Bug: Bug in the C++/WinRT Windows Runtime Component VS Template causes cppwinrt file generate to fail.

[laultman]

Version

v2.0.230511.6

Summary

The template for the C++/WinRT Windows Runtime Component at line 129 is missing a "" backslash character. This causes the directory name to merge with the file name. This affects the GeneratedFiles directory structure making the tool chain fail.
Incorrect : <ClCompile Include="$(GeneratedFilesDir)module.g.cpp" />
Corrected: <ClCompile Include="$(GeneratedFilesDir)\module.g.cpp" />
"-----------------------------------------------------------| "

Reproducible example

Open a new C++/WinRT Windows Runtime Component project. After it opens in Visual Studio, use some other tool to inspect the vcxproj file. Go to line 129 and observe the missing "\" backslash as shown in the discussion above.

Expected behavior

I expected the template to have been tested and to have worked. I expected the Thermometer code walkthrough at this link to work as described in the article.

Actual behavior

Fails to build projects. Source files are not generated. Module.g.cpp is not generated.

Additional comments

No response

[kennykerr]

We don't have anyone working the VS templates at the moment. Feel free to contribute a fix and I'll see if I can get someone familiar with that code to review it.

[dmachaj]

That property already includes a trailing slash so it is not necessary to add another one. I just created an empty cppwinrt project using the Visual Studio templates and added a target to dump this property.

<Target AfterTargets="PrepareForBuild" Name="TemporaryDebugTarget">
    <Message Importance="high" Text="GeneratedFilesDir is $(GeneratedFilesDir)"/>
</Target>

And the output when building is:

1>GeneratedFilesDir is CppwinrtTestApp\x64\Debug\Generated Files\

[laultman]

@dmachaj That's well and good for the field name. But that does not mean the syntax is correct in the template. You are correct it does have resolve to the correct name but the syntax in the line requires the backslash before a file name.

[dmachaj]

There must be a subtlety that I am missing here. If the variable expands to the correct thing when msbuild runs a build, then that should be all that matters.

The statement "the syntax in the line requires the backslash before a file name" does not align with that. What tool says the syntax requires a slash here? It doesn't seem to be msbuild.

If there is some sort of error message please include it.

[laultman]

Apparently, we are talking about different things.
When the project is created with using the template. Simply look through the vcproj XML and find this line.
<ClCompile Include="$(GeneratedFilesDir)module.g.cpp" />

Then go follow the ThermometerWRC instructions. In the end you must fix the path or module.g.cpp is never built.

[sylveon]

I just created a brand new C++/WinRT runtime component project, and I see module.g.cpp getting built just fine:

