Installing Visual Studio 2019/2022

Introduction

This tutorial will guide you through downloading and installing Visual Studio 2019 or Visual Studio 2022. Visual Studio is the integrated development environment (IDE) required to compile and work with modding projects. This guide covers both Visual Studio 2019 and Visual Studio 2022, though Visual Studio 2022 is recommended for newer systems.

By the end of this tutorial, you will have:

• A properly configured Visual Studio installation
• All necessary C++ development tools
• The correct Windows SDK
• An environment ready for programming

Prerequisites

Before starting this tutorial, ensure you have:

• A Windows 10 or Windows 11 computer
• Administrator privileges on your system
• At least 8GB of RAM (16GB recommended)
• At least 20GB of free disk space
• A stable internet connection for downloading Visual Studio

Installing Visual Studio 2022 (Recommended)

Step 1: Download Visual Studio 2022

1. Visit the Visual Studio website

• Go to [1](https://visualstudio.microsoft.com/downloads/)
• Click on "Download Visual Studio 2022"

2. Choose your edition

• Community Edition (Free) - Recommended for individual developers
• Professional Edition (Paid) - For professional development teams
• Enterprise Edition (Paid) - For large organizations

3. Download the installer

• Click "Download" for your chosen edition
• Save the installer file (usually named `vs_community.exe`, `vs_professional.exe`, or `vs_enterprise.exe`)

Step 2: Run the Visual Studio Installer

1. Launch the installer

• Navigate to your Downloads folder
• Double-click the Visual Studio installer file
• If prompted by User Account Control, click "Yes"

2. Sign in (Optional but Recommended)

• Sign in with your Microsoft account for additional features
• This enables cloud sync of settings and extensions

Step 3: Select Workloads

1. Choose Desktop Development with C++

• In the installer, select the "Desktop development with C++" workload
• This includes
  • MSVC v143 compiler toolset
  • Windows 10/11 SDK
  • CMake tools for Visual Studio
  • Windows 10/11 SDK

2. Optional: Additional Components

• C++ CMake tools for Windows - Helpful for modern C++ projects
• Git for Windows - Version control integration
• IntelliCode - AI-assisted code completion

3. Verify Windows SDK Selection

  * Ensure "Windows 10 SDK" or "Windows 11 SDK" is selected
  * The latest version is recommended (usually selected by default)

Step 4: Installation Process

1. Start Installation

  * Click "Install" to begin the installation process
  * The installer will download and install all selected components

2. Wait for Completion

  * Installation typically takes 30-60 minutes depending on your internet speed
  * The installer will show progress for each component

3. Restart if Required

  * Some components may require a system restart
  * Follow the prompts to restart your computer

Installing Visual Studio 2019 (Alternative)

Step 1: Download Visual Studio 2019

1. Access Visual Studio 2019 Downloads

  * Go to [2](https://visualstudio.microsoft.com/vs/older-downloads/)
  * Scroll down to "Visual Studio 2019" section
  * Click "Download" for your preferred edition

2. Download the installer

  * Save the installer file (usually `vs_community.exe` for Community edition)

Step 2: Install Visual Studio 2019

1. Run the installer

  * Double-click the downloaded installer
  * Click "Yes" if prompted by User Account Control

2. Select Workloads

  * Choose "Desktop development with C++"
  * Ensure Windows 10 SDK is included
  * Click "Install"

3. Complete Installation

  * Wait for the installation to complete
  * Restart your computer if prompted

Post-Installation Configuration

Step 1: Update Visual Studio

1. Check for Updates

  * Open Visual Studio
  * Go to **Tools** → **Options** → **Environment** → **Updates**
  * Click "Check for updates"

2. Install Updates

  * If updates are available, click "Update"
  * Restart Visual Studio after updates are installed

Step 2: Verify Installation

1. Test C++ Compilation

  * Create a new C++ project: **File** → **New** → **Project**
  * Choose "Console App" under Visual C++
  * Build the project: **Build** → **Build Solution**

2. Check Windows SDK

  * Go to **Tools** → **Options** → **Projects and Solutions** → **VC++ Directories**
  * Verify Windows SDK paths are present

Troubleshooting

Common Installation Issues

1. Installation Fails

  * Run installer as Administrator
  * Disable antivirus temporarily during installation
  * Check Windows Update for missing prerequisites

2. Missing Windows SDK

  * Re-run Visual Studio installer
  * Modify installation to include Windows SDK
  * Ensure correct SDK version is selected

3. Compiler Not Found

  * Verify "Desktop development with C++" workload is installed
  * Check **Tools** → **Options** → **Projects and Solutions** → **VC++ Directories**
  * Repair Visual Studio installation if necessary

Performance Optimization

1. Disable Unnecessary Features

  * Go to **Tools** → **Options** → **Environment** → **General**
  * Disable "Animate environment tools" for better performance
  * Turn off "Rich client visual experience" if experiencing slowdowns

2. Configure IntelliSense

  * Go to **Tools** → **Options** → **Text Editor** → **C/C++** → **Advanced**
  * Adjust "IntelliSense" settings for your system

Conclusion

You have successfully installed and configured Visual Studio for Source SDK development. Your development environment now includes:

• Visual Studio 2019 or 2022 with C++ development tools
• Windows SDK for your operating system
• All necessary compilers and build tools
• A properly configured IDE ready for programming

Remember to keep Visual Studio updated regularly to ensure compatibility with the latest tools and security updates.

Sources

• [3](https://visualstudio.microsoft.com/downloads/) - Retrieved on 2025-01-19
• [4](https://visualstudio.microsoft.com/vs/older-downloads/) - Retrieved on 2025-01-19
• [5](https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/visualstudio/install/install-visual-studio) - Retrieved on 2025-01-19