Recent build errors on Windows platform

[jmjatlanta]

Update: I am going to turn this ticket into a mini-epic. The causes of these errors are in several branches and subprojects, so several PRs will have to be created. This ticket will help keep track of them. NOTE: Most of these build errors are with tests.

• variant_test.cpp (fc subproject)
• independent_bits_engine (hardfork branch)
• winsock.h (develop branch)
• zlib.h (fc subproject)

Here are the details:
Attempted to build for Windows, but received the following errors:

1. "E:\bitshares-core-hardfork\install.vcxproj" (default target) (1) ->
   "E:\bitshares-core-hardfork\ALL_BUILD.vcxproj" (default target) (3) ->
   "E:\bitshares-core-hardfork\libraries\fc\tests\all_tests.vcxproj" (default target) (4) ->
   (ClCompile target) ->
     E:\bitshares-core-hardfork\libraries\fc\tests\variant_test.cpp(73): error C2666: 'fc::test::operator ==': 6 overloads have similar conversions [E:\bitshares-core-hardfork\libraries\fc\tests\all_tests.vcxproj]
   

2. "E:\bitshares-core-hardfork\install.vcxproj" (default target) (1) ->
   "E:\bitshares-core-hardfork\ALL_BUILD.vcxproj" (default target) (3) ->
   "E:\bitshares-core-hardfork\tests\chain_test.vcxproj" (default target) (24) ->
     C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual Studio 14.0\VC\include\random(1805): error C2338: invalid template argument for independent_bits_engine [E:\bitshares-core-hardfork\tests\chain_test.vcxproj]
   

3. "E:\bitshares-core-hardfork\install.vcxproj" (default target) (1) ->
   "E:\bitshares-core-hardfork\ALL_BUILD.vcxproj" (default target) (3) ->
   "E:\bitshares-core-hardfork\tests\app_test.vcxproj" (default target) (8) ->
     C:\local\boost_1_65_1\boost/asio/detail/socket_types.hpp(24): fatal error C1189: #error:  WinSock.h has already been included [E:\bitshares-core-hardfork\tests\app_test.vcxproj]
   

4. "E:\bitshares-core\install.vcxproj" (default target) (1) ->
   "E:\bitshares-core\ALL_BUILD.vcxproj" (default target) (3) ->
   "E:\bitshares-core\libraries\fc\tests\api.vcxproj" (default target) (4) ->
   "E:\bitshares-core\libraries\fc\fc.vcxproj" (default target) (7) ->
   (ClCompile target) -> E:\bitshares-core\libraries\fc\vendor\websocketpp\websocketpp/extensions/permessage_deflate/enabled.hpp(41): fatal error C1083: Cannot open include file: 'zlib.h': No such file or directory [E:\bitshares-core\libraries\fc\fc.vcxproj]
   

Build Environment

• Host OS: Windows 10
• Host Physical RAM 16GB
• Source Branch/Tag: some on hardfork, some on develop
• OpenSSL Version: 1.1.0
• Boost Version: 1.65.1
• C++ Compiler: Visual Studio 2015

Steps To Reproduce
cmake -G "Visual Studio 14 2015 Win64" -DBoost_USE_STATIC_LIBS=ON -DBOOST_ROOT="c:\local\boost1_65_1" -DOPENSSL_CONF_SOURCE="C:\OpenSSL-Win64\bin\openssl.cfg" -DCURL_INCLUDE_DIR="C:\Program Files\CURL\include" -DCURL_LIBRARY="C:\Program Files\CURL\lib\libcurl_imp.lib" -DCURL_STATICLIB=ON

CORE TEAM TASK LIST

• Evaluate Build Error
• Provide build guidance
• Create Bug Report

[pmconrad]

Do we have a list of supported compilers on windows?

[jmjatlanta]

Well, we know Visual Studio 2015 Update 1 works. I do see old documentation on Visual Studio 2013, but I don't think we want to support such old versions, nor have I tried it. With recent changes (not part of this PR) we can support Visual Studio 2017, and probably Visual Studio 2019 that was officially released 2-April. I will be trying that (hopefully today).

I have built a document that details how to build (from a new install of the OS) with Visual Studio 2015 Update 1. That document should be completed today as well.

I have not tried MinGW. I see crypto-ape uses it.

[jmjatlanta]

Closed by the various related PRs being closed or merged.