How to build UE5.3 from source code in VScode?

[oda2011]

I have tried first building it in visual studio 2022, but it took like 3 days! and even… I did not finish it, i7 2600 ¯⁠\⁠_⁠(⁠ツ⁠)⁠_⁠/⁠¯

first, is building it with VScode less demanding?
if so, here is the case :

I got broplems when doing that :
I use github copilot who told me to run this command :

PS F:\uerepo\UnrealEngine> Engine\Build\BatchFiles\Build.bat UnrealEditor Win64 “Development Editor” -WaitMutex -FromMsBuild

result:
Using bundled DotNet SDK version: 6.0.302
Running UnrealBuildTool: dotnet “…..\Engine\Binaries\DotNET\UnrealBuildTool\UnrealBuildTool.dll” UnrealEditor Win64 “Development Editor” -WaitMutex -FromMsBuild
Log file: F:\uerepo\UnrealEngine\Engine\Programs\UnrealBuildTool\Log.txt
Total execution time: 0.58 seconds
No configurations specified for target

I tried to change target and configuration names but that was helpless,
I tried to make the target to be UE5 which is the vcxproj file that they click build on in visual studio(VS), also as what I did in the VS try in the beginning, also with help from copilot, this is the command :

Engine\Build\BatchFiles\Build.bat UE5 Win64 “Development_Editor” -WaitMutex -FromMsBuild

result :
Running UnrealBuildTool: dotnet “…..\Engine\Binaries\DotNET\UnrealBuildTool\UnrealBuildTool.dll” UE5 Win64 Development_Editor -WaitMutex -FromMsBuild
Log file: F:\uerepo\UnrealEngine\Engine\Programs\UnrealBuildTool\Log.txt
Total execution time: 0.77 seconds
Using bundled DotNet SDK version: 6.0.302
Running UnrealBuildTool: dotnet “…..\Engine\Binaries\DotNET\UnrealBuildTool\UnrealBuildTool.dll” UE5 Win64 Development -WaitMutex -FromMsBuild
Log file: F:\uerepo\UnrealEngine\Engine\Programs\UnrealBuildTool\Log.txt
Using ‘git status’ to determine working set for adaptive non-unity build (F:\uerepo\UnrealEngine).
Creating makefile for UE5 (no existing makefile)
Total execution time: 92.05 seconds
Location: F:\uerepo\UnrealEngine\Engine\Intermediate\Build\BuildRules\UE5Rules.dll
Target rules found:

so, what to do? or the build speed is not so much different?

[TrueFranco]

To speed up a little bit the compilation you can increase the core count but you wont be able to do anything else since you PC is gonna be very busy compiling.
Go to C:\Users\YourUsername\AppData\Roaming\Unreal Engine\UnrealBuildTool folder and open BuildConfiguration.xml with notepad.
If the file do not exist just create one and add the following.

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8" ?>
<Configuration xmlns="https://www.unrealengine.com/BuildConfiguration">
  <ParallelExecutor>
	<ProcessorCountMultiplier>1</ProcessorCountMultiplier>
	<bStopCompilationAfterErrors>true</bStopCompilationAfterErrors>
  </ParallelExecutor>
  <VCProjectFileGenerator>
    <Version>VisualStudio2022</Version>
  </VCProjectFileGenerator>
  <WindowsPlatform>
    <Compiler>VisualStudio2022</Compiler>
  </WindowsPlatform> 
</Configuration>

ProcessorCountMultiplier is the value you want to change to increase or lower the CPU usage, I have an old Dual Xeon with 54 cores total and a value of 1 make use of all cores, you can experiment using 0.9 etc.

To make an Install build of the engine open a windows cmd.exe
go to the root folder of the engine source where Setup.bat is located.
Write this command.

Engine\Build\BatchFiles\RunUAT.bat BuildGraph -target="Make Installed Build Win64" -script=Engine/Build/InstalledEngineBuild.xml -set:HostPlatformOnly=true -set:WithAndroid=true -set:GameConfigurations=Development;Shipping;Debug -set:BuiltDirectory="D:/UE5.3/"

This going to take a long time but is the same way Epic do it.
This will build the Editor for Windows64 and the binaries to package for Android x64 and Windows64.

Let me know if you have any question.

[oda2011]

I suppose it works as it is still running and this is the day 2, if it only does these 5700 actions ,I may say it may take 4 days at this pace, anyway it said in the beginning (build succeed).
so, is that all?

and thank you, this is faster than the VS method

[oda2011]

after some days… I got this error in red :

Unable to find installation of PDBCOPY.EXE, which is required to strip symbols. This tool is included as part of the ‘Windows Debugging Tools’ component of the Windows 10 SDK (Windows SDK - Windows app development | Microsoft Developer).
while executing task
at F:\uerepo\UnrealEngine\Engine\Build\InstalledEngineBuild.xml(183)
(see F:\uerepo\UnrealEngine\Engine\Programs\AutomationTool\Saved\Logs\Log.txt for full exception trace)

under it it says build failed

[TrueFranco]

Go to control panel Program and Features, find your Windows SDK and make Changes.

Press Next and check Debuggin Tools For Windows.
You are done.
Do it for every windows SDK you have installed.

[oda2011]

OK that worked, but the build is not done yet.
Does it take that enormous amount of time because of having an HDD instead of an SSD?
I can see the disk usage is maximum so I think yes…