title: How to install "Visual C++ Build Tools" for Visual Studio Professional 2017
body: <p>When installing Visual Studio Professional 2017 it's easy to find and install the MSBuild component, but it only supports C#/VB. I need to be able to use MSBuild to build C++ projects as I've done in the past. According to <a href="https://blogs.msdn.microsoft.com/vcblog/2016/11/16/introducing-the-visual-studio-build-tools/?__hstc=268264337.5b0c3ee03939a72343398e64f811c0b7.1493337652644.1493337652644.1493337652644.1&amp;__hssc=268264337.1.1493337652645&amp;__hsfp=3296697578" rel="nofollow noreferrer">this</a> blog there is supposed to be a "Visual C++ Build Tools" workload, but I can't find this (I've stared at the installer for ages). Do I need to install a different edition or did something change between the 2017 RC and the actual release?</p>
  
  <p><strong>EDIT 1</strong>: If there is no way to install "Visual C++ Build Tools" how do I get MSBuild C++ support? Installing the "Desktop development with C++" workload does not include it, as far as I can tell, and there does not appear to be any individual components that provide it either.  Is there a separate installer I can download?</p>
  
  <p><strong>EDIT 2</strong>: I tried using the command line installer as documented <a href="https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/visualstudio/install/use-command-line-parameters-to-install-visual-studio" rel="nofollow noreferrer">here</a> and <a href="https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/visualstudio/install/workload-component-id-vs-build-tools" rel="nofollow noreferrer">here</a>, like so:</p>
  
  <pre><code>C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual Studio\Installer&gt;vs_installer.exe modify --installPath "C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual Studio\2017\Professional" --add Microsoft.VisualStudio.Workload.VCTools
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>This results in the installer GUI being displayed with no additional workloads or components selected (so, it's not possible to continue installing anything).  I give up for now.</p>