Support for cross-compiling on Linux by universeindex · Pull Request #465 · smartcmd/MinecraftConsoles

universeindex · 2026-03-04T18:49:14Z

Description

I've implemented support for cross-compiling a Windows build on a Linux host using clang-cl. I added a toolchain file at cmake/LinuxCrosscompile.cmake that achieves this. I also modified many source files to not use backslashes in include statements (which error with clang-cl) and use case-sensitive paths (many Linux filesystems are case-sensitive, unlike NTFS, which causes errors). I avoided changing actual functionality as much as possible, so I hope this isn't too intrusive. Additionally I apologize for the messy commit messages, I hope this isn't a big issue, I have detailed all of the changes I made here.

Changes

Include statements use forward slashes instead of backslashes
Include statements reference files with correct capitalization
Added a CMake toolchain file for using clang-cl on Linux
Minecraft.Client/Xbox/MinecraftWindows.rc is not compiled on Linux, this causes errors otherwise, as it can't find the windows SDK and I am unsure how to specify the location here.
I also added documentation for building on Linux.

Previous Behavior

Running CMake on Linux would throw a hardcoded error stating that Linux isn't supported. When removed, and clang-cl is set to be used, many errors occur due to include paths using backslashes and inconsistent capitalization. The only way to build and run on Linux before is to use a Windows VM, and there is no way to get proper code completion on a Linux IDE.

Root Cause

Backslashes in include paths are supported on Windows, but not other systems, and NTFS is case-insensitive, so include paths do not have to match capitalization, also not on other systems.

New Behavior

The game now compiles and outputs a Windows binary on Linux using clang-cl.

Fix Implementation

See changes section

…ace all #inlcudes containing backslashes with forward slashes (not supported outside MSVC)

…e in miles sound system, probably the abi blowing up

universeindex · 2026-03-04T18:55:22Z

P.S. I tested building on Windows, which still works fine, so hopefully there shouldn't be any issues

universeindex · 2026-03-04T19:03:46Z

Most commits made to upstream will probably conflict with those by overwriting the includes I changed back with backslashes, but I'll be fixing those until this is merged

universeindex · 2026-03-04T19:10:14Z

I tested CMake w/ visual studio generator on Windows (with MSVC) which worked fine, but I haven't tried the normal .sln yet. I can do that now, but it might be a minute, i'm working on a really slow machine currently

universeindex · 2026-03-04T19:40:30Z

works fine, compiles and runs w/ visual studio build ^

universeindex · 2026-03-04T19:46:27Z

I did rewrite Minecraft.Client/iob_shim.asm in C++ as IobShim.cpp because I couldn't get MASM to work under Linux, but that's it aside from the includes I believe.

DwifteJB · 2026-03-04T19:47:40Z

can confirm does compile on linux w/ cmake

well done :)

DwifteJB · 2026-03-04T20:01:27Z

cmake/LinuxCrosscompile.cmake

+set(CMAKE_C_COMPILER_FRONTEND_VARIANT MSVC)
+set(CMAKE_CXX_COMPILER_FRONTEND_VARIANT MSVC)
+
+add_compile_options(/winsysroot /opt/msvc --target=x86_64-pc-windows-msvc -fms-compatibility -fms-extensions -fdelayed-template-parsing)


the cmake file assumes /opt/msvc whereas https://github.com/mstorsjo/msvc-wine recommends ~/my_msvc/opt/msvc

just a simple issue as you can syslink or run the msvc-wine installer as root & install to /opt/msvc

oh, good catch, i think i might set it to CMAKE_BINARY_DIR/msvc so users can symlink one instead, or if theres a way to set options of a toolchain file that would be best
will change soon, not home atm

msvc-wine sets itself in the path directory (although the user has to set this up manually through something like .zshrc)

could do something like

whereis msbuild

to determine the directory?

if it isn't set as CMAKE_MSVC_DIR

opened pr on your fork that fixes this & a clang error universeindex#1

…ot with explicit -imsvc paths

DwifteJB · 2026-03-04T21:26:55Z

I think __iob_func should be implemented as __declspec(naked) + __asm.

_declspec(naked) seems to not be working since __asm seems to have been dropped for x64 (if you want to use it you have to use a .asm file, like how 4J seems to have done it)

__attribute__((naked)) & __asm__() works however

DwifteJB · 2026-03-04T21:27:23Z

will need someone to test compiling on windows however

DRAGONTOS · 2026-03-04T21:31:08Z

i dont seem to be able to compile this

DwifteJB · 2026-03-04T21:32:03Z

I think __iob_func should be implemented as __declspec(naked) + __asm.

