Build guide: Add 'git for windows' package in Visual Studio Installer as a requirement to avoid cmake error 'could not find git for clone of gamespy-populate'

[edbird]

Summary

When opening the project f or the first time, the repository does some automatic autoconfiguration with cmake and produces the error: could not find git for clone of gamespy-populate. This is fixed by re-running the VS2022 installer, select modify and search in all components for "git". Select "git for Windows", and modify the installation.

Prerequisites

• I have searched for similar issues and confirmed this is not a duplicate

Game Version

• Command & Conquer Generals
• Command & Conquer Generals: Zero Hour
• Other (please specify below)

Bug Description

I am trying to follow the build guide. (Visual Studio 2022)

• https://github.com/TheSuperHackers/GeneralsGameCode/wiki/build_with_msvc22

I am aware these are stupid, basic questions, however I am not familiar with Visual Studio. Normally I develop exclusively with Linux + gcc + VS Code, so the Windows + VS2022 environment is totally new to me.

Question 1: How do I clone the repo? This is a git integration question

I succeeded, using the following method. Is this the correct method? Is this what I was expected to do?

1. I had to first fork the repo, so that I have a copy of this repo under my own github account
2. I use Visual Studio to clone the repo, but I was only able to do this by selecting my copy of the repo from the GUI. This appears to have used http rather than ssh. Is that expected?

Series of illustrative screenshots below.

So there are two points here:

• Should I have cloned the github.com/TheSuperHackers/GeneralsGameCode repo or my copy of it?
• Should I be using ssh or http to clone?
• I could not get any other method to work, except for cloning my copy with http. This may be because I am unfamiliar with the git integration with VS2022.

Question 2: cmake build error, could not find git

Once opened, the repository does some automatic autoconfiguration with cmake.

This produces an error

error: could not find git for clone of gamespy-populate

But git clearly can be found, because I just cloned a repo using the git integration with VS2022.

Do I need to separately install an independent copy of git (git for Windows) in addition to whatever comes bundled with VS2022?

Reproduction Steps

• Fresh copy of Windows 11
• Install VS2022
• Try to clone repo, following build guide for cmake + VS2022

Additional Context

No response

[edbird]

One way to fix the git error (Question 2) is to re-run the VS2022 installer, select modify and search in all components for "git".

Select "git for Windows", and modify the installation.

I do not know if this is the "approved" method as such, but it seems to resolve that issue. Perhaps a note should be added to the build instructions?

[Skyaero42]

Every step you have done is correct. Looks like 'git for windows' needs to be a requirement. I'll change the title of this issue to match the actual 'bug'