Set up Windows dev environment with MSYS2

MSYS2

Note: $VARS refer to strings you should substitute yourself. E.g. $DEV -> D:/dev

1. Download from http://msys2.github.io
2. Install into $DEV/msys64
3. Run $DEV/msys2_shell.bat
4. Run update-core
5. Close the shell; reopen it
6. Run pacman -Su

Pacman

pacman is the package manager bundled with msys. Use it to install useful things like gcc, flex, bison, git. The commands are pretty cryptic, so use the Pacman/Rosetta.

Set up $PATH

• Open "Environment Variables > System Variables > Path"
• At the end, add $DEV/msys64/usr/bin

Set up $HOME

By default, msys will use $DEV/msys64/home as your home folder. If you want to use your existing home folder, set a $HOME env variable:

• Under "Environment Variables > User variables", add HOME -> (path to your home folder)

(Using C:\Users\%USERNAME% didn't work for me.)

Git

1. Open an msys shell
2. Run pacman -S git
3. If you want to use git gui/gitk,
   1. Run pacman -S mingw-w64-x86_64-tk
   2. Add $DEV/msys64/mingw64/bin to $PATH
   3. gitk should work now, but you might get this problem with git gui
   4. To fix, add env var GIT_GUI_LIB_DIR -> $DEV/msys64/usr/share/git-gui/lib

MSYS shell

$DEV/msys64/*_shell.bat open up $DEV/msys64/usr/bin/mintty.exe, which has problems with the Python installed by the official Python installers. If you prefer, you can use $DEV/msys64/usr/bin/bash.exe by making a shortcut to it (on your desktop, for example).

To customize:

1. (right-click shortcut) > Properties
2. Change "Shortcut > Start in:" to be the directory you want it to open to, e.g. %HOME%/Desktop
3. Fiddle with settings in Options, Font, Layout, and Colors

Environment Variables

Environment variables in windows are under:

• (right-click start) > System > Advanced System Settings > Advanced > Environment Variables...

You can also set env vars in your .bash_profile/.bashrc.