_declspec(naked) seems to not be working since __asm seems to have been dropped for x64 (if you want to use it you have to use a .asm file, like how 4J seems to have done it)
__attribute__((naked)) & __asm__() works however

Forgot about it that, as I am used to x86 development. Uncool, Microsoft. Anyway, maybe conditionally use the .asm file for MSVC assembler and .cpp with [[__gnu__::__naked__]] for Clang-cl?

yeah i havent done much c++ for a good few years and thought it still existed,

this seems to work though https://github.com/DwifteJB/MinecraftConsoles/blob/ee78a74025b78b0c5c813a7beb7c94629a30c2ff/Minecraft.Client/IobShim.cpp

DRAGONTOS · 2026-03-04T21:32:46Z

i got msvc-wine installed do

DwifteJB · 2026-03-04T21:33:15Z

i dont seem to be able to compile this

seems to be an issue with msvc, try this fork/pr https://github.com/DwifteJB/MinecraftConsoles/tree/msvc-winsysroot-fix might just fix it (with branch msvc-winsysroot-fix)

DwifteJB · 2026-03-04T21:36:30Z

this seems to work though https://github.com/DwifteJB/MinecraftConsoles/blob/ee78a74025b78b0c5c813a7beb7c94629a30c2ff/Minecraft.Client/IobShim.cpp

Good attempt, but there is a unified asm syntax for both AT&T and Intel in the same code without preprocessor mess. Both clang and GCC support it so please look into it, I forgot how exactly that works but search for it.

something like:

extern "C" FILE* __cdecl __acrt_iob_func(unsigned index);

extern "C" __attribute__((naked)) FILE* __cdecl __iob_func(void) {
    __asm__(
        ".intel_syntax noprefix\n\t"
        "xor ecx, ecx\n\t"
        "jmp __acrt_iob_func\n\t"
        ".att_syntax prefix"
    );
}

grabbed from: https://cboard.cprogramming.com/windows-programming/138371-intel-assembly-syntax-gcc.html

DwifteJB · 2026-03-04T21:41:32Z

No, I didn't mean that one, but .intel_syntax may be a solution(?)

seems to be compiling (at the very least) & seems to be almost identical other than the clang unreachable trap

Twig6943 · 2026-03-12T15:03:52Z

@Twig6943 is it this workflow file?

DwifteJB@1825f46

also, can confirm builds on vs 2022

yes its that one, Here's a run showcasing it being stuck on the end https://github.com/Twig6943/MinecraftConsoles/actions/runs/22801883533/job/66144749796

xgui4 · 2026-03-12T15:03:59Z

i do not care if it work with visual studio i want to compile it via my gnu/linux machine without microslop winslop vm

???? you been able to do that since last week-ish???

how ?

Twig6943 · 2026-03-12T15:04:55Z

i do not care if it work with visual studio i want to compile it via my gnu/linux machine without microslop winslop vm

???? you been able to do that since last week-ish???

how ?

Clone the repo of this pr;

Do this

and itll build

Twig6943 · 2026-03-12T15:33:51Z

Run seems to be stuck https://github.com/DwifteJB/MinecraftConsoles/actions/runs/23008712897/job/66812791427

1294/1296

It builds fine on a local machine but gets stuck on github actions, idk what's up with that. You can just seperate the actions stuff into its own pr as discussed above.

Thanks for getting the ball rolling on this btw

DwifteJB · 2026-03-12T15:35:49Z

seems like it, ill check to see whats going on with it now by running the actions locally

Twig6943 · 2026-03-12T15:39:32Z

seems like it, ill check to see whats going on with it now by running the actions locally

I meant like just running the commands manually, idk if it'll get stuck or not when using a self hosted runner

#465 (comment)

DwifteJB · 2026-03-12T15:46:48Z

seems like it, ill check to see whats going on with it now by running the actions locally

I meant like just running the commands manually, idk if it'll get stuck or not when using a self hosted runner

#465 (comment)

testing with act via a docker compose file (just to see if it runs), might be due to it being in a container, being stuck after stubs is super confusing, so im just making it run on ubuntu itself rather than an arch linux container within it...

Twig6943 · 2026-03-12T15:51:00Z

so im just making it run on ubuntu itself rather than an arch linux container within it...

Could be the case ig? I tried fedora and it also got stuck at the same place

DwifteJB · 2026-03-12T15:53:55Z

so im just making it run on ubuntu itself rather than an arch linux container within it...

Could be the case ig? I tried fedora and it also got stuck at the same place

seems to be the only thing that makes sense, may be missing a dependency but i would've thought itd error out

universeindex · 2026-03-12T15:58:16Z

hi sorry for the inactivity, I'll get on helping fix this up later today

DwifteJB · 2026-03-12T16:01:49Z

hi sorry for the inactivity, I'll get on helping fix this up later today

hi! if you read up builds are basically working, fixing build-linux.yml now

DwifteJB · 2026-03-12T16:45:59Z

testing now, not sure if its due to some issue with wine display or via a race condition occuring & causing a file to be locked... will see

Twig6943 · 2026-03-12T16:50:34Z

testing now, not sure if its due to some issue with wine display or via a race condition occuring & causing a file to be locked... will see

You're still using arch which defeats the whole purpose?

