Pin MSVC version in for the CI

Author: Vasil Pashov

.github/workflows/build_steps.yml

@@ -87,10 +87,6 @@ jobs:
           maximum-size: 6GB
           disk-root: "D:"  # This is also the checkout directory. Total size 12GB.
         continue-on-error: true
-        
-      - name: Enable Windows compiler commands
-        if: matrix.os == 'windows'
-        uses: ilammy/[email protected]
 
       - name: Extra envs
         # This has to come after msvc-dev-cmd to overwrite the bad VCPKG_ROOT it sets
@@ -122,6 +118,22 @@ jobs:
         if: inputs.job_type != 'build-python-wheels'
         run: . build_tooling/prep_cpp_build.sh # Also applies to Windows
 
+        # When a GitHub Windows image gets update the MSVC compiler also can get updated. New compilers can have compilation errors in Arctic or in the VCPKG dependencies.
+        # We needd to pin a particular MSVC so that runner updates don't affect us.
+        # When the MSVC version is update custom-triplets/x64-windows-static-msvc.cmake must also be updated with the correct toolsed version.
+      - name: Install Required MSVC
+        if: matrix.os == 'windows'
+        run: |
+          choco install -y -f visualstudio2022buildtools --version=117.11.4 --params "--add Microsoft.VisualStudio.Component.VC.Tools.x86.x64 --installChannelUri https://aka.ms/vs/17/release/390666095_1317821361/channel"
+
+      - name: Enable Windows compiler commands
+        if: matrix.os == 'windows'
+        uses: TheMrMilchmann/setup-msvc-dev@v3
+        with:
+          arch: x64
+          toolset: 14.41
+          vs-path: 'C:\\Program Files (x86)\\Microsoft Visual Studio\\2022\\BuildTools'
+
       - name: CMake compile
         if: inputs.job_type != 'build-python-wheels'
         # We are pinning the version to 10.6 because >= 10.7, use node20 which is not supported in the container

cpp/CMakePresets.json

@@ -63,7 +63,8 @@
       "generator": "Ninja",
       "environment": { "cmakepreset_expected_host_system": "Windows" },
       "cacheVariables": {
-        "ARCTICDB_USE_PCH": "ON"
+        "ARCTICDB_USE_PCH": "ON",
+        "VCPKG_TARGET_TRIPLET": "x64-windows-static-msvc"
       }
     },
     {
@@ -80,8 +81,7 @@
       },
       "cacheVariables": {
         "CMAKE_C_COMPILER": "cl",
-        "CMAKE_CXX_COMPILER": "cl",
-        "VCPKG_TARGET_TRIPLET": "x64-windows-static"
+        "CMAKE_CXX_COMPILER": "cl"
       }
     },
     {
@@ -97,7 +97,7 @@
       "installDir": "${sourceDir}/out/install",
       "cacheVariables": {
         "CMAKE_CXX_FLAGS": "/MP",
-        "VCPKG_TARGET_TRIPLET": "x64-windows-static",
+        "VCPKG_TARGET_TRIPLET": "x64-windows-static-msvc",
         "ARCTICDB_PYTHON_EXPLICIT_LINK": "ON"
       }
     },

cpp/custom-triplets/x64-windows-static-msvc.cmake

@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+set(VCPKG_TARGET_ARCHITECTURE x64)
+set(VCPKG_CRT_LINKAGE static)
+set(VCPKG_LIBRARY_LINKAGE static)
+set(VCPKG_PLATFORM_TOOLSET_VERSION 14.41)