Windows Build Error — CMakeLists.txt Parse Error (“install” unexpected)

[Shrey113]

🐛 Bug Report

The Flutter Windows build fails when using flutter_tts because the Windows plugin contains a corrupted CMakeLists.txt file. The build stops with the following error:

CMake Error at flutter/ephemeral/.plugin_symlinks/flutter_tts/windows/CMakeLists.txt:18:
  Parse error. Expected "(", got identifier with text "install".

This error occurs even on a fresh Flutter project with the latest Flutter SDK.

---

✔ Expected Behavior

The plugin should build successfully on Windows without modifying plugin files.

---

❌ Actual Behavior

The Windows plugin fails due to a malformed NuGet install block in the CMake file. The file contains an invalid extra line:

    ARGS install "Microsoft.Windows.CppWinRT" -Version 2.0.210503.1 -ExcludeVersion -OutputDirectory ...
)

This breaks the execute_process() block and causes CMake to throw a parse error.

---

🔁 Reproduction Steps

1. Create a new Flutter project:

   flutter create test_tts
   cd test_tts
   

2. Add the plugin:

   flutter pub add flutter_tts
   

3. Run on Windows:

   flutter run -d windows
   

4. Windows build fails with the CMake parse error.

---

🖥 Platform

• Windows (Error occurs here)
• Android
• iOS
• macOS

---

⚙ Versions

• flutter_tts: latest from pub.dev

---

🧩 Root Cause

The plugin’s Windows CMakeLists.txt includes broken CMake syntax:

• Extra ARGS line outside execute_process()
• An extra ) that closes nothing
• Incorrect NuGet command formatting

This prevents Windows builds from generating plugin build files.

---

✅ Working Fixed CMakeLists.txt

Here is a clean, working replacement for the plugin’s Windows CMakeLists.txt:

cmake_minimum_required(VERSION 3.14)

if(POLICY CMP0153)
  cmake_policy(SET CMP0153 NEW)
endif()

set(PROJECT_NAME "flutter_tts")
project(${PROJECT_NAME} LANGUAGES CXX)

find_program(NUGET_EXE NAMES nuget)
if(NOT NUGET_EXE)
  message(FATAL_ERROR "nuget.exe not found. Please install it.")
endif()

execute_process(
  COMMAND ${NUGET_EXE} install Microsoft.Windows.CppWinRT
          -Version 2.0.210503.1
          -ExcludeVersion
          -OutputDirectory ${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR}/packages
)

set(PLUGIN_NAME "flutter_tts_plugin")

add_library(${PLUGIN_NAME} SHARED
  "flutter_tts_plugin.cpp"
)

apply_standard_settings(${PLUGIN_NAME})

set_target_properties(${PLUGIN_NAME} PROPERTIES
  CXX_VISIBILITY_PRESET hidden
  VISIBILITY_INLINES_HIDDEN YES
)

target_compile_features(${PLUGIN_NAME} PUBLIC cxx_std_20)
target_compile_definitions(${PLUGIN_NAME} PRIVATE FLUTTER_PLUGIN_IMPL)

target_include_directories(${PLUGIN_NAME} INTERFACE
  "${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/include"
)

target_link_libraries(${PLUGIN_NAME} PRIVATE
  flutter
  flutter_wrapper_plugin
)

set_target_properties(${PLUGIN_NAME} PROPERTIES VS_PROJECT_IMPORT
  "${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR}/packages/Microsoft.Windows.CppWinRT/build/native/Microsoft.Windows.CppWinRT.props"
)

target_link_libraries(${PLUGIN_NAME} PRIVATE
  "${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR}/packages/Microsoft.Windows.CppWinRT/build/native/Microsoft.Windows.CppWinRT.targets"
)

set(flutter_tts_bundled_libraries "" PARENT_SCOPE)

---

🙏 Request

Please update the Windows plugin’s CMakeLists.txt file in the flutter_tts package so Windows builds work without manual patching.

Thanks!

[chrisnorman7]

Hi,
Is there any movement on this? I use this package a lot and it's getting to be rather troublesome not being able to build it under Windows.

Thanks for a great package.

[crimesp]

thanks @Shrey113 this worked for me on my setup. have done a PR - #620

dlutton - this is my all time favourite package, thank you so much for making it!

pubspec.yml to my branch for those who need this fix:

flutter_tts:
git:
url: https://github.com/DashingDevelopers/flutter_tts
ref: dashydev