unable to determine what cmake generator to use-VS Code-Windows 10

Question

while compiling cpp files in vs code in windows 10 PC, after giving "cmake:debug" I get error like this "unable to determine what cmake generator to use.please install or configure a preferred generator or update settings.json, your kit configuration or path variable" how to solve the error

Answer 1

If you have install cmake, setted up your project and you added it's path, try this Ctrl+shift+P and Type "cmake:reset cmake tools for extension state" and press enter.

At least that works for me.

Answer 2

Firstly check the system.

1. Install MINGW https://www.msys2.org/

2. Install gcc, g++, gdb, and cmake using pacman.

   pacman -S mingw-w64-x86_64-gcc

   pacman -S mingw-w64-x86_64-gdb

   pacman -S mingw-w64-x86_64-cmake

3. Check installation:

   gcc --version

   g++ --version

   gdb --version

4. Edit environment variables for your account (PATH)

   C:\msys64\mingw64\bin

For cmake project on Vscode:

1. Create a cmake project: https://code.visualstudio.com/docs/cpp/cmake-linux#_create-a-cmake-project

2. Choose the Kit (Toolchain) which was installed before

3. Set cmake.cmakePath (If you installed with pacman, the path should be same as gcc/g++.

   "cmake.cmakePath": "C:\msys64\mingw64\bin\cmake.exe"

4. Reset VScode: Ctrl+shift+P and type "CMake:Reset CMake Tools for Extension State"

5. Configure project: Ctrl+shift+P and type "CMake: Configure". You will see "built" directory and generated files.

Answer 3

In the cmake parlance, "generator" is an external program generating a build script.
In Linux, "generator" is usually make or ninja . In Windows you need a Windows-specific generator. The list of generators available for cmake can be found in its documentation:

https://cmake.org/cmake/help/latest/manual/cmake-generators.7.html

You need to install and configure at least one that runs on your OS. Remember: cmake is NOT a generator - it uses a generator as an external tool, just like a compiler is an external tool. The compiler, generator, perhaps some other tools, plus an environment form what is called a (build) kit.

Since I don't use Windows, I can't help you in more detail, but you or anyone reading this answer will know what to do in your situation: use your WWW search engine to query for "Windows 10 Visual Studio Code cmake generator" or something similar. My first hit for Windows and VS Code is this:

https://computingonplains.wordpress.com/building-c-applications-with-cmake-and-visual-studio-code/

The crucial paragraph reads:

We first have to run CMake to create the build files. Click on the CMake: [Debug] button. The first time you do so, a list of build tool kits is displayed below the main menu. Select either Unspecified, or Visual Studio Build Tools 2019 Release - amd64. The No Kit Selected text in the status bar will change to [Visual Studio Build Tools 2019 Release - amd64], and a list of CMake configurations are displayed: Debug, Release, MinSizeRel, and RelWithDebInfo.

If there's no generator, eg Visual Studio Build Tools 2019 Release - amd64 to be selected, you need to install it.

Answer 4

Reinstalling cmake tools extension worked out for me.