Node packages not building on Windows 8.1 - Missing Microsoft.Cpp.Default.props

Question

NPM packages are not building on Windows 8.1 - failing with following error,

error MSB4019: The imported project "C:\Microsoft.Cpp.Default.props" was not found. Confirm that the path in the <Import> declaration is correct, and that the file exists on disk.

I have tried the following,

• Setting an evironment variable VCTargetsPath to C:\Program Files (x86)\MSBuild\12.0\ (The error changes accordingly but there is no Microsoft.Cpp.Default.props with the 2012 build tools).
• Installing a VisualStudio 2010 environment (uninstalled then installed in the correct order) according to this answer
• Completely removed VisualStudio 2010 and tried a VisualStudio 2012 instead, which should work according to the Node-gyp wiki
• Added registry keys according to this answer
• Tried using the Windows 7.1 SDK command prompt according to this answer
• Tried setting VisualStudioVersion before running npm according to this answer
• Tried passing --msvs_version=2012 to npm according to this answer

None of the above have worked.

I've spent ages on this already. Does anyone have a definite answer that works?

Solution 1

So it is 2.47am - figured it out.

Although the node-gyp site seems to suggest using Visual Studio 2010 or 2012, instead for Windows 8.1, install Visual Studio Express 2013 for Windows Desktop as discussed in this issue.

Solution 2

The quick fix for me was this:

set VCTargetsPath=C:\Program Files (x86)\MSBuild\Microsoft.Cpp\v4.0\V120
npm install

Solution 3

Finally Microsoft is providing much better solution to VS.

Solution 4

I just wanted to update this question with the latest answer. You now do not need to install Visual Studio.

Source: https://github.com/nodejs/node-gyp/issues/629#issuecomment-153196245

Instructions below in case the source goes down.

1. Install VC++ Build Tools Technical Preview using the Default Install option.

   [Windows 7 only] requires .NET Framework 4.5.1

2. Install Python 2.7, and add it to your PATH: npm config set python python2.7

3. Launch cmd and run: npm config set msvs_version 2015 --global (this is instead of lnpm install [package name] --msvs_version=2015l every time.)

Solution 5

Setting the following fixed the problem for me

/property:VCTargetsPath="C:\Program Files (x86)\MSBuild\Microsoft.Cpp\v4.0\V120

As mentioned on this forum

View more solutions

Comments

[eXavier]

Where to specify /property ? If specified to npm install it is not passed to MSBuild..

[Tom Mayfield]

You can edit C:\Windows\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v<Version>\msbuild.rsp to set up global MSBuild properties.

[Richard]

And if this folder doesn't exist on your machine install the latest VS Community IDE visualstudio.com/en-us/products/visual-studio-community-vs.a‌​spx and restart. This new folder will be set by default: C:\Program Files (x86)\MSBuild\Microsoft.Cpp\v4.0\V140.

[ericgrosse]

In my case, had to switch V120 to V140 for this to work. Make sure to actually check where the directory path leads in explorer.

[rudnev]

yup, looks like that helps regardless of other VS stuff preinstalled

[Barry Staes]

I have the same issue (1) but with Visual Studio 2015. The imported project "C:\Microsoft.Cpp.Default.props" was not found. So i recon i should use C:\Program Files (x86)\MSBuild\Microsoft.Cpp\v4.0\V140 (the path exists) but where to set this MSBuild parameter?

[apardoe]

Direct link for Visual C++ Build Tools (the subject of the GitHub comment linked above): landinghub.visualstudio.com/visual-cpp-build-tools

[apardoe]

The VC++ Build Tools link above is broken. Better link is here: landinghub.visualstudio.com/visual-cpp-build-tools

[Kumar S]

I can't edit C:\Windows\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v<Version>\msbuild.rsp. I get the warning, 'Please check this file is opened in another program' But I don't have any other program running.

[Ashbay]

This quick fix works also to make node-openzwave-shared compile (github.com/OpenZWave/node-openzwave-shared)

[Gavin]

New link to download build tools visualstudio.microsoft.com/downloads/…

[Nameless]

PowerShell version: [Environment]::SetEnvironmentVariable("VCTargetsPath", "C:\Program Files (x86)\MSBuild\Microsoft.Cpp\v4.0\V140", "Machine")