How to Install LuaFileSystem?

Question

I'm making a lua application and I am going to need the LFS. However it gives me an error while installing.

`Microsoft Windows [Version 6.1.7601]
Copyright (c) 2009 Microsoft Corporation.  All rights reserved.

C:\Users\user>luarocks install luafilesystem
Installing http://luarocks.org/repositories/rocks/luafilesystem-1.6.2-2.src.
...

7-Zip 9.10 beta  Copyright (c) 1999-2009 Igor Pavlov  2009-12-22

Processing archive: luafilesystem-1.6.2.tar.gz

Extracting  luafilesystem-1.6.2.tar

Everything is Ok

Size:       122880
Compressed: 27886

7-Zip 9.10 beta  Copyright (c) 1999-2009 Igor Pavlov  2009-12-22

Processing archive: luafilesystem-1.6.2.tar

Extracting  pax_global_header
Extracting  luafilesystem-1.6.2
Extracting  luafilesystem-1.6.2\Makefile
Extracting  luafilesystem-1.6.2\Makefile.win
Extracting  luafilesystem-1.6.2\README
Extracting  luafilesystem-1.6.2\config
Extracting  luafilesystem-1.6.2\config.win
Extracting  luafilesystem-1.6.2\doc
Extracting  luafilesystem-1.6.2\doc\us
Extracting  luafilesystem-1.6.2\doc\us\examples.html
Extracting  luafilesystem-1.6.2\doc\us\index.html
Extracting  luafilesystem-1.6.2\doc\us\license.html
Extracting  luafilesystem-1.6.2\doc\us\luafilesystem.png
Extracting  luafilesystem-1.6.2\doc\us\manual.html
Extracting  luafilesystem-1.6.2\rockspecs
Extracting  luafilesystem-1.6.2\rockspecs\luafilesystem-1.3.0-1.rockspec
Extracting  luafilesystem-1.6.2\rockspecs\luafilesystem-1.4.0-1.rockspec
Extracting  luafilesystem-1.6.2\rockspecs\luafilesystem-1.4.0-2.rockspec
Extracting  luafilesystem-1.6.2\rockspecs\luafilesystem-1.4.1-1.rockspec
Extracting  luafilesystem-1.6.2\rockspecs\luafilesystem-1.4.1rc1-1.rockspec
Extracting  luafilesystem-1.6.2\rockspecs\luafilesystem-1.4.2-1.rockspec
Extracting  luafilesystem-1.6.2\rockspecs\luafilesystem-1.5.0-1.rockspec
Extracting  luafilesystem-1.6.2\rockspecs\luafilesystem-1.6.0-1.rockspec
Extracting  luafilesystem-1.6.2\rockspecs\luafilesystem-1.6.1-1.rockspec
Extracting  luafilesystem-1.6.2\rockspecs\luafilesystem-1.6.2-1.rockspec
Extracting  luafilesystem-1.6.2\rockspecs\luafilesystem-cvs-1.rockspec
Extracting  luafilesystem-1.6.2\rockspecs\luafilesystem-cvs-2.rockspec
Extracting  luafilesystem-1.6.2\src
Extracting  luafilesystem-1.6.2\src\.gitignore 
Extracting  luafilesystem-1.6.2\src\lfs.c
Extracting  luafilesystem-1.6.2\src\lfs.def
Extracting  luafilesystem-1.6.2\src\lfs.h
Extracting  luafilesystem-1.6.2\tests
Extracting  luafilesystem-1.6.2\tests\test.lua
Extracting  luafilesystem-1.6.2\vc6
Extracting  luafilesystem-1.6.2\vc6\lfs.def
Extracting  luafilesystem-1.6.2\vc6\luafilesystem.dsw
Extracting  luafilesystem-1.6.2\vc6\luafilesystem_dll.dsp

Everything is Ok 

Folders: 7 
Files: 31
Size:       86449
Compressed: 122880
cl /MD /O2 -c -Fosrc/lfs.obj -IC:/Program Files/Lua/5.1/include src/lfs.c
'cl' is not recognized as an internal or external command,
operable program or batch file.

Error: Build error: Failed compiling object src/lfs.obj

C:\Users\user>`

I was running as Admin. I have tried looking at other posts and looking at the manual, but to no avail, Can someone help?

Answer 1

You need a Microsoft C compiler. There are other C compilers for Windows but they might not have compatible switches.

Microsoft hasn't shipped a C compiler independent of Visual Studio since they began the free Express edition. Install it and you should be good to go.

Build environment means that various environment variables, esp. PATH, are set up for the compiler. This is set up by running a batch file the VS provides. There could be a shortcut for it but if not (I suspect the Express version might not) look for a file like vc*.cmd or vc*.bat and create a shortcut to it or just run it at your command prompt.