Default to auto-detected 64-bit MSBuild on 64-bit hosts (breaking change, v4)

Fixes #88 - msbuild-architecture no longer hardcodes a default of "x86". When the input is left unspecified, the action now auto-detects: it prefers x64 when running on a 64-bit machine and the resolved VS/MSBuild install is 17.0+ (VS 2022+), and falls back to x86 otherwise. An explicit msbuild-architecture value is always respected. - Extracted resolveMSBuildArchitecture()/parseMajorVersion() as pure, exported helpers and added jest tests covering the resolution matrix. - Bumped package.json version to 4.0.0 (breaking change/new major version). - Updated action.yml input description and README (usage examples now reference @v4, new "Breaking Changes in v4" section, and the architecture-selection docs rewritten to describe auto-detection). - Rebuilt dist/index.js via ncc. Co-authored-by: Copilot App <223556219+Copilot@users.noreply.github.com>
2026-09-25 11:17:01 +07:00 · 2026-09-21 16:28:32 -05:00
parent ea1f75da7f
commit fc127f2e68
6 changed files with 215 additions and 14 deletions
@@ -5,11 +5,25 @@ This action will help discover where the `MSBuild` tool is and automatically add
 > [!IMPORTANT]
 > Please note this tool does NOT add other Visual Studio tools (like VSTest, cl, cmake, or others) to `PATH`

+## Breaking Changes in v4
+
+Starting with `v4`, the default value of `msbuild-architecture` is no longer always `x86`. When
+`msbuild-architecture` is not explicitly specified, the action now **auto-detects** the best
+architecture:
+
+- `x64` when running on a 64-bit machine **and** the resolved Visual Studio/MSBuild install is
+  version 17.0 or later (Visual Studio 2022+, which ships a native 64-bit MSBuild).
+- `x86` otherwise (older Visual Studio versions, or 32-bit hosts), matching the previous behavior.
+
+If you explicitly set `msbuild-architecture` (e.g. `x86`, `x64`, or `arm64`), that value is always
+respected and this auto-detection does not apply. If your workflow depends on always getting the
+32-bit MSBuild by default, set `msbuild-architecture: x86` explicitly.
+
 ## Example Usage

 ```yml
 - name: Add msbuild to PATH
-  uses: microsoft/setup-msbuild@v3
+  uses: microsoft/setup-msbuild@v4

 - name: Build app for release
  run: msbuild src\YourProjectFile.csproj -t:rebuild -verbosity:diag -property:Configuration=Release
@@ -29,7 +43,7 @@ You may have a situation where your Actions runner has multiple versions of Visu

 ```yml
 - name: Add msbuild to PATH
-  uses: microsoft/setup-msbuild@v3
+  uses: microsoft/setup-msbuild@v4
  with:
    vs-version: '[16.4,16.5)'
 ```
@@ -42,18 +56,22 @@ If you need your Actions runner to target a pre-release version of Visual Studio

 ```yml
 - name: Add msbuild to PATH
-  uses: microsoft/setup-msbuild@v3
+  uses: microsoft/setup-msbuild@v4
  with:
    vs-prerelease: true
 ```

 ### Specifying MSBuild architecture (optional)

-By default the action will use the x86 architecture for MSBuild, but it is possible to target the x64 versions instead. Simply add the `msbuild-architecture` input. Valid input values are `x86` (default), `x64`, and `arm64`. Note that the success of these will rely on the runner OS.
+By default (as of `v4`), the action auto-detects the preferred MSBuild architecture: it uses `x64`
+when running on a 64-bit machine with Visual Studio/MSBuild 17.0 or later installed, and falls back
+to `x86` otherwise. You can override this by explicitly setting the `msbuild-architecture` input.
+Valid input values are `x86`, `x64`, and `arm64`. Note that the success of these will rely on the
+runner OS.

