Where is the C compiler located on disk for Visual C++ 2008 Express?

Question

I'm trying to set up the Hg-Git Mercurial Extension, which recommends using the C compiler for Microsoft Visual C++ 2008. I've installed Visual C++ 2008, but I can't figure out where the C compiler is located so that I can add it to my path.

score 16 · Accepted Answer · answered Feb 28 '12 at 01:41

16

Windows 7 / Vista:

C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual Studio 9.0\VC\Bin\cl.exe

Windows XP:

C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio 9.0\VC\Bin\cl.exe

answered Feb 28 '12 at 01:41

hoge

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If anyone ends up here while trying to set up a MatLab xPC Target, just use `C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual Studio 9.0` for the compiler path. – RubberDuck Jul 15 '16 at 20:34
Not quite. `C:\Program Files (x86)` only exists in *64-bit* versions of Windows. For *32-bit* Windows it's the same `C:\Program Files` in XP / 7 / Vista / 10. – dxiv Jul 31 '16 at 05:16

score 3 · Answer 2 · edited May 23 '17 at 12:32

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Currently accepted answer is incorrect in case when Program Files directory has been moved away (i.e. is now on another drive, H:\Program Files or H:\Program Files (x86)), which means it is no longer available in default path (C drive).

Visual Studio 2008

Windows XP 32-bit (x86):

%ProgramFiles%\Microsoft Visual Studio 9.0\VC\bin\cl.exe

Windows Vista 32-bit and later Windows operating systems (x86):

%ProgramFiles%\Microsoft Visual Studio 9.0\VC\bin\cl.exe

Windows XP 64-bit (x64):

%ProgramFiles(x86)%\Microsoft Visual Studio 9.0\VC\bin\cl.exe

Windows Vista 64-bit and later Windows operating systems (x64):

%ProgramFiles(x86)%\Microsoft Visual Studio 9.0\VC\bin\cl.exe

edited May 23 '17 at 12:32

Community

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answered Aug 17 '14 at 04:50

OmegaExtern

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What if you installed a different ProgramFiles and not the primary one no matter where %ProgramFiles(x86)% points to. I think the accepted answer is not bad, it only doesn't handle an edge case, also yours could be inccorent in edge cases. – Anton Krug Jun 05 '18 at 08:49
But I like your perspective for both 32/64 OSs. – Anton Krug Jun 05 '18 at 09:30
Can you please edit your comment for Windows 10? I can't see %ProgramFiles(x86)% Environment variable in Windows 10. – bsguru Oct 19 '18 at 07:16

score 1 · Answer 3 · answered May 29 '16 at 00:02

Related Answer for those who may be using Visual Studio 2012 and 2013 "ultimate" on a Windows 8.1 machine and are trying to locate the version of your current C++ compiler; you should be able to navigate to:

C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual Studio 12.0\VC\bin>

and open a command prompt as administrator.

Then within the administrative command prompt, you can enter the following command:

"cl -option"

and hit return. It will look like this just before you press return:

C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual Studio 12.0\VC\bin>cl -option

The version of your C++ compiler should then show up within the command prompt something like this:

Microsoft (R) C/C++ Optimizing Compiler Version 18.00.30723 for x86 Copyright (C)

Where is the C compiler located on disk for Visual C++ 2008 Express?

3 Answers3

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