cmake_minimum_required(VERSION 2.8) project(try_compile_mfc) set(files stdafx.cpp stdafx.h ) set(CMAKE_MFC_FLAG "2") # VS generators add this automatically based on the CMAKE_MFC_FLAG value, # but generators matching "Make" require: add_definitions(-D_AFXDLL) add_executable(simplest_possible_mfc_exe WIN32 ${files})