 ```yml
 - name: Add msbuild to PATH
-  uses: microsoft/setup-msbuild@v3
+  uses: microsoft/setup-msbuild@v4
  with:
    msbuild-architecture: x64
 ```
@@ -64,7 +82,7 @@ This makes use of the vswhere tool which is a tool delivered by Microsoft to hel

 ```yml
 - name: Add msbuild to PATH
-  uses: microsoft/setup-msbuild@v3
+  uses: microsoft/setup-msbuild@v4
  with:
    vswhere-path: 'C:\path\to\your\tools\'
 ```
@@ -0,0 +1,54 @@
+import {
+  MIN_VS_VERSION_FOR_X64,
+  parseMajorVersion,
+  resolveMSBuildArchitecture
+} from '../src/main'
+
+describe('parseMajorVersion', () => {
+  it('parses a standard installationVersion string', () => {
+    expect(parseMajorVersion('17.9.34728.123')).toBe(17)
+  })
+
+  it('parses a single-segment version', () => {
+    expect(parseMajorVersion('16')).toBe(16)
+  })
+
+  it('trims whitespace before parsing', () => {
+    expect(parseMajorVersion('  17.0.0.0  ')).toBe(17)
+  })
+
+  it('returns undefined for an empty string', () => {
+    expect(parseMajorVersion('')).toBeUndefined()
+  })
+
+  it('returns undefined for a non-numeric string', () => {
+    expect(parseMajorVersion('not-a-version')).toBeUndefined()
+  })
+})
+
+describe('resolveMSBuildArchitecture', () => {
+  it('always respects an explicit architecture, regardless of OS/version', () => {
+    expect(resolveMSBuildArchitecture('x86', true, 17)).toBe('x86')
+    expect(resolveMSBuildArchitecture('x64', false, 15)).toBe('x64')
+    expect(resolveMSBuildArchitecture('arm64', true, 17)).toBe('arm64')
+  })
+
+  it('defaults to x64 on a 64-bit host with VS/MSBuild 17+', () => {
+    expect(resolveMSBuildArchitecture('', true, MIN_VS_VERSION_FOR_X64)).toBe(
+      'x64'
+    )
+    expect(resolveMSBuildArchitecture('', true, 18)).toBe('x64')
+  })
+
+  it('defaults to x86 on a 64-bit host with VS/MSBuild older than 17', () => {
+    expect(resolveMSBuildArchitecture('', true, 16)).toBe('x86')
+  })
+
+  it('defaults to x86 on a non-64-bit host even with VS/MSBuild 17+', () => {
+    expect(resolveMSBuildArchitecture('', false, 17)).toBe('x86')
+  })
+
+  it('defaults to x86 when the VS/MSBuild version could not be determined', () => {
+    expect(resolveMSBuildArchitecture('', true, undefined)).toBe('x86')
+  })
+})
@@ -15,9 +15,8 @@ inputs:
    description: "Enable searching for pre-release versions of Visual Studio/MSBuild"
    required: false
  msbuild-architecture:
-    description: 'The preferred processor architecture of MSBuild. Can be either "x86", "x64", or "arm64". "x64" is only available from Visual Studio version 17.0 and later.'
+    description: 'The preferred processor architecture of MSBuild. Can be either "x86", "x64", or "arm64". "x64" is only available from Visual Studio version 17.0 and later. If left unspecified, the action auto-detects the best option: "x64" on 64-bit machines when a Visual Studio/MSBuild 17.0+ install is found, otherwise "x86".'
    required: false
-    default: "x86"
 outputs:
  msbuildPath:
    description: "The resulting location of msbuild for your inputs"
@@ -26,13 +26,45 @@ Object.defineProperty(exports, "__esModule", ({ value: true }));
 const core = __importStar(__nccwpck_require__(484));
 const exec = __importStar(__nccwpck_require__(236));
 const fs = __importStar(__nccwpck_require__(896));
+const os = __importStar(__nccwpck_require__(857));
 const path = __importStar(__nccwpck_require__(928));
 const io = __importStar(__nccwpck_require__(994));
 const IS_WINDOWS = process.platform === 'win32';
 const VS_VERSION = core.getInput('vs-version') || 'latest';
 const VSWHERE_PATH = core.getInput('vswhere-path');
 const ALLOW_PRERELEASE = core.getInput('vs-prerelease') || 'false';
-let MSBUILD_ARCH = core.getInput('msbuild-architecture') || 'x86';
+const MSBUILD_ARCH_INPUT = core.getInput('msbuild-architecture');
+let MSBUILD_ARCH = MSBUILD_ARCH_INPUT;
+// The minimum Visual Studio/MSBuild major version that ships a native x64 MSBuild.exe
+exports.MIN_VS_VERSION_FOR_X64 = 17;
+// Determines the effective MSBuild architecture to use.
