Can I pass a preprocessor definition to the resource compiler through the command line?

Question

I'm currently trying to switch between a few different default icons in a Visual C++ .rc file using #ifdef tags.

The builds switching the #define value are being created through the command line using MSBuild.

The difficulty I have been running into is that using Visual Studio 2010, in order to pass a preprocessor definition to the resource compiler you must define it in the project settings (Config Properties → Resources → General).

This makes it difficult to use an #ifdef tag, because using this method it will always be defined in the resource compiler.

I would love to define it to a value, so that I might use a preprocessor #if SOMEVALUE == 4 might work, but I cannot seem to find a way to pass a Preprocessor definition + value to MSBuild via the command line.

Is there a way to pass a preprocessor definition directly through to the resource compiler or a way to define a value for a preprocessor definition via the command line for MSBuild?

Dowery

Answer 1

Yes, this can be done.

Try using environment variables to pass values into your build process.

In your project properties add ;$(CMDLINE_DEFINES) to the end of your resource preprocessor definitions. (Be sure to pick the right configuration.)

Then when you use MSBuild from the command line type (or add to a batch file)...

cd C:\Projects\SomeProject
set CMDLINE_DEFINES=SOMETEST=42
MSBuild SomeProject.vcproj

A batch file may look like:

@echo off
SET CMDLINE_DEFINES=%1
MSBUILD SomeProject.vcproj

Using this batch file, whatever you pass on the command line will be passed on to the build process as your preprocessor macro(s).

Roccoroch

Answer 2

See the answer to this, with the additional step of setting up ResourceCompile options, i.e., edit your project file in a text editor to include elements like this:

<ItemDefinitionGroup>
    <ClCompile>
        <AdditionalOptions>/DERROR_LOG_LEVEL=5 %(AdditionalOptions)</AdditionalOptions>
    </ClCompile>
    <ResourceCompile>
        <AdditionalOptions>/DERROR_LOG_LEVEL=5 %(AdditionalOptions)</AdditionalOptions>
    </ResourceCompile>
</ItemDefinitionGroup>

Bligh

Answer 3

The difficulty I have been running into is that using Visual Studio 2010, in order to pass a preprocessor definition to the resource compiler you must define it in the project settings (Config Properties -> Resources -> General).

You got the hard part. Just enter the define as TESTAPPLE=15 and it will effectively #define TESTAPPLE 15 for the entire project.

But

Unfortunately #define values that are passed to project compiler don't get passed down to the Resource compiler. I.e., /D "TESTAPPLE=15" in when compiling the project sets TESTAPPLE to a value of 15. In the Resource Compiler, however, TESTAPPLE is just defined, but doesn't have a value of 15. – Dowery

huh, guess I haven't played with the resource compiler enough. cmake.org/pipermail/cmake/2011-January/042093.html implies that it works /d "CMAKE_INTDIR=\"Release\"", but not an authoritive source. – But

Answer 4

For reference, the following steps work with me:

1. Pass the variable = underlying value in msbuild command line using /p, e.g.

   msbuild my_solution.sln /p:ENVSOMEVALUE="4"
   

2. In the project file my_proj.vcxproj, define the variable as a preprocessor definition for the resource compiler, and assign it to the variable passed from msbuild, e.g. add the following section inside <Project></Project>:

     <ItemDefinitionGroup>
       <ResourceCompile>
         <PreprocessorDefinitions>
           SOMEVALUE=$(ENVSOMEVALUE);
           %(PreprocessorDefinitions)</PreprocessorDefinitions>
       </ResourceCompile>
     </ItemDefinitionGroup>
   

3. in the .rc file, use the code the way you like:

   #if SOMEVALUE == 4
   

   You might need to set a default value for the definition if not passed from msbuild (e.g., building from the Visual Studio IDE), in this case you might use the condition manually in the project file, e.g.,

     <ItemDefinitionGroup  Condition="'$(ENVSOMEVALUE)'!=''">
       <ResourceCompile>
         <PreprocessorDefinitions>
           SOMEVALUE=$(ENVSOMEVALUE);
           %(PreprocessorDefinitions)</PreprocessorDefinitions>
       </ResourceCompile>
     </ItemDefinitionGroup>
     <ItemDefinitionGroup  Condition="'$(ENVSOMEVALUE)'==''">
       <ResourceCompile>
         <PreprocessorDefinitions>
           SOMEVALUE=1; <!-- Default Value -->
           %(PreprocessorDefinitions)</PreprocessorDefinitions>
       </ResourceCompile>
     </ItemDefinitionGroup>
   

Bister

Have you tried assigning the variable directly - msbuild my_solution.sln /p:SOMEVALUE=4? – Sorb