Build started at 16:01...
1>------ Build started: Project: RuntimeComponent1, Configuration: Debug x64 ------
1>64 bit MIDLRT Processing Z:\Throwaway\RuntimeComponent1\Class.idl
1>Class.idl
1>64 bit MIDLRT Processing C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Kits\10\Include\10.0.22621.0\winrt\winrtbase.idl
1>winrtbase.idl
1>64 bit MIDLRT Processing C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Kits\10\Include\10.0.22621.0\winrt\midlbase.idl
1>midlbase.idl
1>Processing WinMD c:\program files (x86)\windows kits\10\references\10.0.22621.0\windows.ai.machinelearning.machinelearningcontract\5.0.0.0\windows.ai.machinelearning.machinelearningcontract.winmd
1>Processing WinMD c:\program files (x86)\windows kits\10\references\10.0.22621.0\windows.ai.machinelearning.preview.machinelearningpreviewcontract\2.0.0.0\windows.ai.machinelearning.preview.machinelearningpreviewcontract.winmd
1>Processing WinMD c:\program files (x86)\windows kits\10\references\10.0.22621.0\windows.applicationmodel.calls.background.callsbackgroundcontract\4.0.0.0\windows.applicationmodel.calls.background.callsbackgroundcontract.winmd
1>Processing WinMD c:\program files (x86)\windows kits\10\references\10.0.22621.0\windows.applicationmodel.calls.callsphonecontract\7.0.0.0\windows.applicationmodel.calls.callsphonecontract.winmd
1>Processing WinMD c:\program files (x86)\windows kits\10\references\10.0.22621.0\windows.applicationmodel.calls.callsvoipcontract\4.0.0.0\windows.applicationmodel.calls.callsvoipcontract.winmd
1>Processing WinMD c:\program files (x86)\windows kits\10\references\10.0.22621.0\windows.applicationmodel.communicationblocking.communicationblockingcontract\2.0.0.0\windows.applicationmodel.communicationblocking.communicationblockingcontract.winmd
1>Processing WinMD c:\program files (x86)\windows kits\10\references\10.0.22621.0\windows.applicationmodel.socialinfo.socialinfocontract\2.0.0.0\windows.applicationmodel.socialinfo.socialinfocontract.winmd
1>Processing WinMD c:\program files (x86)\windows kits\10\references\10.0.22621.0\windows.applicationmodel.startuptaskcontract\3.0.0.0\windows.applicationmodel.startuptaskcontract.winmd
1>Processing WinMD c:\program files (x86)\windows kits\10\references\10.0.22621.0\windows.devices.custom.customdevicecontract\1.0.0.0\windows.devices.custom.customdevicecontract.winmd
1>Processing WinMD c:\program files (x86)\windows kits\10\references\10.0.22621.0\windows.devices.deviceslowlevelcontract\3.0.0.0\windows.devices.deviceslowlevelcontract.winmd
1>Processing WinMD c:\program files (x86)\windows kits\10\references\10.0.22621.0\windows.devices.printers.printerscontract\1.0.0.0\windows.devices.printers.printerscontract.winmd
1>Processing WinMD c:\program files (x86)\windows kits\10\references\10.0.22621.0\windows.devices.smartcards.smartcardbackgroundtriggercontract\3.0.0.0\windows.devices.smartcards.smartcardbackgroundtriggercontract.winmd
1>Processing WinMD c:\program files (x86)\windows kits\10\references\10.0.22621.0\windows.devices.smartcards.smartcardemulatorcontract\6.0.0.0\windows.devices.smartcards.smartcardemulatorcontract.winmd
1>Processing WinMD c:\program files (x86)\windows kits\10\references\10.0.22621.0\windows.foundation.foundationcontract\4.0.0.0\windows.foundation.foundationcontract.winmd
1>Processing WinMD c:\program files (x86)\windows kits\10\references\10.0.22621.0\windows.foundation.universalapicontract\15.0.0.0\windows.foundation.universalapicontract.winmd
1>Processing WinMD c:\program files (x86)\windows kits\10\references\10.0.22621.0\windows.gaming.xboxlive.storageapicontract\1.0.0.0\windows.gaming.xboxlive.storageapicontract.winmd
1>Processing WinMD c:\program files (x86)\windows kits\10\references\10.0.22621.0\windows.graphics.printing3d.printing3dcontract\4.0.0.0\windows.graphics.printing3d.printing3dcontract.winmd
1>Processing WinMD c:\program files (x86)\windows kits\10\references\10.0.22621.0\windows.networking.connectivity.wwancontract\2.0.0.0\windows.networking.connectivity.wwancontract.winmd
