node-gyp is unable to find msbuild if VS2019 is installed.

[chrispat]

• Node Version: node 10.15.1 npm 6.4.1
• Platform: Windows Server 2019
• Compiler: msbuild 15.9.21+g9802d43bc3

Verbose output (from npm or node-gyp):

Exit code: 1
Command: node-gyp rebuild
Arguments: 
Directory: D:\a\1\jest\node_modules\weak
Output:
gyp info it worked if it ends with ok
gyp info using node-gyp@3.8.0
gyp info using node@10.15.1 | win32 | x64
gyp http GET https://nodejs.org/download/release/v10.15.1/node-v10.15.1-headers.tar.gz
gyp http 200 https://nodejs.org/download/release/v10.15.1/node-v10.15.1-headers.tar.gz
gyp http GET https://nodejs.org/download/release/v10.15.1/SHASUMS256.txt
gyp http GET https://nodejs.org/download/release/v10.15.1/win-x86/node.lib
gyp http GET https://nodejs.org/download/release/v10.15.1/win-x64/node.lib
gyp http 200 https://nodejs.org/download/release/v10.15.1/SHASUMS256.txt
gyp http 200 https://nodejs.org/download/release/v10.15.1/win-x86/node.lib
gyp http 200 https://nodejs.org/download/release/v10.15.1/win-x64/node.lib
gyp info spawn C:\ProgramData\Chocolatey\bin\python2.EXE
gyp info spawn args [ 'D:\\a\\1\\jest\\node_modules\\node-gyp\\gyp\\gyp_main.py',
gyp info spawn args   'binding.gyp',
gyp info spawn args   '-f',
gyp info spawn args   'msvs',
gyp info spawn args   '-G',
gyp info spawn args   'msvs_version=2015',
gyp info spawn args   '-I',
gyp info spawn args   'D:\\a\\1\\jest\\node_modules\\weak\\build\\config.gypi',
gyp info spawn args   '-I',
gyp info spawn args   'D:\\a\\1\\jest\\node_modules\\node-gyp\\addon.gypi',
gyp info spawn args   '-I',
gyp info spawn args   'C:\\Users\\VssAdministrator\\.node-gyp\\10.15.1\\include\\node\\common.gypi',
gyp info spawn args   '-Dlibrary=shared_library',
gyp info spawn args   '-Dvisibility=default',
gyp info spawn args   '-Dnode_root_dir=C:\\Users\\VssAdministrator\\.node-gyp\\10.15.1',
gyp info spawn args   '-Dnode_gyp_dir=D:\\a\\1\\jest\\node_modules\\node-gyp',
gyp info spawn args   '-Dnode_lib_file=C:\\Users\\VssAdministrator\\.node-gyp\\10.15.1\\<(target_arch)\\node.lib',
gyp info spawn args   '-Dmodule_root_dir=D:\\a\\1\\jest\\node_modules\\weak',
gyp info spawn args   '-Dnode_engine=v8',
gyp info spawn args   '--depth=.',
gyp info spawn args   '--no-parallel',
gyp info spawn args   '--generator-output',
gyp info spawn args   'D:\\a\\1\\jest\\node_modules\\weak\\build',
gyp info spawn args   '-Goutput_dir=.' ]
gyp info spawn C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual Studio\2019\Preview\MSBuild\15.0\Bin\MSBuild.exe
gyp info spawn args [ 'build/binding.sln',
gyp info spawn args   '/clp:Verbosity=minimal',
gyp info spawn args   '/nologo',
gyp info spawn args   '/p:Configuration=Release;Platform=x64' ]

I have also tried to install VS2017 build tools on the machine in addition to VS 2019 and node-gyp still tries to find msbuild under the VS2019 install. The issue is due to VS2019 having a different location for msbuild form VS2017. It puts it under C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual Studio\2019\Preview\MSBuild\Current\Bin instead of C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual Studio\2019\Preview\MSBuild\15.0\Bin

[zhulika]

I've just hit this, too. For those who want a temporary workaround, hand-editing the file configure.js in node-gyp appears to work. I changed line 161 from this:

variables['msbuild_path'] = path.join(vsSetup.path, 'MSBuild', '15.0',

to this:

variables['msbuild_path'] = path.join(vsSetup.path, 'MSBuild', 'Current',

then reran:

node-gyp configure

[noseratio]

@zhulika could you maybe submit a PR for this?

[zhulika]

I'm a C/C++ programmer. I'm not confident enough with Javascript or node-gyp to be able to implement something that detects the version of VS that is installed and adjust the output accordingly.

[noseratio]

@zhulika @chrisrpatterson I wasn't comfortable touching configure.js plus I needed something that I can use to fix it in our build system now, so I created this temporary workaround in PowerShell. All it does is create a shim: MSBuild\15.0\Bin\MSBuild.exe -> MSBuild\Current\Bin\MSBuild.exe. Works well for me so far.

Updated, here's how the story continued after upgrading to node-gyp 5.

[syohex]

I have sent PR #1715.

[tavrez]

As a side note, if we open "Visual Studio cmd for vs2019" and run node-gyp from it, it will detect MSBUILD.exe correctly, but most of the created projects will require v14.1 toolset and default one shipped with vs 2019 is v14.2

error MSB8020: The build tools for Visual Studio 2017 (Platform Toolset = 'v141') cannot be found. To build using the v141 build tools, please install Visual Studio 2017 build tools. Alternatively, you may upgrade to the current Visual Studio tools by selecting the Project menu or right-click the solution, and then selecting "Retarget solution"

[SirWaddles]

With MSBuild being on the PATH (after running vcvars before compiling), my setup was able to find MSBuild correctly, however, I get the error as above. I ended up having to edit configure.js to use the platform toolset v142 in order to get mine to work.

[d3x0r]

set path=%path%;C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual Studio\2019\Community\MSBuild\Current\Bin

as a workaround yes.
but I've never had MSbuild in my path before.

[J-Cake]

I've edited the configure.js file on line 161 to 'Current' rather than '15.0' and I still get the error with a path pointing to '15.0'.