Questions like this appear to be rampant, but none of the ones I've found solve my issues regarding not being able to compile when running npm install --save socket.io. The current error (aka. error #4) below is preventing a build of socket.io. First I found this solutions, followed by this solution. Finally, found this post on GitHub where I've installed Visual C++ build tools suggested a couple days ago, which still can't get a build to complete successfully. Any other suggestions?
Current Error
$ npm install --save socket.io
npm WARN package.json @ No repository field.
npm WARN package.json @ No license field.
> utf-8-validate@1.2.1 install D:\projects\nodejs\node_modules\socket.io\node_modules\engine.io\node_modules\ws\node_modules\utf-8-validate
> node-gyp rebuild
D:\projects\nodejs\node_modules\socket.io\node_modules\engine.io\node_modules\ws\node_modules\utf-8-validate>if not defined npm_config_node_gyp (node "D:\installs\nodejs\node_modules\npm\bin\node-gyp-bin\\..\..\node_modules\node-gyp\bin\node-gyp.js" rebuild ) else (node rebuild )
Building the projects in this solution one at a time. To enable parallel build, please add the "/m" switch.
C:\Program Files (x86)\MSBuild\Microsoft.Cpp\v4.0\V140\Microsoft.CppBuild.targets(366,5): warning MSB8003: Could not find WindowsSDKDir variable from the registry. TargetFrameworkVersion or PlatformToolset may be set to an invalid version number. [D:\projects\nodejs\node_modules\socket.io\node_modules\engine.io\node_modules\ws\node_modules\utf-8-validate\build\validation.vcxproj]
validation.cc
c:\users\mtpultz\.node-gyp\4.2.2\include\node\uv-win.h(32): fatal error C1083: Cannot open include file: 'winsock2.h': No such file or directory [D:\projects\nodejs\node_modules\socket.io\node_modules\engine.io\node_modules\ws\node_modules \utf-8-validate\build\validation.vcxproj]
gyp ERR! build error
gyp ERR! stack Error: `C:\Program Files (x86)\MSBuild\14.0\bin\msbuild.exe` failed with exit code: 1
gyp ERR! stack at ChildProcess.onExit (D:\installs\nodejs\node_modules\npm\node_modules\node-gyp\lib\build.js:270:23)
gyp ERR! stack at emitTwo (events.js:87:13)
gyp ERR! stack at ChildProcess.emit (events.js:172:7)
gyp ERR! stack at Process.ChildProcess._handle.onexit (internal/child_process.js:200:12)
gyp ERR! System Windows_NT 10.0.10240
gyp ERR! command "D:\\installs\\nodejs\\node.exe" "D:\\installs\\nodejs\\node_modules\\npm\\node_modules\\node-gyp\\bin\\node-gyp.js" "rebuild"
gyp ERR! cwd D:\projects\nodejs\node_modules\socket.io\node_modules\engine.io\node_modules\ws\node_modules\utf-8-validate
gyp ERR! node -v v4.2.2
gyp ERR! node-gyp -v v3.0.3
gyp ERR! not ok
> bufferutil@1.2.1 install D:\projects\nodejs\node_modules\socket.io\node_modules\engine.io\node_modules\ws\node_modules\bufferutil
> node-gyp rebuild
This seems waaay to complicated just so socket.io can be required in this nodejs application.
Okay, this works if you check both SDK 8 and 10 when installing VS C++ Build Tools.
Alternatively you can also pull it into a VM like Homestead and run npm install --save socket.io, but the above solution definitely worked on Windows 10.