools=%WindowsSdkDir%Bin\NETFX 4.0 Tools\x64;%WindowsSdkDir%Bin\x64;%WindowsSdkDir%Bin;"
     IF EXIST "%VCTools%\amd64\cl.exe" (
       SET "VCTools=%VCTools%\amd64;%VCTools%\VCPackages;"
-      SET "SdkTools=%WindowsSdkDir%Bin\NETFX 4.0 Tools\x64;%WindowsSdkDir%Bin\x64;%WindowsSdkDir%Bin;"
-      SET "FxTools=%FrameworkDir64%\%FrameworkVersion%;%FrameworkDir32%%FrameworkVersion%;%windir%\Microsoft.NET\Framework64\v3.5;%windir%\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v3.5;"
     ) ELSE (
       SET VCTools=
       ECHO The x64 compilers are not currently installed.
@@ -239,10 +239,10 @@
       ECHO .
     )
   ) ELSE IF "%TARGET_CPU%" == "IA64" (
+    SET "FxTools=%FrameworkDir64%\%FrameworkVersion%;%FrameworkDir32%%FrameworkVersion%;%windir%\Microsoft.NET\Framework64\v3.5;%windir%\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v3.5;"
+    SET "SdkTools=%WindowsSdkDir%Bin\NETFX 4.0 Tools\x64;%WindowsSdkDir%Bin\x64;%WindowsSdkDir%Bin;"
     IF EXIST "%VCTools%\x86_ia64\cl.exe" (
       SET "VCTools=%VCTools%\x86_ia64;%VCTools%\VCPackages;"
-      SET "SdkTools=%WindowsSdkDir%Bin\NETFX 4.0 Tools\x64;%WindowsSdkDir%Bin\x64;%WindowsSdkDir%Bin;"
-      SET "FxTools=%FrameworkDir64%\%FrameworkVersion%;%FrameworkDir32%%FrameworkVersion%;%windir%\Microsoft.NET\Framework64\v3.5;%windir%\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v3.5;"
     ) ELSE (
       SET VCTools=
       ECHO The IA64 compilers are not currently installed.
@@ -250,10 +250,10 @@
       ECHO .
     )
   ) ELSE IF "%TARGET_CPU%" == "x86" (
+    SET "FxTools=%FrameworkDir32%%FrameworkVersion%;%windir%\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v3.5;"
+    SET "SdkTools=%WindowsSdkDir%Bin\NETFX 4.0 Tools;%WindowsSdkDir%Bin;"
     IF EXIST "%VCTools%\cl.exe" (
       SET "VCTools=%VCTools%;%VCTools%\VCPackages;"
-      SET "SdkTools=%WindowsSdkDir%Bin\NETFX 4.0 Tools;%WindowsSdkDir%Bin;"
-      SET "FxTools=%FrameworkDir32%%FrameworkVersion%;%windir%\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v3.5;"
     ) ELSE (
       SET VCTools=
       ECHO The x86 compilers are not currently installed.
@@ -263,10 +263,10 @@
   )
 ) ELSE IF "%CURRENT_CPU%" =="IA64" (
   IF "%TARGET_CPU%" == "IA64" (
+    SET "FxTools=%FrameworkDir64%\%FrameworkVersion%;%FrameworkDir32%%FrameworkVersion%;%windir%\Microsoft.NET\Framework64\v3.5;%windir%\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v3.5;"
+    SET "SdkTools=%WindowsSdkDir%Bin\NETFX 4.0 Tools\IA64;%WindowsSdkDir%Bin\IA64;%WindowsSdkDir%Bin;"
     IF EXIST "%VCTools%\IA64\cl.exe" (
       SET "VCTools=%VCTools%\IA64;%VCTools%;%VCTools%\VCPackages;"
-      SET "SdkTools=%WindowsSdkDir%Bin\NETFX 4.0 Tools\IA64;%WindowsSdkDir%Bin\IA64;%WindowsSdkDir%Bin;"
-      SET "FxTools=%FrameworkDir64%\%FrameworkVersion%;%FrameworkDir32%%FrameworkVersion%;%windir%\Microsoft.NET\Framework64\v3.5;%windir%\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v3.5;"
     ) ELSE (
       SET VCTools=
       ECHO The IA64 compilers are not currently installed.
@@ -274,10 +274,10 @@
       ECHO .
     )
   ) ELSE IF "%TARGET_CPU%" == "x64" (
+    SET "FxTools=%FrameworkDir64%\%FrameworkVersion%;%FrameworkDir32%%FrameworkVersion%;%windir%\Microsoft.NET\Framework64\v3.5;%windir%\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v3.5;"
+    SET "SdkTools=%WindowsSdkDir%Bin\NETFX 4.0 Tools\IA64;%WindowsSdkDir%Bin\IA64;%WindowsSdkDir%Bin;"
     IF EXIST "%VCTools%\x86_amd64\cl.exe" (
       SET "VCTools=%VCTools%\x86_amd64;%VCTools%\VCPackages;"
-      SET "SdkTools=%WindowsSdkDir%Bin\NETFX 4.0 Tools\IA64;%WindowsSdkDir%Bin\IA64;%WindowsSdkDir%Bin;"
-      SET "FxTools=%FrameworkDir64%\%FrameworkVersion%;%FrameworkDir32%%FrameworkVersion%;%windir%\Microsoft.NET\Framework64\v3.5;%windir%\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v3.5;"
     ) ELSE (
       SET VCTools=
       ECHO The VC compilers are not currently installed.
