Link to all Visual Studio $ variables
While there does not appear to be one complete list, the following may also be helpful:
How to use Environment properties:
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms171459.aspx
MSBuild reserved properties:
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms164309.aspx
Well-known item properties (not sure how these are used):
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms164313.aspx
Try this MSDN page: Macros for Build Commands and Properties
Ok, I finally wanted to have a pretty complete, searchable list of those variables for reference. Here is a complete (OCR-generated, as I did not easily find something akin to a printenv command) list of defined variables for a Visual C++ project on my machine. Probably not all macros are defined for others (e.g. OCTAVE_EXECUTABLE), but I wanted to err on the side of inclusiveness here.
For example, this is the first time that I see $(Language) (expanding to C++ for this project) being mentioned outside of the IDE.
$(AllowLocalNetworkLoopback)
$(ALLUSERSPROFILE)
$(AndroidTargetsPath)
$(APPDATA)
$(AppxManifestMetadataClHostArchDir)
$(AppxManifestMetadataCITargetArchDir)
$(Attach)
$(BaseIntermediateOutputPath)
$(BuildingInsideVisualStudio)
$(CharacterSet)
$(CLRSupport)
$(CommonProgramFiles)
$(CommonProgramW6432)
$(COMPUTERNAME)
$(ComSpec)
$(Configuration)
$(ConfigurationType)
$(CppWinRT_IncludePath)
$(CrtSDKReferencelnclude)
$(CrtSDKReferenceVersion)
$(CustomAfterMicrosoftCommonProps)
$(CustomBeforeMicrosoftCommonProps)
$(DebugCppRuntimeFilesPath)
$(DebuggerFlavor)
$(DebuggerLaunchApplication)
$(DebuggerRequireAuthentication)
$(DebuggerType)
$(DefaultLanguageSourceExtension)
$(DefaultPlatformToolset)
$(DefaultWindowsSDKVersion)
$(DefineExplicitDefaults)
$(DelayImplib)
$(DesignTimeBuild)
$(DevEnvDir)
$(DocumentLibraryDependencies)
$(DotNetSdk_IncludePath)
$(DotNetSdk_LibraryPath)
$(DotNetSdk_LibraryPath_arm)
$(DotNetSdk_LibraryPath_arm64)
$(DotNetSdk_LibraryPath_x64)
$(DotNetSdk_LibraryPath_x86)
$(DotNetSdkRoot)
$(DriverData)
$(EmbedManifest)
$(EnableManagedIncrementalBuild)
$(EspXtensions)
$(ExcludePath)
$(ExecutablePath)
$(ExtensionsToDeleteOnClean)
$(FPS_BROWSER_APP_PROFILE_STRING)
$(FPS_BROWSER_USER_PROFILE_STRING)
$(FrameworkDir)
$(FrameworkDir_110)
$(FrameworkSdkDir)
$(FrameworkSDKRoot)
$(FrameworkVersion)
$(GenerateManifest)
$(GPURefDebuggerBreakOnAllThreads)
$(HOMEDRIVE)
$(HOMEPATH)
$(IgnorelmportLibrary)
$(ImportByWildcardAfterMicrosoftCommonProps)
$(ImportByWildcardBeforeMicrosoftCommonProps)
