• Windows 11 Laptop, Intel Core i7, 16gb RAM
• Visual Studio 2022, Community Edition
• OS installed on SSD
• Software installed on HDD

• https://github.com/LMMS/lmms/wiki/dependencies-windows

• Install GIT - https://git-scm.com/downloads
• Install CMake - https://cmake.org
• Install QT 5.12.12 - from qt.io, offline installers
• Install Visual Studio C++ Developer Toolkit
• Install WSL and / or linux commands - https://getgnuwin32.sourceforge.net and set them appear in system path.
• Install doxygen - https://www.doxygen.nl, later: graphviz via vcpkg
• Install vcpkg from GitHub - https://github.com/microsoft/vcpkg
• Install vcpkg based packages required for LMMS
  • very long time taking process: > 1:00 hours
  • Uses a lot of bandwidth
• Obtain the LMMS Source Code from GitHub
• Obtain other LMMS Depedencies (git submodules)
• Build project (solution files) with CMake
• Manually copy data/, data/stk, plugins directories
• Manually copy plugins/ladspa/*.dll - because they do not build
• Unload 32bit projects from Visual Studio - requires 32 bit qt
• Compile! Run!
• Plugins with difficulties
• Other notes

Preperation for the plugins that do not compile from the source code.

• Install official/nighly build of LMMS.
• Copy LMMS/ folder to a reference path. You will need plugins/ladspa folder from this reference.
• Uninstall LMMS - so we can build our own copy.

cd d:\
git clone https://github.com/Microsoft/vcpkg
cd vcpkg
.\bootstrap-vcpkg.bat

.\vcpkg install --triplet=x64-windows fftw3 libsamplerate libsndfile lilv lv2 sdl2 fluidsynth fltk libstk portaudio graphviz glib

Obtain LMMS Source Code. Obtain 3rd party depenencies for LMMS

git clone --recurse-submodules -b master https://github.com/lmms/lmms

cd lmms

git submodule update --progress --init --recursive --force --merge --rebase

mkdir build
cd build
cmake .. -G "Visual Studio 17 2022" -DCMAKE_PREFIX_PATH=C:\Qt\Qt5.12.12\5.12.12\msvc2017_64 -DQT_32_PREFIX=C:\Qt\Qt5.12.12\5.12.12\msvc2019 -DCMAKE_TOOLCHAIN_FILE=d:/vcpkg/scripts/buildsystems/vcpkg.cmake

mkdir Debug
mkdir Release
mkdir plugins\Debug
mkdir plugins\Release

cmake --build . --config Debug
cmake --build . --config Release

Manually copy parent data folder inside compiled output: "build/Debug/"

copy ..\..\data .\Debug\

It should also consist: data\stk\rawwaves

• directory where plugins will compile (reference only, auto created during the compilation)

mkdir plugins\Debug

• Reuse compiled plugins for main binaries.

cd Debug
mklink /d plugins ..\plugins\Debug


REM Reuse release version plugins for lmms.exe release version
cd ..
cd Release
mklink /d plugins ..\plugins\Release

• open lmms.sln in Visual Studio
• Unload 32bit projects from Visual Studio
  • RemoteVstPlugin32 project
• Compile!
• Run :-)

You will get lmms.exe at: build/Debug/ folder. I have not tested with Release build option.

None of the ladspa plugins compile natively. So, please copy them directly into plugins/ladspa folder from outside. You should first install with an official copy of LMMS installer to get this folder.

• ladspa/*.dll copied directly into (imp_1199.dll, mbeq_1197.dll, pitch_scale_1193.dll, pitch_scale_1194.dll)
• sf2player.dll - compiled/built but does not run well

• Uses Microphone during the LMMS
• Gigabytes of overall downloads
• Gigabytes of total hard disk usage
• Taking a lot of time to complete the proces
• All projects are listed in same hierarchy.
  • For example, one language translation becomes a project on the top hierarchy of the lmms.sln file.
  • Translation projects, and application projects are mixed together.
• Packaging, Installation, Uninstallation not considered.
• Release mode build not considered.

Hope, you builds were successful!