+// If the user explicitly specified `msbuild-architecture`, that choice is always respected.
+// Otherwise (breaking change as of v4), the action auto-detects and prefers x64 when
+// running on a 64-bit OS and the resolved VS/MSBuild installation is version 17.0 or later.
+// If the VS version can't be determined, or the host isn't 64-bit, it falls back to x86.
+function resolveMSBuildArchitecture(explicitArch, isWindows64Bit, vsMajorVersion) {
+    if (explicitArch) {
+        return explicitArch;
+    }
+    if (isWindows64Bit &&
+        vsMajorVersion !== undefined &&
+        vsMajorVersion >= exports.MIN_VS_VERSION_FOR_X64) {
+        return 'x64';
+    }
+    return 'x86';
+}
+exports.resolveMSBuildArchitecture = resolveMSBuildArchitecture;
+// Parses the major version number out of a vswhere `installationVersion` string
+// such as "17.9.34728.123". Returns undefined if it cannot be parsed.
+function parseMajorVersion(installationVersion) {
+    const match = installationVersion.trim().match(/^(\d+)/);
+    if (!match) {
+        return undefined;
+    }
+    const major = parseInt(match[1], 10);
+    return isNaN(major) ? undefined : major;
+}
+exports.parseMajorVersion = parseMajorVersion;
 // if a specific version of VS is requested
 let VSWHERE_EXEC = '-products * -requires Microsoft.Component.MSBuild -property installationPath -latest ';
 if (ALLOW_PRERELEASE === 'true') {
@@ -75,6 +107,27 @@ function run() {
                return;
            }
            core.debug(`Full tool exe: ${vswhereToolExe}`);
+            // if the user did not explicitly specify an architecture, auto-detect the
+            // preferred architecture based on the host OS and the resolved VS/MSBuild version
+            if (!MSBUILD_ARCH_INPUT) {
+                let vsMajorVersion;
+                const versionOptions = {};
+                versionOptions.listeners = {
+                    stdout: (data) => {
+                        const installationVersion = data.toString().trim();
+                        core.debug(`Found installation version: ${installationVersion}`);
+                        const parsed = parseMajorVersion(installationVersion);
+                        if (parsed !== undefined) {
+                            vsMajorVersion = parsed;
+                        }
+                    }
+                };
+                const versionExec = VSWHERE_EXEC.replace('-property installationPath', '-property installationVersion');
+                yield exec.exec(`"${vswhereToolExe}" ${versionExec}`, [], versionOptions);
+                const isWindows64Bit = os.arch() === 'x64' || os.arch() === 'arm64';
+                MSBUILD_ARCH = resolveMSBuildArchitecture(MSBUILD_ARCH_INPUT, isWindows64Bit, vsMajorVersion);
+                core.info(`Auto-detected msbuild-architecture: ${MSBUILD_ARCH} (os.arch=${os.arch()}, vsMajorVersion=${vsMajorVersion})`);
+            }
            let foundToolPath = '';
            const options = {};
            options.listeners = {
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
  "name": "setup-msbuild",
-  "version": "3.0.0",
+  "version": "4.0.0",
  "private": true,
  "description": "Helps set up specific MSBuild tool into PATH for later usage.",
  "main": "lib/main.js",
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 import * as core from '@actions/core'
 import * as exec from '@actions/exec'
 import * as fs from 'fs'
+import * as os from 'os'
 import * as path from 'path'
 import * as io from '@actions/io'
 import {ExecOptions} from '@actions/exec/lib/interfaces'
@@ -9,10 +10,53 @@ const IS_WINDOWS = process.platform === 'win32'
 const VS_VERSION = core.getInput('vs-version') || 'latest'
 const VSWHERE_PATH = core.getInput('vswhere-path')
 const ALLOW_PRERELEASE = core.getInput('vs-prerelease') || 'false'
-let MSBUILD_ARCH = core.getInput('msbuild-architecture') || 'x86'
+const MSBUILD_ARCH_INPUT = core.getInput('msbuild-architecture')
+let MSBUILD_ARCH = MSBUILD_ARCH_INPUT
+
+// The minimum Visual Studio/MSBuild major version that ships a native x64 MSBuild.exe
+export const MIN_VS_VERSION_FOR_X64 = 17
+
+// Determines the effective MSBuild architecture to use.