$(ImportDirectoryBuildProps)
$(ImportProjectExtensionProps)
$(ImportUserLocationsByWildcardAfterMicrosoftCommonProps)
$(ImportUserLocationsByWildcardBeforeMicrosoftCommonProps)
$(IncludePath)
$(IncludeVersionInInteropName)
$(IntDir)
$(InteropOutputPath)
$(iOSTargetsPath)
$(Keyword)
$(KIT_SHARED_IncludePath)
$(LangID)
$(LangName)
$(Language)
$(LIBJABRA_TRACE_LEVEL)
$(LibraryPath)
$(LibraryWPath)
$(LinkCompiled)
$(LinkIncremental)
$(LOCALAPPDATA)
$(LocalDebuggerAttach)
$(LocalDebuggerDebuggerlType)
$(LocalDebuggerMergeEnvironment)
$(LocalDebuggerSQLDebugging)
$(LocalDebuggerWorkingDirectory)
$(LocalGPUDebuggerTargetType)
$(LOGONSERVER)
$(MicrosoftCommonPropsHasBeenImported)
$(MpiDebuggerCleanupDeployment)
$(MpiDebuggerDebuggerType)
$(MpiDebuggerDeployCommonRuntime)
$(MpiDebuggerNetworkSecurityMode)
$(MpiDebuggerSchedulerNode)
$(MpiDebuggerSchedulerTimeout)
$(MSBuild_ExecutablePath)
$(MSBuildAllProjects)
$(MSBuildAssemblyVersion)
$(MSBuildBinPath)
$(MSBuildExtensionsPath)
$(MSBuildExtensionsPath32)
$(MSBuildExtensionsPath64)
$(MSBuildFrameworkToolsPath)
$(MSBuildFrameworkToolsPath32)
$(MSBuildFrameworkToolsPath64)
$(MSBuildFrameworkToolsRoot)
$(MSBuildLoadMicrosoftTargetsReadOnly)
$(MSBuildNodeCount)
$(MSBuildProgramFiles32)
$(MSBuildProjectDefaultTargets)
$(MSBuildProjectDirectory)
$(MSBuildProjectDirectoryNoRoot)
$(MSBuildProjectExtension)
$(MSBuildProjectExtensionsPath)
$(MSBuildProjectFile)
$(MSBuildProjectFullPath)
$(MSBuildProjectName)
$(MSBuildRuntimeType)
$(MSBuildRuntimeVersion)
$(MSBuildSDKsPath)
$(MSBuildStartupDirectory)
$(MSBuildToolsPath)
$(MSBuildToolsPath32)
$(MSBuildToolsPath64)
$(MSBuildToolsRoot)
$(MSBuildToolsVersion)
$(MSBuildUserExtensionsPath)
$(MSBuildVersion)
$(MultiToolTask)
$(NETFXKitsDir)
$(NETFXSDKDir)
$(NuGetProps)
$(NUMBER_OF_PROCESSORS)
$(OCTAVE_EXECUTABLE)
$(OneDrive)
$(OneDriveCommercial)
$(OS)
$(OutDir)
$(OutDirWasSpecified)
$(OutputType)
$(Path)
$(PATHEXT)
$(PkgDefApplicationConfigFile)
$(Platform)
$(Platform_Actual)
$(PlatformArchitecture)
$(PlatformName)
$(PlatformPropsFound)
$(PlatformShortName)
$(PlatformTarget)
$(PlatformTargetsFound)
$(PlatformToolset)
$(PlatformToolsetVersion)
$(PostBuildEventUseInBuild)
$(PreBuildEventUseInBuild)
$(PreferredToolArchitecture)
$(PreLinkEventUselnBuild)
$(PROCESSOR_ARCHITECTURE)
$(PROCESSOR_ARCHITEW6432)
$(PROCESSOR_IDENTIFIER)
$(PROCESSOR_LEVEL)
$(PROCESSOR_REVISION)
$(ProgramData)
$(ProgramFiles)
$(ProgramW6432)
$(ProjectDir)
$(ProjectExt)
$(ProjectFileName)
$(ProjectGuid)
$(ProjectName)
$(ProjectPath)
