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I have a programm using an GSL library which worked quite well with Visual Studio 2013. Now I set up a new Windows version and installed Visual Studio 2015 RC Community.

After that I can not compile the code anymore. After converting the code to the new tool set I got the error that some external symbols of the libraries could not be found. I think this has something to do with the fact, that the library was build with Visual C++ v120.

So is there a possiblilty to add this Compiler Version to the Studio? And does it work without trouble next to a new version installed. I do not want to install the older version of VS, because of the possibility of some troubles haveing to version parallel installed.

Matthias
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2 Answers2

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You can install VS2013 toolset version from your VS2015 installer without installing visual studio 2013. From the 2015 installer, select Windows 8.1 and Windows Phone 8.0/8.1 Tools. Thats it.

Found it in a msdn forum (have to be the first time something is actually solved in a microsoft forum)

kosowski
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    While the accepted answer is also working, I think this is a better/easier/cleaner solution. – Eric Smekens May 09 '16 at 18:36
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    Couldn't found this in VS2015 installer feature list, I am installing professional edition. Also when opening a VC project properties, it is already showing the target platform as Windows 8.1 but still the toolset is 14.0 – Bishoy Aug 23 '16 at 01:29
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  1. Install Visual Studio 2013
  2. Open your Project in Visual Studio 2015
  3. In the General page of the Project Properties, change the Platform Toolset to "Visual Studio 2013 (v120)"

You never have to open Visual Studio 2013; you just have to install it so that Visual Studio 2015 can find the toolset. (Unfortunately there is no way to install just the toolset.)

James McNellis
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  • Installing VS 2013 after installing VS 2015 and VS 2017 utterly broke both newer versions for me; the solution manager stopped working in VS 2015 and VS 2017 [no longer allowed me to add any files to any solution](https://stackoverflow.com/q/3397659/4975230), and I got constant COM errors. I had to reinstall Windows. The safe way to accomplish this answer seems to be to reformat and reinstall Windows, then install 2013, then 2015, then 2017 (if you're using it). – jrh Jan 21 '19 at 17:54