+// If the user explicitly specified `msbuild-architecture`, that choice is always respected.
+// Otherwise (breaking change as of v4), the action auto-detects and prefers x64 when
+// running on a 64-bit OS and the resolved VS/MSBuild installation is version 17.0 or later.
+// If the VS version can't be determined, or the host isn't 64-bit, it falls back to x86.
+export function resolveMSBuildArchitecture(
+  explicitArch: string,
+  isWindows64Bit: boolean,
+  vsMajorVersion: number | undefined
+): string {
+  if (explicitArch) {
+    return explicitArch
+  }
+
+  if (
+    isWindows64Bit &&
+    vsMajorVersion !== undefined &&
+    vsMajorVersion >= MIN_VS_VERSION_FOR_X64
+  ) {
+    return 'x64'
+  }
+
+  return 'x86'
+}
+
+// Parses the major version number out of a vswhere `installationVersion` string
+// such as "17.9.34728.123". Returns undefined if it cannot be parsed.
+export function parseMajorVersion(
+  installationVersion: string
+): number | undefined {
+  const match = installationVersion.trim().match(/^(\d+)/)
+  if (!match) {
+    return undefined
+  }
+  const major = parseInt(match[1], 10)
+  return isNaN(major) ? undefined : major
+}

 // if a specific version of VS is requested
-let VSWHERE_EXEC = '-products * -requires Microsoft.Component.MSBuild -property installationPath -latest '
+let VSWHERE_EXEC =
+  '-products * -requires Microsoft.Component.MSBuild -property installationPath -latest '
 if (ALLOW_PRERELEASE === 'true') {
  VSWHERE_EXEC += ' -prerelease '
 }
@@ -64,6 +108,39 @@ async function run(): Promise<void> {

    core.debug(`Full tool exe: ${vswhereToolExe}`)

+    // if the user did not explicitly specify an architecture, auto-detect the
+    // preferred architecture based on the host OS and the resolved VS/MSBuild version
+    if (!MSBUILD_ARCH_INPUT) {
+      let vsMajorVersion: number | undefined
+      const versionOptions: ExecOptions = {}
+      versionOptions.listeners = {
+        stdout: (data: Buffer) => {
+          const installationVersion = data.toString().trim()
+          core.debug(`Found installation version: ${installationVersion}`)
+          const parsed = parseMajorVersion(installationVersion)
+          if (parsed !== undefined) {
+            vsMajorVersion = parsed
+          }
+        }
+      }
+
+      const versionExec = VSWHERE_EXEC.replace(
+        '-property installationPath',
+        '-property installationVersion'
+      )
+      await exec.exec(`"${vswhereToolExe}" ${versionExec}`, [], versionOptions)
+
+      const isWindows64Bit = os.arch() === 'x64' || os.arch() === 'arm64'
+      MSBUILD_ARCH = resolveMSBuildArchitecture(
+        MSBUILD_ARCH_INPUT,
+        isWindows64Bit,
+        vsMajorVersion
+      )
+      core.info(
+        `Auto-detected msbuild-architecture: ${MSBUILD_ARCH} (os.arch=${os.arch()}, vsMajorVersion=${vsMajorVersion})`
+      )
+    }
+
    let foundToolPath = ''
    const options: ExecOptions = {}
    options.listeners = {