atom/docs/build-instructions/windows.md

Windows

Requirements

• Node.js 6.9.4 or later (the architecture of node available to the build system will determine whether you build 32-bit or 64-bit Atom)

• Python v2.7.x

  • The python.exe must be available at %SystemDrive%\Python27\python.exe. If it is installed elsewhere create a symbolic link to the directory containing the python.exe using: mklink /d %SystemDrive%\Python27 D:\elsewhere\Python27

• 7zip (7z.exe available from the command line) - for creating distribution zip files

• Visual Studio, either:

  • Visual C++ Build Tools 2015
  • Visual Studio 2013 Update 5 (Express Edition or better)
  • Visual Studio 2015 (Community Edition or better)

  Also ensure that:

  • The default installation folder is chosen so the build tools can find it
  • If using Visual Studio make sure Visual C++ support is selected/installed
  • If using Visual C++ Build Tools make sure Windows 8 SDK is selected/installed
  • A git command is in your path
  • Set the GYP_MSVS_VERSION environment variable to the Visual Studio/Build Tools version (2013 or 2015) e.g. [Environment]::SetEnvironmentVariable("GYP_MSVS_VERSION", "2015", "User") in PowerShell (or set it in Windows advanced system settings).

Instructions

You can run these commands using Command Prompt, PowerShell, Git Shell, or any other terminal. These instructions will assume the use of Command Prompt.

cd C:\
git clone https://github.com/atom/atom.git
cd atom
script\build

To also install the newly built application, use script\build --create-windows-installer and launch the generated installers.

script\build Options

• --code-sign: signs the application with the GitHub certificate specified in $WIN_P12KEY_URL.
• --compress-artifacts: zips the generated application as out\atom-windows.zip (requires 7-Zip).
• --create-windows-installer: creates an .msi, an .exe and two .nupkg packages in the out directory.
• --install[=dir]: installs the application in ${dir}\Atom\app-dev; ${dir} defaults to %LOCALAPPDATA%.

Running tests

In order to run tests from command line you need apm, available after you install Atom or after you build from source. If you installed it, run the following commands (assuming C:\atom is the root of your Atom repository):

cd C:\atom
apm test

When building Atom from source, the apm command is not added to the system path by default. In this case, you can either add it yourself or explicitly list the complete path in previous commands. The default install location is %LOCALAPPDATA%\Atom\app-dev\resources\cli\.

NOTE: Please keep in mind that there are still some tests that don't pass on Windows.

Troubleshooting

Common Errors

• node is not recognized

  • If you just installed Node.js, you'll need to restart Command Prompt before the node command is available on your path.

• msbuild.exe failed with exit code: 1

  • If using Visual Studio, ensure you have the Visual C++ component installed. Go into Add/Remove Programs, select Visual Studio, press Modify, and then check the Visual C++ box.
  • If using Visual C++ Build Tools, ensure you have the Windows 8 SDK component installed. Go into Add/Remove Programs, select Visual C++ Build Tools, press Modify and then check the Windows 8 SDK box.

• script\build stops with no error or warning shortly after displaying the versions of node, npm and Python

  • Make sure that the path where you have checked out Atom does not include a space. For example, use C:\atom instead of C:\my stuff\atom.
  • Try moving the repository to C:\atom. Most likely, the path is too long. See issue #2200.

• error MSB4025: The project file could not be loaded. Invalid character in the given encoding.

  • This can occur because your home directory (%USERPROFILE%) has non-ASCII characters in it. This is a bug in gyp which is used to build native Node.js modules and there is no known workaround.
    • https://github.com/TooTallNate/node-gyp/issues/297
    • https://code.google.com/p/gyp/issues/detail?id=393

• 'node_modules\.bin\npm' is not recognized as an internal or external command, operable program or batch file.

  • This occurs if the previous build left things in a bad state. Run script\clean and then script\build again.

• script\build stops at installing runas with Failed at the runas@x.y.z install script.

  • See the next item.

• error MSB8020: The build tools for Visual Studio 201? (Platform Toolset = 'v1?0') cannot be found.

  • Try setting the GYP_MSVS_VERSION environment variable to 2013 or 2015 depending on what version of Visual Studio/Build Tools is installed and then script\clean followed by script\build (re-open the Command Prompt if you set the variable using the GUI).

• 'node-gyp' is not recognized as an internal or external command, operable program or batch file.

  • Try running npm install -g node-gyp, and run script\build again.

• Other node-gyp errors on first build attempt, even though the right Node.js and Python versions are installed.

  • Do try the build command one more time as experience shows it often works on second try in many cases.

Windows build error reports in atom/atom

• If all fails, use this search to get a list of reports about build errors on Windows, and see if yours has already been reported.
• If it hasn't, please open a new issue with your Windows version, architecture (x86 or x64), and a screenshot of your build output, including the Node.js and Python versions.