1>Processing WinMD c:\program files (x86)\windows kits\10\references\10.0.22621.0\windows.networking.sockets.controlchanneltriggercontract\3.0.0.0\windows.networking.sockets.controlchanneltriggercontract.winmd
1>Processing WinMD c:\program files (x86)\windows kits\10\references\10.0.22621.0\windows.security.isolation.isolatedwindowsenvironmentcontract\4.0.0.0\windows.security.isolation.isolatedwindowsenvironmentcontract.winmd
1>Processing WinMD c:\program files (x86)\windows kits\10\references\10.0.22621.0\windows.services.maps.guidancecontract\3.0.0.0\windows.services.maps.guidancecontract.winmd
1>Processing WinMD c:\program files (x86)\windows kits\10\references\10.0.22621.0\windows.services.maps.localsearchcontract\4.0.0.0\windows.services.maps.localsearchcontract.winmd
1>Processing WinMD c:\program files (x86)\windows kits\10\references\10.0.22621.0\windows.services.store.storecontract\4.0.0.0\windows.services.store.storecontract.winmd
1>Processing WinMD c:\program files (x86)\windows kits\10\references\10.0.22621.0\windows.services.targetedcontent.targetedcontentcontract\1.0.0.0\windows.services.targetedcontent.targetedcontentcontract.winmd
1>Processing WinMD c:\program files (x86)\windows kits\10\references\10.0.22621.0\windows.storage.provider.cloudfilescontract\7.0.0.0\windows.storage.provider.cloudfilescontract.winmd
1>Processing WinMD c:\program files (x86)\windows kits\10\references\10.0.22621.0\windows.system.profile.profilehardwaretokencontract\1.0.0.0\windows.system.profile.profilehardwaretokencontract.winmd
1>Processing WinMD c:\program files (x86)\windows kits\10\references\10.0.22621.0\windows.system.profile.profileretailinfocontract\1.0.0.0\windows.system.profile.profileretailinfocontract.winmd
1>Processing WinMD c:\program files (x86)\windows kits\10\references\10.0.22621.0\windows.system.profile.profilesharedmodecontract\2.0.0.0\windows.system.profile.profilesharedmodecontract.winmd
1>Processing WinMD c:\program files (x86)\windows kits\10\references\10.0.22621.0\windows.system.profile.systemmanufacturers.systemmanufacturerscontract\3.0.0.0\windows.system.profile.systemmanufacturers.systemmanufacturerscontract.winmd
1>Processing WinMD c:\program files (x86)\windows kits\10\references\10.0.22621.0\windows.system.systemmanagementcontract\7.0.0.0\windows.system.systemmanagementcontract.winmd
1>Processing WinMD c:\program files (x86)\windows kits\10\references\10.0.22621.0\windows.ui.uiautomation.uiautomationcontract\2.0.0.0\windows.ui.uiautomation.uiautomationcontract.winmd
1>Processing WinMD c:\program files (x86)\windows kits\10\references\10.0.22621.0\windows.ui.viewmanagement.viewmanagementviewscalingcontract\1.0.0.0\windows.ui.viewmanagement.viewmanagementviewscalingcontract.winmd
1>Processing WinMD c:\program files (x86)\windows kits\10\references\10.0.22621.0\windows.ui.xaml.core.direct.xamldirectcontract\5.0.0.0\windows.ui.xaml.core.direct.xamldirectcontract.winmd
1>Microsoft(R) Metadata Merge Utility Version 10.0.49.
1>
1>
1>Processing input metadata file RuntimeC.6cb17413\x64\Debug\Unmerged\Class.winmd.
1>Saved output metadata file RuntimeComponent1.winmd.
1>Validating metadata file RuntimeC.6cb17413\x64\Debug\Merged\RuntimeComponent1.winmd.
1>pch.cpp
1>Class.cpp
1>module.g.cpp
1>   Creating library Z:\Throwaway\RuntimeComponent1\x64\Debug\RuntimeComponent1\RuntimeComponent1.lib and object Z:\Throwaway\RuntimeComponent1\x64\Debug\RuntimeComponent1\RuntimeComponent1.exp
1>RuntimeComponent1.vcxproj -> Z:\Throwaway\RuntimeComponent1\x64\Debug\RuntimeComponent1\RuntimeComponent1.dll
1>'pwsh.exe' is not recognized as an internal or external command,
1>operable program or batch file.
========== Build: 1 succeeded, 0 failed, 0 up-to-date, 0 skipped ==========
========== Build completed at 16:02 and took 07.093 seconds ==========

[laultman]

OK, here we go again. Just reinstalled Windows, and reinstalling VS for the 3d time this month. Maybe I'll get lucky and it will work.

[github-actions]

This issue is stale because it has been open 10 days with no activity. Remove stale label or comment or this will be closed in 5 days.

[laultman]

I disregarded the comments as my solution was to add the backslash and it works. Don't care.