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Prerequisites

Before building the project, ensure you have the following installed:
  • C++ compiler with C++20 support (the project uses stdcpp20)
  • vcpkg package manager for dependency management
  • Visual Studio 2019 or later (Platform Toolset v143 or higher recommended)
  • Git for cloning the repository
  • Windows 10 SDK (specified in the project configuration)
The project is configured for Windows using Visual Studio, with support for both x86 and x64 platforms.

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Build Process

1

Clone the repository

Clone the Sorting Algorithms Visualiser repository from GitHub:
git clone https://github.com/DevBoiAgru/SortingAlgorithmsVisualiser.git
cd SortingAlgorithmsVisualiser/source
2

Install vcpkg (if not already installed)

If you don’t have vcpkg installed, follow these instructions:
# Clone vcpkg
git clone https://github.com/microsoft/vcpkg.git
cd vcpkg

# Bootstrap vcpkg
.\bootstrap-vcpkg.bat

# Integrate with Visual Studio
.\vcpkg integrate install
The project uses vcpkg manifest mode (vcpkg.json), so dependencies are managed automatically.
3

Install dependencies

The project uses vcpkg manifest mode, which automatically installs dependencies when you build. However, you can manually install SFML if needed:
vcpkg install sfml:x64-windows
# Or for 32-bit
vcpkg install sfml:x86-windows
The vcpkg.json file specifies SFML version 2.6.2 as the only dependency.
4

Build with Visual Studio

Open the solution file and build:
# Open the solution in Visual Studio
start SortingAlgos.sln
In Visual Studio:
  1. Select your desired configuration (Debug or Release)
  2. Select your platform (x86 or x64)
  3. Build the solution (F7 or Build → Build Solution)
The compiled executable will be in:
  • x64/Debug/SortingAlgos.exe (Debug x64)
  • x64/Release/SortingAlgos.exe (Release x64)
  • Debug/SortingAlgos.exe (Debug x86)
  • Release/SortingAlgos.exe (Release x86)

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Visual Studio Build Configuration

The project includes the following build configurations:

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Debug Configuration

  • Warning Level: Level3
  • SDL Check: Enabled
  • Language Standard: C++20 (for x64)
  • Debug Information: Full
  • Subsystem: Console

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Release Configuration

  • Warning Level: Level3
  • Optimization: Function-level linking and intrinsic functions enabled
  • Language Standard: C++20 (for x64)
  • Whole Program Optimization: Enabled
  • Subsystem: Console (with Windows entry point via pragma comment)

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Alternative Build Methods

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Command Line Build with MSBuild

You can also build the project from the command line using MSBuild: 
# Open Visual Studio Developer Command Prompt or PowerShell
# Build Release x64 configuration
msbuild SortingAlgos.sln /p:Configuration=Release /p:Platform=x64

# Build Debug x64 configuration
msbuild SortingAlgos.sln /p:Configuration=Debug /p:Platform=x64

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CMake (Not currently supported)

The project currently uses Visual Studio project files (.vcxproj). A CMake build system is not yet implemented.
If you’re interested in adding CMake support to make the project cross-platform, consider contributing! See the Contributing guide.

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Troubleshooting

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SFML Not Found Errors

If you encounter errors like “Cannot open include file: ‘SFML/Graphics.hpp’”:
1

Verify vcpkg integration

Ensure vcpkg is properly integrated with Visual Studio:
vcpkg integrate install
2

Check manifest mode

Verify that VcpkgEnableManifest is set to true in the project file (it should be by default).
3

Clean and rebuild

Clean the solution and rebuild:
  • Build → Clean Solution
  • Build → Rebuild Solution

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Linker Errors

If you encounter linker errors like “unresolved external symbol” related to SFML:
Ensure you’re building for the correct platform (x86 vs x64) and that SFML is installed for that platform in vcpkg.
# Check installed packages
vcpkg list

# You should see something like:
# sfml:x64-windows    2.6.2    Simple and Fast Multimedia Library
If SFML is missing for your target platform: 
# Install for x64
vcpkg install sfml:x64-windows

# Or for x86
vcpkg install sfml:x86-windows

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vcpkg Configuration Issues

If vcpkg is not finding dependencies:
  1. Check the vcpkg-configuration.json: The project uses a specific vcpkg baseline. Ensure your vcpkg installation is up to date: 
    cd path/to/vcpkg
git pull
  2. Verify the baseline: The project uses baseline b1b19307e2d2ec1eefbdb7ea069de7d4bcd31f01 from the Microsoft vcpkg repository.
  3. Reset vcpkg cache: If dependencies are corrupted: 
    vcpkg remove sfml
vcpkg install sfml

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Missing Assets

If the application fails to load fonts at runtime:
Ensure the assets folder is in the same directory as the executable, or copy the assets folder to the output directory.
The application expects:
  • assets/Roboto-Regular.ttf - The font file for UI text
  • assets/Algo.png - Application icon

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Platform Toolset Version

If you see errors about platform toolset v145 not being found:
  1. Open the project properties
  2. Go to Configuration Properties → General
  3. Change “Platform Toolset” to your installed version (e.g., v143 for VS 2022)
  4. Save and rebuild

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Running the Application

After building successfully, run the executable: 
# Run with default settings
.\x64\Release\SortingAlgos.exe

# Run with custom delay (in nanoseconds)
.\x64\Release\SortingAlgos.exe 10

# Get help
.\x64\Release\SortingAlgos.exe --help
The delay parameter controls the wait time between each comparison operation, allowing you to slow down or speed up the visualization.

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