DwifteJB · 2026-03-12T16:51:43Z

testing now, not sure if its due to some issue with wine display or via a race condition occuring & causing a file to be locked... will see

You're still using arch which defeats the whole purpose?

too many issues with ubuntu & clang, no clue why. even though they ARE installed??? https://github.com/DwifteJB/MinecraftConsoles/actions/workflows/build-linux.yml

Twig6943 · 2026-03-12T16:58:48Z

@DwifteJB I'm not sure where you got the assumption that it being stuck is related to not having a display

This builds fine which doesn't have a display;

https://github.com/nocss42/GardenGate/blob/dedicated/.github/workflows/dll_linux.yml
https://github.com/nocss42/GardenGate/actions/runs/22844455449

DwifteJB · 2026-03-12T16:59:45Z

@DwifteJB I'm not sure where you got the assumption that it being stuck is related to not having a display

This builds fine which doesn't have a display;

https://github.com/nocss42/GardenGate/blob/dedicated/.github/workflows/dll_linux.yml https://github.com/nocss42/GardenGate/actions/runs/22844455449

assumption since it got stuck on my local machine when i didnt have a display connected

Twig6943 · 2026-03-12T17:11:13Z

I don't know why it requires a display for this to be built but not gardengate anyways could you convert it to wlheadless-run with cage? (That is once it builds w xvfb lol)

for arch it'd be

sudo pacman -S cage
yay -S xwayland-run # I'm working on getting this package into the official repos
wlheadless-run -c cage -- commandyouwannarunhere

Edit: yea nevermind it seems to be stuck at 1104 with xvfb so won't make a difference

DwifteJB · 2026-03-12T17:15:32Z

I don't know why it requires a display for this to be built but not gardengate anyways could you convert it to wlheadless-run with cage? (That is once it builds w xvfb lol)

for arch it'd be
sudo pacman -S cage
yay -S xwayland-run # I'm working on getting this package into the official repos
wlheadless-run -c cage -- commandyouwannarunhere
Edit: yea nevermind it seems to be stuck at 1104 with xvfb so won't make a difference

atp lets ignore the actions file & sort it out in a different pr

Twig6943 · 2026-03-12T17:16:00Z

I don't know why it requires a display for this to be built but not gardengate anyways could you convert it to wlheadless-run with cage? (That is once it builds w xvfb lol)
for arch it'd be
sudo pacman -S cage
yay -S xwayland-run # I'm working on getting this package into the official repos
wlheadless-run -c cage -- commandyouwannarunhere
Edit: yea nevermind it seems to be stuck at 1104 with xvfb so won't make a difference
atp lets ignore the actions file & sort it out in a different pr

Yea as I said it should be looked into later

Shoot that pr and will prob be merged soon

DwifteJB · 2026-03-12T17:16:58Z

@universeindex universeindex#4 very simple fix inside

fix: builds & add compile instructions to README

universeindex added 9 commits March 3, 2026 13:07

Updated CMakeLists.txt to support cross-compiling on linux host, repl…

cbd8d4f

…ace all #inlcudes containing backslashes with forward slashes (not supported outside MSVC)

I am suffering

0234a3d

remove compile_commands.json

a544e96

Cross compilation working, does not actually run and crashes somewher…

bdeec50

…e in miles sound system, probably the abi blowing up

stuff

728f124

Fix merge conflicts

8434825

fix merge conflicts, build issues

620181f

update, merge upstream, fix conflicts (again)

e212021

fix other stuff

1dbfe11

Merge branch 'main' into main

746fe06

void2012 mentioned this pull request Mar 4, 2026

Implement Crossplatform (Linux, macOS, etc) support #460

Closed

Merge branch 'main' into main

b87774a

DwifteJB reviewed Mar 4, 2026

View reviewed changes

fix: auto-detect winsysroot from msbuild location & replace /winsysro…

bf31940

…ot with explicit -imsvc paths

fix: implement IobShim.cpp

ee78a74

fix: use intel_syntax

1558de3

test: re-add build-linux for testing

ab28d04

DwifteJB added 4 commits March 12, 2026 16:09

test: build-linux

ccf0d9a

fix: use strategy

d51bbc0

test: build 2

8363b2e

fix: linux build 3

7b72d66

delete build-linux

2113e75

DwifteJB and others added 3 commits March 12, 2026 17:42

add .kate-swp & .vscode to .gitignore

a10067c

oops, remove .vscode

8009240

Merge pull request #4 from DwifteJB/main

794e042

fix: builds & add compile instructions to README

fancythedeveloper mentioned this pull request Mar 15, 2026

Add Debug Nightly Build Workflow and update the README #1270

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universeindex commented Mar 4, 2026

Description

Changes

Previous Behavior

Root Cause

New Behavior

Fix Implementation

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