Work-around for node-gyp issues on Windows 10

node-gyp_workArounds.txt

-----------------INSTALLING PYTHON------------------------------------------------------------
1. Install Python (version should be >=3.6.0, preferably v3.8.5)
2. Install Python v2.7
3. Add both the version to path (v2.7 should come before v3.8.5)
4. Add PYTHON environment variable with value pointing to Python3.8.5 executable file

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----------------INSTALLING VSBUILD TOOLS------------------------------------------------------
Stick to one version. Let's go with Visual Studio 2019

1. Install Visual Studio Build Tools (using "Visual C++ build tools" workload OR using the "Desktop development with C++" workload)
    Link -> https://visualstudio.microsoft.com/thank-you-downloading-visual-studio/?sku=BuildTools
    NOTE -> DO NOT uncheck any optional packages (to make sure all the tools are downloaded)
    
    REFER -> https://devblogs.microsoft.com/cppblog/introducing-the-visual-studio-build-tools/#recap-of-the-visual-c-and-build-tools
    
           --------OTHER WAYS OF INSTALLING VSBULD TOOLS----------
1. On an elevated terminal (Admin Rights) :-
    Navigate to the installtion folder and run
    vs_buildtools.exe –quiet –add Microsoft.VisualStudio.Workload.VCTools –includeOptional
    REFER -> https://devblogs.microsoft.com/cppblog/introducing-the-visual-studio-build-tools/#command-line-silent-installs
2. On an elevated terminal (Admin Rights) :-
    npm install -g windows-build-tools
    (this step is not recommended, since it has active issues)
3. While installing Node, select 'Automatically install necessary tools', this will install all the Tools required to compile Native Modules.
    NOTE -> You don't need to install Python explicitly if you follow this step
    Image -> https://user-images.githubusercontent.com/13296622/125211835-8cb2c600-e266-11eb-8316-92732e0b7f8c.png
    
RESTARTING PC IS RECOMMENDED AFTER EACH SUCCESSFULL INSTALLATION

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---------------INSTALLING NODE-GYP AND NODE-SASS----------------------------------------------
On an elevated terminal (Admin Rights)
1. npm i -g node-gyp
2. npm i -g node-sass

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----------------NPM CONFIGS-------------------------------------------------------------------
On an elevated terminal (Admin Rights)

1. npm config set python path\to\python3\exeFile
2. npm config set msbuild_path path\to\msbuild\exeFile
    msbuild.exe path -> C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual Studio\<YEAR>\BuildTools\MSBuild\Current\Bin\MSBuild.exe
    YEAR is 2019 in case of VSBUILDTOOLS 2019
    YEAR is 2017 in case of VSBUILDTOOLS 2017
3. npm config set msvs_version 2019

NOTE -> These steps may not be required if Build tools were installed via 'OTHER WAYS OF INSTALLING VSBUILD TOOLS'

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--------------------ERRORS YOU MIGHT RUN INTO-------------------------------------------------
1.  error MSB4019: The imported project "C:\Microsoft.Cpp.Default.props" was not found. 
    Confirm that the path in the <Import> declaration is correct, and that the file exists 
    on disk.
    
   This error should not encounter unless the VSBUILDTools installation was not messed up with.
   Work-arond :-
   FOR 2019,
   By default VCTargetsPath points to 'C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual Studio\2019\BuildTools\MSBuild\Microsoft\VC\v160'
   If not, add VCTargetsPath environment variable with this path
   FOR 2017,
   By default VCTargetsPath points to 'C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual Studio\2017\BuildTools\Common7\IDE\VC\VCTargets\'
   If not, add VCTargesPath environment variable with this path
   
   REFER -> https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/cpp/build/reference/msbuild-visual-cpp-overview
         -> https://stackoverflow.com/questions/16092169/why-does-msbuild-look-in-c-for-microsoft-cpp-default-props-instead-of-c-progr
   
 
If there are UNSUPPORTED ENGINE issues, there is no way around other than installing demanding versions.
In my case, it asked for node v12.14.1 or v14.0.0 and npm v6.11.0 or v7.5.6
         
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**npm install should now work fine**

----------------OTHER REFERENCES--------------------------------------------------------------
1. https://stackoverflow.com/questions/57750317/npm-install-not-installing-because-of-node-gyp
2. https://stackoverflow.com/questions/52089305/gyp-err-stack-error-c-program-files-x86-msbuild-14-0-bin-msbuild-exe
3. https://github.com/nodejs/node-gyp#on-windows
4. https://github.com/Microsoft/nodejs-guidelines/blob/master/windows-environment.md#compiling-native-addon-modules

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