$(PSExecutionPolicyPreference)
$(PSModulePath)
$(PUBLIC)
$(ReferencePath)
$(RemoteDebuggerAttach)
$(RemoteDebuggerConnection)
$(RemoteDebuggerDebuggerlype)
$(RemoteDebuggerDeployDebugCppRuntime)
$(RemoteDebuggerServerName)
$(RemoteDebuggerSQLDebugging)
$(RemoteDebuggerWorkingDirectory)
$(RemoteGPUDebuggerTargetType)
$(RetargetAlwaysSupported)
$(RootNamespace)
$(RoslynTargetsPath)
$(SDK35ToolsPath)
$(SDK40ToolsPath)
$(SDKDisplayName)
$(SDKIdentifier)
$(SDKVersion)
$(SESSIONNAME)
$(SolutionDir)
$(SolutionExt)
$(SolutionFileName)
$(SolutionName)
$(SolutionPath)
$(SourcePath)
$(SpectreMitigation)
$(SQLDebugging)
$(SystemDrive)
$(SystemRoot)
$(TargetExt)
$(TargetFrameworkVersion)
$(TargetName)
$(TargetPlatformMinVersion)
$(TargetPlatformVersion)
$(TargetPlatformWinMDLocation)
$(TargetUniversalCRTVersion)
$(TEMP)
$(TMP)
$(ToolsetPropsFound)
$(ToolsetTargetsFound)
$(UCRTContentRoot)
$(UM_IncludePath)
$(UniversalCRT_IncludePath)
$(UniversalCRT_LibraryPath_arm)
$(UniversalCRT_LibraryPath_arm64)
$(UniversalCRT_LibraryPath_x64)
$(UniversalCRT_LibraryPath_x86)
$(UniversalCRT_PropsPath)
$(UniversalCRT_SourcePath)
$(UniversalCRTSdkDir)
$(UniversalCRTSdkDir_10)
$(UseDebugLibraries)
$(UseLegacyManagedDebugger)
$(UseOfATL)
$(UseOfMfc)
$(USERDOMAIN)
$(USERDOMAIN_ROAMINGPROFILE)
$(USERNAME)
$(USERPROFILE)
$(UserRootDir)
$(VBOX_MSI_INSTALL_PATH)
$(VC_ATLMFC_IncludePath)
$(VC_ATLMFC_SourcePath)
$(VC_CRT_SourcePath)
$(VC_ExecutablePath_ARM)
$(VC_ExecutablePath_ARM64)
$(VC_ExecutablePath_x64)
$(VC_ExecutablePath_x64_ARM)
$(VC_ExecutablePath_x64_ARM64)
$(VC_ExecutablePath_x64_x64)
$(VC_ExecutablePath_x64_x86)
$(VC_ExecutablePath_x86)
$(VC_ExecutablePath_x86_ARM)
$(VC_ExecutablePath_x86_ARM64)
$(VC_ExecutablePath_x86_x64)
$(VC_ExecutablePath_x86_x86)
$(VC_IFCPath)
$(VC_IncludePath)
$(VC_LibraryPath_ARM)
$(VC_LibraryPath_ARM64)
$(VC_LibraryPath_ATL_ARM)
$(VC_LibraryPath_ATL_ARM64)
$(VC_LibraryPath_ATL_x64)
$(VC_LibraryPath_ATL_x86)
$(VC_LibraryPath_VC_ARM)
$(VC_LibraryPath_VC_ARM_Desktop)
$(VC_LibraryPath_VC_ARM_OneCore)
$(VC_LibraryPath_VC_ARM_Store)
$(VC_LibraryPath_VC_ARM64)
$(VC_LibraryPath_VC_ARM64_Desktop)
$(VC_LibraryPath_VC_ARM64_OneCore)
$(VC_LibraryPath_VC_ARM64_Store)
$(VC_LibraryPath_VC_x64)
$(VC_LibraryPath_VC_x64_Desktop)
$(VC_LibraryPath_VC_x64_OneCore)
$(VC_LibraryPath_VC_x64_Store)
$(VC_LibraryPath_VC_x86)
$(VC_LibraryPath_VC_x86_Desktop)
$(VC_LibraryPath_VC_x86_OneCore)
$(VC_LibraryPath_VC_x86_Store)
$(VC_LibraryPath_x64)
$(VC_LibraryPath_x86)
$(VC_PGO_RunTime_Dir)
$(VC_ReferencesPath_ARM)
$(VC_ReferencesPath_ARM64)
