Building with CMake

CMake provides a common workflow for building GeneralsGameCode with Visual C++ 6 or a modern compiler. Run the commands on this page from the repository root.

Requirements

Git
CMake 3.25 or newer, added to PATH
Ninja, added to PATH
The toolchain required by your chosen preset

Note: The PATH requirements apply whenever you type these commands in a terminal, including an IDE’s built-in terminal, because it runs a normal shell. They do not apply when using the IDE’s CMake integration through its configure and build actions; in that case, the IDE can use its bundled CMake and Ninja tools directly.

For Visual C++ 6 setup, see CMake and Visual Studio 6.

Build presets

These are the presets most contributors will use:

Preset	Toolchain	Purpose
`vc6`	Visual C++ 6	Release build and the retail-compatible path
`vc6-debug`	Visual C++ 6	Unoptimized development build; runtime requirements
`vc6-profile`	Visual C++ 6	Optimized profiling build
`win32`	Modern Visual C++	Release build
`win32-debug`	Modern Visual C++	Unoptimized development build
`win32-profile`	Modern Visual C++	Optimized profiling build

For example, configure and build a VC6 Release build with:

cmake --workflow --preset vc6

Use this command to see every preset in the current checkout, including specialized presets not covered here:

cmake --list-presets=all

Retail compatibility: Use the vc6 Release preset for builds compatible with retail multiplayer and replays. VC6 Debug builds and builds produced with modern Visual Studio toolchains are not retail-compatible.

VC6 Debug runtime

VC6 Debug builds require these Microsoft debug runtime libraries in the same directory as the built executable:

MSVCP60D.DLL
MSVCRTD.DLL

The project and this wiki cannot distribute these files. Users must obtain them independently through legitimate means.

Configure and build

The workflow command above configures and builds the project in one step. Replace vc6 with another preset when needed. To run the two steps separately:

cmake --preset vc6
cmake --build --preset vc6

CMake stores each configuration under build/<preset>.

Select games and tools

Both games and their tools are enabled by default. The common build options are:

Option	Default	Controls
`RTS_BUILD_GENERALS`	`ON`	Generals
`RTS_BUILD_ZEROHOUR`	`ON`	Zero Hour
`RTS_BUILD_CORE_TOOLS`	`ON`	Tools shared by both games
`RTS_BUILD_GENERALS_TOOLS`	`ON`	Generals tools
`RTS_BUILD_ZEROHOUR_TOOLS`	`ON`	Zero Hour tools
`RTS_BUILD_CORE_EXTRAS`	`OFF`	Shared extra tools and tests
`RTS_BUILD_GENERALS_EXTRAS`	`OFF`	Generals extra tools and tests
`RTS_BUILD_ZEROHOUR_EXTRAS`	`OFF`	Zero Hour extra tools and tests

Pass options while configuring. This example builds Zero Hour and its tools without Generals:

cmake --preset vc6 -DRTS_BUILD_GENERALS=OFF -DRTS_BUILD_ZEROHOUR=ON -DRTS_BUILD_ZEROHOUR_TOOLS=ON
cmake --build --preset vc6

CMake retains these choices in the preset’s build directory until it is reconfigured or removed.

Build a target

Common targets include:

Target	Output
`g_generals` / `z_generals`	Game executable
`g_worldbuilder` / `z_worldbuilder`	World Builder
`g_guiedit` / `z_guiedit`	GUI Editor
`g_imagepacker` / `z_imagepacker`	Image Packer
`g_mapcachebuilder` / `z_mapcachebuilder`	Map Cache Builder
`core_debugwindow`	Shared Debug Window library
`core_particleeditor`	Shared Particle Editor library

Build one target by adding --target:

cmake --build --preset vc6 --target z_generals

List the targets available in a configured preset with:

cmake --build --preset vc6 --target help

Only enabled games and tools produce targets. Installing after a partial build may fail if another enabled installable target has not been built.

Build output

VC6 places the main executables at:

build/<preset>/Generals/generalsv.exe
build/<preset>/GeneralsMD/generalszh.exe

The modern win32 presets are multi-configuration builds, so their output paths also contain Release or Debug.

Install

On Windows, CMake tries to find EA App, CD, The First Decade, and Steam installations from the registry. Run each installed game at least once first to ensure its registry entries exist.

Install a VC6 Release build with:

cmake --install build/vc6

Modern win32 builds require the configuration name:

cmake --install build/win32 --config Release

To use explicit game directories, set the install paths while configuring:

cmake --preset vc6 -DRTS_INSTALL_PREFIX_GENERALS="C:\Games\Generals Test" -DRTS_INSTALL_PREFIX_ZEROHOUR="C:\Games\Zero Hour Test"
cmake --build --preset vc6
cmake --install build/vc6

Use RTS_INSTALL_PREFIX_GENERALS and RTS_INSTALL_PREFIX_ZEROHOUR independently when building only one game.

Reset a configuration

CMake caches compiler, option, and installation settings. If a configuration starts behaving unexpectedly, discard that preset’s cache and configure it again:

cmake --fresh --preset vc6

Replace vc6 with the affected preset. Other build configurations are left unchanged.