@@ -285,10 +285,10 @@
       ECHO .
     )
   ) ELSE IF "%TARGET_CPU%" == "x86" (
+    SET "FxTools=%FrameworkDir32%%FrameworkVersion%;%windir%\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v3.5;"
+    SET "SdkTools=%WindowsSdkDir%Bin\NETFX 4.0 Tools;%WindowsSdkDir%Bin;"
     IF EXIST "%VCTools%\cl.exe" (
       SET "VCTools=%VCTools%;%VCTools%\VCPackages;"
-      SET "SdkTools=%WindowsSdkDir%Bin\NETFX 4.0 Tools;%WindowsSdkDir%Bin;"
-      SET "FxTools=%FrameworkDir32%%FrameworkVersion%;%windir%\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v3.5;"
     ) ELSE (
       SET VCTools=
       ECHO The x86 compilers are not currently installed.
@@ -298,10 +298,10 @@
   )
 ) ELSE IF "%CURRENT_CPU%"=="x86" (
   IF "%TARGET_CPU%" == "x64" (
+    SET "FxTools=%FrameworkDir32%%FrameworkVersion%;%windir%\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v3.5;"
+    SET "SdkTools=%WindowsSdkDir%Bin\NETFX 4.0 Tools;%WindowsSdkDir%Bin;"
     IF EXIST "%VCTools%\x86_amd64\cl.exe" (
       SET "VCTools=%VCTools%\x86_amd64;%VCTools%\VCPackages;"
-      SET "SdkTools=%WindowsSdkDir%Bin\NETFX 4.0 Tools;%WindowsSdkDir%Bin;"
-      SET "FxTools=%FrameworkDir32%%FrameworkVersion%;%windir%\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v3.5;"
     ) ELSE (
       SET VCTools=
       ECHO The x64 cross compilers are not currently installed.
@@ -309,10 +309,10 @@
       ECHO .
     )
   ) ELSE IF "%TARGET_CPU%" == "IA64" (
+    SET "FxTools=%FrameworkDir32%%FrameworkVersion%;%windir%\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v3.5;"
+    SET "SdkTools=%WindowsSdkDir%Bin\NETFX 4.0 Tools;%WindowsSdkDir%Bin;"
     IF EXIST "%VCTools%\x86_IA64\cl.exe" (
       SET "VCTools=%VCTools%\x86_IA64;%VCTools%;%VCTools%\VCPackages;"
-      SET "SdkTools=%WindowsSdkDir%Bin\NETFX 4.0 Tools;%WindowsSdkDir%Bin;"
-      SET "FxTools=%FrameworkDir32%%FrameworkVersion%;%windir%\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v3.5;"
     ) ELSE (
       SET VCTools=
       ECHO The IA64 compilers are not currently installed.
@@ -320,10 +320,10 @@
       ECHO .
     )
   ) ELSE IF "%TARGET_CPU%" == "x86" (
+    SET "FxTools=%FrameworkDir32%%FrameworkVersion%;%windir%\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v3.5;"
+    SET "SdkTools=%WindowsSdkDir%Bin\NETFX 4.0 Tools;%WindowsSdkDir%Bin;"
     IF EXIST "%VCTools%\cl.exe" (
       SET "VCTools=%VCTools%;%VCTools%\VCPackages;"
-      SET "SdkTools=%WindowsSdkDir%Bin\NETFX 4.0 Tools;%WindowsSdkDir%Bin;"
-      SET "FxTools=%FrameworkDir32%%FrameworkVersion%;%windir%\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v3.5;"
     ) ELSE (
       SET VCTools=
       ECHO The x86 compilers are not currently installed. x86-x86
@@ -331,15 +331,17 @@
       ECHO .
     )
   )
-) ELSE IF EXIST "%VCTools%\cl.exe" (
-  SET "VCTools=%VCTools%;%VCTools%\VCPackages;"
-  SET "SdkTools=%WindowsSdkDir%Bin\NETFX 4.0 Tools;%WindowsSdkDir%Bin;"
-  SET "FxTools=%FrameworkDir32%%FrameworkVersion%;%windir%\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v3.5;"
 ) ELSE (
-  SET VCTools=
-  ECHO The x86 compilers are not currently installed. default
-  ECHO Please go to Add/Remove Programs to update your installation.
-  ECHO .
+  SET "FxTools=%FrameworkDir32%%FrameworkVersion%;%windir%\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v3.5;"
+  SET "SdkTools=%WindowsSdkDir%Bin\NETFX 4.0 Tools;%WindowsSdkDir%Bin;"
+  IF EXIST "%VCTools%\cl.exe" (
+    SET "VCTools=%VCTools%;%VCTools%\VCPackages;"
+  ) ELSE (
+    SET VCTools=
+    ECHO The x86 compilers are not currently installed. default
+    ECHO Please go to Add/Remove Programs to update your installation.
+    ECHO .
+  )
 )

 :: --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------