target:set not working correctly for arch and toolchains

[s5bug]

Describe the bug

Create a ruleset like so:

-- create a default rule for matching compilation
rule("matching")
    on_load(function (target)
        -- Windows x86
        target:set("plat", "windows")
        target:set("arch", "x86")
    
        -- use MSVC and NASM
        target:set("toolchains", "msvc", "nasm")
        target:add("config", "as=nasm")
        
        -- use VS 2005
        target:add("config", "vs=2005")
        
        -- set Windows Vista as the minimum Windows version
        target:add("defines", "_WIN32_WINNT=0x0600")
        
        -- link necessary system libraries
        target:add("syslinks", "user32", "ole32")
        
        -- statically link the C Runtime
        if is_mode("debug") then
            target:add("cxflags", "/MTd")
        else
            target:add("cxflags", "/MT")
        end
    end)

Create a target that uses the ruleset:

target("foo")
    set_kind("binary")
    
    -- only matching builds for now
    add_rules("matching")
    
    -- include pstdint to make up for VS 2005 not having stdint.h
    add_includedirs(
        "external/pstdint/include"
    )
    
    -- platform-independent source files
    add_files(
        "asm/some_asm.asm",
        "src/main.cpp"
    )

Expected behavior

Running xmake from a clean directory should build properly, using NASM to build the assembly and VS 2005 to build the C++.

Error output

> xmake
checking for architecture ... x64
checking for Microsoft Visual Studio (x64) version ... 2005
checking for Microsoft Visual Studio (x86) version ... 2005
error: toolchain("clang"): not found!

Even though clang was not a desired toolchain.

Related Environment

Please provide compiling and running environment information:

• xmake version: xmake v2.3.9+202012081639
• os: Windows 10 Home 20H2 Build 19042.662
• target platform: Win32 Vista

Additional context

Setting vs, arch, plat, and toolchain via xmake f has the following output:

> xmake f -p windows -a x86 --vs=2005 --toolchain=msvc --toolchain=nasm -m releasedbg
checking for Microsoft Visual Studio (x86) version ... 2005

Then an xmake builds the project successfully. Notice how it doesn't look for the x64 version of VS 2005.

[waruqi]

oh, I need improve toolchain and rule. Please wait some time.

[waruqi]

You can update to dev version and try it. (download dev installer from https://github.com/xmake-io/xmake/actions/runs/415756225 and need wait ci finished)

add_rules("mode.debug", "mode.release")
set_config("vs", "2005")

rule("matching")
    before_load(function (target)
        -- Windows x86
        target:set("arch", "x86")
        target:set("toolchains", "nasm", "msvc")

        -- set Windows Vista as the minimum Windows version
        target:add("defines", "_WIN32_WINNT=0x0600")

        -- link necessary system libraries
        target:add("syslinks", "user32", "ole32")

        -- statically link the C Runtime
        if is_mode("debug") then
            target:add("cxflags", "/MTd")
        else
            target:add("cxflags", "/MT")
        end
    end)

target("testvs")
    set_kind("binary")
    add_files("src/*.cpp", "src/*.asm")

    -- only matching builds for now
    add_rules("matching")

    target:set("toolchains", "nasm", "msvc")

We need to add the nasm toolchain first to override msvc (as) program.

set_config("vs", "2005")

Currently, we only support global setting vs version, maybe I will improve it later.

[waruqi]

xmake f -p windows -a x86 --vs=2005 --toolchain=msvc --toolchain=nasm -m releasedbg

The command line parameter currently only supports one --toolchain, and the default platform is windows, and the default toolchain is msvc. We don't need to set it additionally.

[s5bug]

Currently, we only support global setting vs version, maybe I will improve it later.

Can this be dynamic with some sort of config option?

[waruqi]

Currently, we only support global setting vs version, maybe I will improve it later.

Can this be dynamic with some sort of config option?

?

[s5bug]

For now, can I use some sort of option() to set the VS version? It's fine if it's set globally.

[waruqi]

For now, can I use some sort of option() to set the VS version? It's fine if it's set globally.

Currently set_config does not support option, I need to improve set_toolchains to support vs version setting.

[waruqi]

I am improving toolchain to better support the configuration vs version.

[waruqi]

I have supported to set vs version on toochain branch. You can try it again.

Please update to toolchain branch.

xmake update -s toolchain

try this:

rule("matching")
    before_load(function (target)
        target:set("toolchains", "nasm", "msvc", {vs = 2015})
    end

I will merge this patch to dev branch if it works.

[waruqi]

I continue to improve toolchain branch. you can try it again.

[waruqi]

I have merged into dev branch.

[s5bug]

Alright. Sorry for the late response, I've been incredibly busy:

-- add the default rules for the different compilation modes
add_rules("mode.debug", "mode.release", "mode.releasedbg")

-- create a default rule for matching compilation
rule("matching")
    before_load(function (target)
        -- Windows x86
        target:set("plat", "windows")
        target:set("arch", "x86")
    
        -- use MSVC 2005 and NASM
        target:set("toolchains", "nasm", "msvc", {vs = 2005})
        
        -- set Windows Vista as the minimum Windows version
        target:add("defines", "_WIN32_WINNT=0x0600")
        
        -- link necessary system libraries
        target:add("syslinks", "user32", "ole32")
        
        -- statically link the C Runtime
        if is_mode("debug") then
            target:add("cxflags", "/MTd")
        else
            target:add("cxflags", "/MT")
        end
    end)

target("LEGOStarWarsSaga")
    set_kind("binary")
    
    -- only matching builds for now
    add_rules("matching")

This creates the output:

> xmake
checking for platform ... windows
checking for architecture ... x64
checking for Microsoft Visual Studio (x64) version ... 2019
checking for Microsoft Visual Studio (x86) version ... 2019

So, it doesn't even look for VS2005.

It breaks on xmake -f:

> xmake f --vs=2005
checking for platform ... windows
checking for architecture ... x64
checking for Microsoft Visual Studio (x64) version ... 2005
checking for Microsoft Visual Studio (x86) version ... 2019

[waruqi]

    target:set("toolchains", "nasm", "msvc", {vs = 2005})

my mistake, try string {vs = "2005"}

[s5bug]

target:set("toolchains", "nasm", "msvc", {vs = "2005"}): wrap the version in quotes and it works perfectly.

> xmake
checking for platform ... windows
checking for architecture ... x64
checking for Microsoft Visual Studio (x64) version ... 2019
checking for Microsoft Visual Studio (x86) version ... 2005