How to use the command `vcvarsall` (with examples)

The vcvarsall command is used to set up the necessary environment variables required for using the Microsoft Visual Studio tools. It is commonly used for building C++ projects on the command line. By running the vcvarsall command with different arguments, you can specify the target architecture and platform for your build.

Use case 1: Setup the environment for native x64

Code:

vcvarsall x64

Motivation: The use case involves setting up the environment for building native x64 applications using Visual Studio tools. This is useful when you want to build 64-bit applications on a 64-bit operating system.

Explanation:

• vcvarsall: The command used to set up the environment variables.
• x64: The argument that specifies the target architecture as x64.

Example output: The command will set up the necessary environment variables for building x64 applications, allowing you to use the Visual Studio tools from the command line.

Use case 2: Setup the environment for cross-compiled native x86 from the x64 host

Code:

vcvarsall x64_x86

Motivation: The use case involves setting up the environment for cross-compiling native x86 applications from a x64 host. This is useful when you want to build 32-bit applications on a 64-bit operating system.

Explanation:

• vcvarsall: The command used to set up the environment variables.
• x64_x86: The argument that specifies cross-compiling from x64 to x86.

Example output: The command will configure the environment for cross-compiling x86 applications on a x64 host, allowing you to use Visual Studio tools to build 32-bit applications.

Use case 3: Setup the environment for cross-compiled native Arm x64 from the x64 host

Code:

vcvarsall x64_arm64

Motivation: The use case involves setting up the environment for cross-compiling native Arm64 applications from a x64 host. This is useful when you want to build applications for Arm-based devices on a x64 machine.

Explanation:

• vcvarsall: The command used to set up the environment variables.
• x64_arm64: The argument that specifies cross-compiling from x64 to Arm64.

Example output: The command will configure the environment for cross-compiling Arm64 applications on a x64 host, allowing you to use Visual Studio tools to build applications for Arm-based devices.

Use case 4: Setup the environment for native UWP x64

Code:

vcvarsall x64 uwp

Motivation: The use case involves setting up the environment for building native Universal Windows Platform (UWP) applications targeting x64 architecture. This is useful when you want to develop UWP apps specifically for 64-bit Windows devices.

Explanation:

• vcvarsall: The command used to set up the environment variables.
• x64: The argument that specifies the target architecture as x64.
• uwp: The argument that specifies the platform as Universal Windows Platform.

Example output: The command will set up the necessary environment variables for building UWP applications targeting x64 architecture. This allows you to use Visual Studio tools to develop UWP apps specifically for 64-bit Windows devices.

Conclusion:

The vcvarsall command is a powerful tool for setting up the necessary environment variables for using Microsoft Visual Studio tools. By using different arguments, you can configure the environment for different target architectures and platforms, enabling you to build a wide range of applications from the command line.