Protoc error: Installing Gazebo on Windows 10 (Stuck at ign-msgs).

[AnjanaWijesinghe]

I'm installing Gazebo on Windows 10 (following the tutorial). I managed to complete the installation up to ign-msgs, everything else was successful after little adjustments (simply editing the CMakeCache with proper addresses).
The .\configure works

E:\gz-ws\ign-msgs>.\configure

E:\gz-ws\ign-msgs>call :download_unzip_install protobuf-3.4.1-vc15-x64-dll-MD.zip
The system cannot find the batch label specified - download_unzip_install

E:\gz-ws\ign-msgs>call :install_ign_project ign-math ign-math4
The system cannot find the batch label specified - install_ign_project
Configuring for build type Release

E:\gz-ws\ign-msgs>cd /d E:\gz-ws\ign-msgs\

E:\gz-ws\ign-msgs>md build
A subdirectory or file build already exists.

E:\gz-ws\ign-msgs>cd build

E:\gz-ws\ign-msgs\build>cmake .. -G "NMake Makefiles" -DCMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX="" -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE="Release" -DBUILD_TESTING:BOOL=False
-- ignition-msgs1 version 1.0.0
-- Operating system is Windows

-- ====== Finding Dependencies ======
-- Looking for Protobuf - found

-- Looking for ignition-math4 - found

-- Looking for ignition-tools - not found

-- BUILD WARNINGS
-- Missing: ignition-tools
-- END BUILD WARNINGS

-- Installing Ruby messages to /ignition/msgs
-- Testing is disabled -- skipping UNIT tests
-- Build configuration successful
-- Could NOT find Doxygen (missing: DOXYGEN_EXECUTABLE)
-- Build type: Release
-- Install prefix:
-- Configuring done
-- Generating done
-- Build files have been written to: E:/gz-ws/ign-msgs/build

Next when I run nmake, I get a plugin error.

E:\gz-ws\ign-msgs\build>nmake

Microsoft (R) Program Maintenance Utility Version 14.28.29334.0
Copyright (C) Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

[ 1%] Built target ign_msgs_gen
[ 1%] Running protoc on E:/gz-ws/ign-msgs/proto/ignition/msgs/altimeter.proto
--ignmsgs_out: protoc-gen-ignmsgs: Plugin failed with status code 3221225781.
NMAKE : fatal error U1077: 'E:\gz-ws\protobuf-3.4.1-vc15-x64-dll-MD\bin\protoc.exe' : return code '0x1'
Stop.
NMAKE : fatal error U1077: '"D:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual Studio\2019\Community\VC\Tools\MSVC\14.28.29333\bin\HostX86\x64\nmake.exe"' : return code '0x2'
Stop.
NMAKE : fatal error U1077: '"D:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual Studio\2019\Community\VC\Tools\MSVC\14.28.29333\bin\HostX86\x64\nmake.exe"' : return code '0x2'
Stop.

How can I solve this?

[j-rivero]

The documentation and artifacts to compile on Windows are outdated. Instead of fixing the current mess, let's try to find a better approach, we'll appreciate your experience and opinions on the alternatives proposed and linked in gazebosim/gazebo-classic#2901. Thanks.