From e470ea51810b9d68fc4a04dcb8defdeb93873032 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: GitHackerz <bibani.medhabiballah@gmail.com>
Date: Sun, 19 Jul 2026 15:26:14 +0100
Subject: [PATCH 1/2] cmd: validate explicit C compiler before dispatch

---
 cmd/v/v.v              | 11 +++++++++++
 cmd/v/v_windows_test.v | 16 ++++++++++++++++
 2 files changed, 27 insertions(+)
 create mode 100644 cmd/v/v_windows_test.v

diff --git a/cmd/v/v.v b/cmd/v/v.v
index 9a3c13006dbca4..2d6c17085ac499 100644
--- a/cmd/v/v.v
+++ b/cmd/v/v.v
@@ -116,6 +116,17 @@ fn main() {
 	}
 	mut args_and_flags := util.join_env_vflags_and_os_args()[1..]
 	prefs, command := pref.parse_args_and_show_errors(external_tools, args_and_flags, true)
+	$if windows {
+		// Check an explicitly selected C compiler before dispatching the command, so
+		// invalid or missing commands do not hide the more useful `-cc` diagnostic.
+		if builder.should_find_windows_host_c_compiler(prefs) && prefs.ccompiler_set_by_flag
+			&& prefs.ccompiler != 'msvc' {
+			mut probe := builder.Builder{
+				pref: unsafe { prefs }
+			}
+			probe.find_win_cc() or { builder.verror(err.msg()) }
+		}
+	}
 	maybe_delegate_to_vvmrc(command, prefs)
 	maybe_delegate_to_ownership(command, prefs)
 	if prefs.use_cache && os.user_os() == 'windows' {
diff --git a/cmd/v/v_windows_test.v b/cmd/v/v_windows_test.v
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000000..b2850e1ee71970
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cmd/v/v_windows_test.v
@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+module main
+
+import os
+
+fn test_invalid_c_compiler_is_reported_before_command_dispatch() {
+	$if !windows {
+		return
+	}
+	missing_compiler := 'missing_compiler_27868'
+	expected_error := 'builder error: C compiler `${missing_compiler}` was requested with `-cc`, but was not found.'
+	for command in ['', 'not-a-command'] {
+		result := os.execute('${os.quoted_path(@VEXE)} -cc ${missing_compiler} ${command}')
+		assert result.exit_code == 1
+		assert result.output.contains(expected_error), result.output
+	}
+}

From b28e2837032c3ab40f0ce358d397cc0c3c227212 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: GitHackerz <bibani.medhabiballah@gmail.com>
Date: Sun, 19 Jul 2026 21:31:05 +0100
Subject: [PATCH 2/2] cmd: preserve non-build command dispatch

---
 cmd/v/v.v              | 22 +++++++++++-----------
 cmd/v/v_windows_test.v |  8 ++++++++
 2 files changed, 19 insertions(+), 11 deletions(-)

diff --git a/cmd/v/v.v b/cmd/v/v.v
index 2d6c17085ac499..e3bfc214db244c 100644
--- a/cmd/v/v.v
+++ b/cmd/v/v.v
@@ -116,17 +116,6 @@ fn main() {
 	}
 	mut args_and_flags := util.join_env_vflags_and_os_args()[1..]
 	prefs, command := pref.parse_args_and_show_errors(external_tools, args_and_flags, true)
-	$if windows {
-		// Check an explicitly selected C compiler before dispatching the command, so
-		// invalid or missing commands do not hide the more useful `-cc` diagnostic.
-		if builder.should_find_windows_host_c_compiler(prefs) && prefs.ccompiler_set_by_flag
-			&& prefs.ccompiler != 'msvc' {
-			mut probe := builder.Builder{
-				pref: unsafe { prefs }
-			}
-			probe.find_win_cc() or { builder.verror(err.msg()) }
-		}
-	}
 	maybe_delegate_to_vvmrc(command, prefs)
 	maybe_delegate_to_ownership(command, prefs)
 	if prefs.use_cache && os.user_os() == 'windows' {
@@ -194,6 +183,17 @@ fn main() {
 	if prefs.is_help {
 		invoke_help_and_exit(args)
 	}
+	$if windows {
+		// An invalid `-cc` setting should take precedence over an unknown command,
+		// but must not affect commands that do not compile code.
+		if builder.should_find_windows_host_c_compiler(prefs) && prefs.ccompiler_set_by_flag
+			&& prefs.ccompiler != 'msvc' {
+			mut probe := builder.Builder{
+				pref: unsafe { prefs }
+			}
+			probe.find_win_cc() or { builder.verror(err.msg()) }
+		}
+	}
 
 	other_commands := ['run', 'crun', 'build', 'build-module', 'help', 'version', 'new', 'init',
 		'install', 'link', 'list', 'outdated', 'remove', 'search', 'show', 'unlink', 'update',
diff --git a/cmd/v/v_windows_test.v b/cmd/v/v_windows_test.v
index b2850e1ee71970..3cb01a85d65b7d 100644
--- a/cmd/v/v_windows_test.v
+++ b/cmd/v/v_windows_test.v
@@ -13,4 +13,12 @@ fn test_invalid_c_compiler_is_reported_before_command_dispatch() {
 		assert result.exit_code == 1
 		assert result.output.contains(expected_error), result.output
 	}
+	help_result := os.execute('${os.quoted_path(@VEXE)} -cc ${missing_compiler} help')
+	assert help_result.exit_code == 1
+	assert help_result.output.contains('provide only one help topic.'), help_result.output
+	assert !help_result.output.contains(expected_error), help_result.output
+
+	version_result := os.execute('${os.quoted_path(@VEXE)} -cc ${missing_compiler} version')
+	assert version_result.exit_code == 0, version_result.output
+	assert !version_result.output.contains(expected_error), version_result.output
 }