MSBuildToolchain

Warning

This is an experimental feature subject to breaking changes in future releases.

The MSBuildToolchain can be used in the toolchain() method:

from conans import ConanFile, MSBuildToolchain

class App(ConanFile):
    settings = "os", "arch", "compiler", "build_type"
    requires = "hello/0.1"
    generators = "msbuild"
    options = {"shared": [True, False]}
    default_options = {"shared": False}

    def toolchain(self):
        tc = MSBuildToolchain(self)
        tc.write_toolchain_files()

The MSBuildToolchain will generate two files after a conan install command or before calling the build() method when the package is building in the cache:

• The main conan_toolchain.props file, that can be used in the command line.

• A conan_toolchain_<config>.props file, that will be conditionally included from the previous conan_toolchain.props file based on the configuration, platform and toolset, e.g.: conan_toolchain_Release_x86_v140.props

Every invocation to conan install with different configuration will create a new properties .props file, that will also be conditionally included. This allows to install different sets of dependencies, then switch among them directly from the Visual Studio IDE.

The toolchain files can configure:

• The Visual Studio runtime (MT/MD/MTd/MDd), obtained from Conan input settings

• The C++ standard, obtained from Conan input settings

Generators

The MSBuildToolchain only works with the msbuild generator. Please, do not use other generators, as they can have overlapping definitions that can conflict.

Using the toolchain in developer flow

One of the advantages of using Conan toolchains is that they can help to achieve the exact same build with local development flows, than when the package is created in the cache.

With the MSBuildToolchain it is possible to do:

# Lets start in the folder containing the conanfile.py
$ mkdir build && cd build
# Install both debug and release deps and create the toolchain
$ conan install ..
$ conan install .. -s build_type=Debug
# Add ``conan_toolchain.props`` in your IDE to the project properties
# No need to add the configuration .props files. This needs to be done only once
# If you have dependencies, you will need to add the .props files of the dependencies
# too, check the "msbuild" generator
# Open Visual Studio IDE and build, switching configurations directly in the IDE

MSBuild build helper

Warning

The existing MSBuild helper is not suitable to be used with toolchain yet. A new helper will be added in future releases.

At the moment there is no build helper to work with the MSBuildToolchain. Call directly msbuild in your recipes to build your project, something like:

def build(self):
    vs_path = vs_installation_path("15")
    vcvars_path = os.path.join(vs_path, "VC/Auxiliary/Build/vcvarsall.bat")

    platform_arch = "x86" if self.settings.arch == "x86" else "x64"
    build_type = self.settings.build_type
    cmd = ('set "VSCMD_START_DIR=%%CD%%" && '
               '"%s" x64 && msbuild "MyProject.sln" /p:Configuration=%s '
               '/p:Platform=%s ' % (vcvars_path, build_type, platform_arch))
    self.run(cmd)