$(VC_ReferencesPath_ATL_ARM)
$(VC_ReferencesPath_ATL_ARM64)
$(VC_ReferencesPath_ATL_x64)
$(VC_ReferencesPath_ATL_x86)
$(VC_ReferencesPath_VC_ARM)
$(VC_ReferencesPath_VC_ARM64)
$(VC_ReferencesPath_VC_x64)
$(VC_ReferencesPath_VC_x86)
$(VC_ReferencesPath_x64)
$(VC_ReferencesPath_x86)
$(VC_SourcePath)
$(VC_VC_IncludePath)
$(VC_VS_IncludePath)
$(VC_VS_LibraryPath_VC_VS_ARM)
$(VC_VS_LibraryPath_VC_VS_x64)
$(VC_VS_LibraryPath_VC_VS_x86)
$(VC_VS_SourcePath)
$(VCIDEInstallDir)
$(VCIDEInstallDir_150)
$(VCInstallDir)
$(VCInstallDir_150)
$(VCLibPackagePath)
$(VCProjectVersion)
$(VCTargetsPath)
$(VCTargetsPath10)
$(VCTargetsPath11)
$(VCTargetsPath12)
$(VCTargetsPath14)
$(VCTargetsPath15)
$(VCTargetsPathActual)
$(VCTargetsPathEffective)
$(VCToolArchitecture)
$(VCToolsInstallDir)
$(VCToolsInstallDir_150)
$(VCToolsVersion)
$(VisualStudioDir)
$(VisualStudioEdition)
$(VisualStudioVersion)
$(VS_ExecutablePath)
$(VS140COMNTOOLS)
$(VSAPPIDDIR)
$(VSAPPIDNAME)
$(VSInstallDir)
$(VSInstallDir_150)
$(VsInstallRoot)
$(VSLANG)
$(VSSKUEDITION)
$(VSVersion)
$(WDKBinRoot)
$(WebBrowserDebuggerDebuggerlype)
$(WebServiceDebuggerDebuggerlype)
$(WebServiceDebuggerSQLDebugging)
$(WholeProgramOptimization)
$(WholeProgramOptimizationAvailabilityInstrument)
$(WholeProgramOptimizationAvailabilityOptimize)
$(WholeProgramOptimizationAvailabilityTrue)
$(WholeProgramOptimizationAvailabilityUpdate)
$(windir)
$(Windows81SdkInstalled)
$(WindowsAppContainer)
$(WindowsSDK_ExecutablePath)
$(WindowsSDK_ExecutablePath_arm)
$(WindowsSDK_ExecutablePath_arm64)
$(WindowsSDK_ExecutablePath_x64)
$(WindowsSDK_LibraryPath_x86)
$(WindowsSDK_MetadataFoundationPath)
$(WindowsSDK_MetadataPath)
$(WindowsSDK_MetadataPathVersioned)
$(WindowsSDK_PlatformPath)
$(WindowsSDK_SupportedAPIs_arm)
$(WindowsSDK_SupportedAPIs_x64)
$(WindowsSDK_SupportedAPIs_x86)
$(WindowsSDK_UnionMetadataPath)
$(WindowsSDK80Path)
$(WindowsSdkDir)
$(WindowsSdkDir_10)
$(WindowsSdkDir_81)
$(WindowsSdkDir_81A)
$(WindowsSDKToolArchitecture)
$(WindowsTargetPlatformVersion)
$(WinRT_IncludePath)
$(WMSISProject)
$(WMSISProjectDirectory)
Where to find this list within Visual Studio:
- Open your C++ project's dialogue Property Pages
- Select any textual field that can use a configuration variable. (in the screenshot, I use Target Name)
- On the right side of the text box, click the small combobox button and select option
<Edit...>. - In the new window (here, title is Target Name), click on button
Macros>>. - Scroll through the giant list of environment/linker/macro variables.
Motivational screenshot:
