added description metadata, fixed some titles and added links to children in top level topics. More to do after this.

Author: mikeblome

docs/build/building-c-cpp-programs.md

@@ -1,13 +1,14 @@
 ---
 title: "Building C/C++ Projects in Visual Studio"
+ms.description:"Use Visual Studio to compile and build C++ projects for Windows, ARM or Linux based on any project system."
 ms.date: "12/08/2018"
 f1_keywords: ["vcbuilding", "buildingaprogramVC"]
 helpviewer_keywords: ["builds [C++]", "Visual C++ projects, building", "projects [C++], building", "builds [C++], options", "Visual C++, build options"]
 ms.assetid: fa6ed4ff-334a-4d99-b5e2-a1f83d2b3008
 ---
 # Building C/C++ projects
 
-In Visual Studio 2017 and later, the build system and compiler toolset are decoupled from the IDE. This means you can use Visual Studio to edit any existing code base with full IntelliSense support without having to convert that code into a Visual Studio project or use MSVC to compile it. For example, you can edit a CMake project in Visual Studio on your local machine, then compile it using g++ on a remote Linux machine.
+You can use Visual Studio 2017 to edit, compile and build any C++ code base with full IntelliSense support without having to convert that code into a Visual Studio project or use MSVC to compile it. For example, you can edit a CMake project in Visual Studio on your local machine, then compile it using g++ on a remote Linux machine.
 
 ## C++ compilation
 
@@ -57,7 +58,10 @@ How to create, configure, and build C++ projects in Visual Studio using its nati
 How to code, build, and deploy CMake projects in Visual Studio.
 
 [Open Folder projects](non-msbuild-projects.md)
-How to use Visual Studio to code, build and deploy projects based on any arbitrary build system, or no build system. at all. 
+How to use Visual Studio to code, build and deploy C++ projects based on any arbitrary build system, or no build system. at all. 
+
+[Windows makefile projects (NMAKE)](creating-a-makefile-project.md)
+How to use [NMAKE](reference/nmake-reference.md) to build makefile projects on Windows.
 
 [Release builds](release-builds.md)
 How to create and troubleshoot optimized release builds for deployment to end users.
@@ -68,41 +72,20 @@ Discusses how to use the C/C++ compiler and build tools directly from the comman
 [Building DLLs in Visual Studio](dlls-in-visual-cpp.md)
 How to create, debug and deploy C/C++ DLLs (shared libraries) in Visual Studio.
 
-[Building C/C++ Isolated Applications and Side-by-side Assemblies](building-c-cpp-isolated-applications-and-side-by-side-assemblies.md)<br/>
+[Building C/C++ Isolated Applications and Side-by-side Assemblies](building-c-cpp-isolated-applications-and-side-by-side-assemblies.md)
 Describes the deployment model for Windows Desktop applications, based on the idea of isolated applications and side-by-side assemblies.
 
-[C/C++ Building Reference](reference/c-cpp-building-reference.md)<br/>
-Provides links to reference articles about program building in C++, compiler and linker options, and various build tools.
-
-
-
-## Related Sections
-
-[Compiling and Building](/visualstudio/ide/compiling-and-building-in-visual-studio)<br/>
-Describes the Visual Studio build system and tools.
-
-You can build C++ projects either in Visual Studio or on the command line. The Visual Studio IDE has built-in support for the default project system, [MSBuild](msbuild-visual-cpp.md), as well as for CMake. IDE integration with any other build system is enabled through JSON configuration files.
-
-On the command line, you can use the C/C++ compiler (cl.exe) and linker (link.exe) to build simple projects. To build more complex projects on the command line, you can use MSBuild or [NMAKE](reference/nmake-reference.md). 
+[Configure Visual C++ for 64-bit, x64 targets](configuring-programs-for-64-bit-visual-cpp)
+How to target 64-bit x64 hardware with the MSVC build tools.
 
-For an overview about how to use Visual Studio to build projects and solutions, see [Compiling and Building](/visualstudio/ide/compiling-and-building-in-visual-studio).
-
-## In This Section
-
-[Visual Studio Projects (C++)](creating-and-managing-visual-cpp-projects.md)<br/>
-[CMake projects](cmake-tools-for-visual-cpp.md)<br/>
-[Open Folder projects](non-msbuild-projects.md)<br/>
-[Windows makefile projects (NMAKE)](creating-a-makefile-project.md)<br/>
-[Use the MSVC toolset from the command line](building-on-the-command-line.md)<br/>
-How to use the C/C++ compiler and build tools directly from the command line.
-
-[Use MSBuild from the command line](msbuild-visual-cpp.md)
-
-[Building C/C++ Isolated Applications and Side-by-side Assemblies](building-c-cpp-isolated-applications-and-side-by-side-assemblies.md)<br/>
-Describes the deployment model for Windows Desktop applications, based on the idea of isolated applications and side-by-side assemblies.
+[Configure Visual C++ for ARM processors](configuring-programs-for-arm-processors-visual-cpp)
+How to use the MSVC build tools to target ARM hardware.
 
 [Optimizing Your Code](optimizing-your-code.md)
+How to optimize your code in various ways including program guided optimizations.
+
+[Configuring Programs for Windows XP](configuring-programs-for-windows-xp)
+How to target Windows XP with the MSVC build tools.
 
 [C/C++ Building Reference](reference/c-cpp-building-reference.md)<br/>
 Provides links to reference articles about program building in C++, compiler and linker options, and various build tools.
-

docs/build/creating-and-managing-visual-cpp-projects.md

@@ -47,12 +47,6 @@ In the Error List, you can press **F1** on a highlighted error to go to its docu
 
 ## In This Section
 
-[Visual Studio C++ project templates](reference/visual-cpp-project-types.md)<br>
-Describes the MSBuild-based project types that are available for C++.
-
-[File Types Created for C++ Projects](reference/file-types-created-for-visual-cpp-projects.md)<br>
-Describes the kinds of files that are used with various MSBuild project types.
-
 [Creating Desktop Projects By Using Application Wizards](creating-desktop-projects-by-using-application-wizards.md)<br>
 How to use the wizards to create C++ projects.
 

docs/build/reference/TOC.md

@@ -394,15 +394,6 @@
 #### [Expressions in Makefile Preprocessing](expressions-in-makefile-preprocessing.md)
 ##### [Makefile Preprocessing Operators](makefile-preprocessing-operators.md)
 ##### [Executing a Program in Preprocessing](executing-a-program-in-preprocessing.md)
-## [BSCMAKE Reference](bscmake-reference.md)
-### [Building Browse Information Files: Overview](building-browse-information-files-overview.md)
-### [Building a .Bsc File](building-a-dot-bsc-file.md)
-#### [Creating an .Sbr File](creating-an-dot-sbr-file.md)
-#### [How BSCMAKE Builds a .Bsc File](how-bscmake-builds-a-dot-bsc-file.md)
-### [BSCMAKE Command Line](bscmake-command-line.md)
-### [BSCMAKE Command File (Response File)](bscmake-command-file-response-file.md)
-### [BSCMAKE Options](bscmake-options.md)
-### [BSCMAKE Exit Codes](bscmake-exit-codes.md)
 ## [LIB Reference](lib-reference.md)
 ### [Overview of LIB](overview-of-lib.md)
 #### [How to: Set LIB.EXE Options in the Visual Studio Development Environment](how-to-set-lib-exe-options-in-the-visual-studio-development-environment.md)
@@ -471,8 +462,17 @@
 ### [Error Message Edit Control](error-message-edit-control.md)
 ### [Modules Button](modules-button.md)
 ### [Look Up Button](look-up-button.md)
-# [Compiler Errors C999 to C2499](../../error-messages/compiler-errors-1/TOC.md)
-# [Compiler Errors C2500 to C3999](../../error-messages/compiler-errors-2/TOC.md)
+## [XDCMake Reference](xdcmake-reference.md)
+## [BSCMAKE Reference](bscmake-reference.md)
+### [Building Browse Information Files: Overview](building-browse-information-files-overview.md)
+### [Building a .Bsc File](building-a-dot-bsc-file.md)
+#### [Creating an .Sbr File](creating-an-dot-sbr-file.md)
+#### [How BSCMAKE Builds a .Bsc File](how-bscmake-builds-a-dot-bsc-file.md)
+### [BSCMAKE Command Line](bscmake-command-line.md)
+### [BSCMAKE Command File (Response File)](bscmake-command-file-response-file.md)
+### [BSCMAKE Options](bscmake-options.md)
+### [BSCMAKE Exit Codes](bscmake-exit-codes.md)
+# [Compiler Errors](/error-messages/compiler-errors-1/c-cpp-build-errors.md)
 # [Compiler Warnings](../../error-messages/compiler-warnings/TOC.md)
 # [Tool Errors](../../error-messages/tool-errors/TOC.md)
 # [XML Documentation (Visual C++)](xml-documentation-visual-cpp.md)
@@ -495,4 +495,4 @@
 ### [<value>](value-visual-cpp.md)
 ## [.Xml File Processing](dot-xml-file-processing.md)
 ## [Delimiters for Visual C++ Documentation Tags](delimiters-for-visual-cpp-documentation-tags.md)
-# [XDCMake Reference](xdcmake-reference.md)
+

docs/build/reference/c-cpp-build-tools.md

@@ -9,7 +9,6 @@ ms.assetid: 48d9daf4-6bbf-473a-8ce2-bf2923b69f80
 
 Visual C++ provides the following command-line tools for viewing or manipulating build output:
 
-- [BSCMAKE.EXE](bscmake-reference.md) builds a browse information file (.bsc) that contains information about the symbols (classes, functions, data, macros, and types) in your program. You view this information in browse windows within the development environment. (A .bsc file can also be built in the development environment.)
 
 - [LIB.EXE](lib-reference.md) is used to create and manage a library of Common Object File Format (COFF) object files. It can also be used to create export files and import libraries to reference exported definitions.
 
@@ -21,6 +20,10 @@ Visual C++ provides the following command-line tools for viewing or manipulating
 
 - [ERRLOOK](value-edit-control.md), the Error Lookup utility, retrieves a system error message or module error message based on the value entered.
 
+- [XDCMake](xdcmake-reference.md). A toolfor processing source code files that contain documentation comments marked up with XML tags.
+
+- [BSCMAKE.EXE](bscmake-reference.md) (provided for backward compatibility only) builds a browse information file (.bsc) that contains information about the symbols (classes, functions, data, macros, and types) in your program. You view this information in browse windows within the development environment. (A .bsc file can also be built in the development environment.)
+
 ## See Also
 
 [C/C++ Building Reference](c-cpp-building-reference.md)<br/>

docs/build/reference/c-cpp-building-reference.md

@@ -1,25 +1,28 @@
 ---
-title: "C/C++ Building Reference"
-ms.date: "11/04/2016"
+title: "C/C++ Building Reference - Visual Studio"
+description:"Reference content for C/C++ project system and build tools in Visual Studio."
+ms.date: "12/10/2018"
 helpviewer_keywords: ["compiling source code [C++], additional information", "cl.exe compiler [C++], building programs", "linker [C++], building reference", "builds [C++], additional information"]
 ms.assetid: 100b4ccf-572c-4d1f-970c-fa0bc0cc0d2d
 ---
 # C/C++ Building Reference
 
-Visual C++ provides two ways of building a C/C++ program. The easiest (and most common) way is to [build within the Visual C++ development environment](../creating-and-managing-visual-cpp-projects.md). The other way is to [build from a command prompt using command-line tools](../building-on-the-command-line.md). In either case, you can create your source files using the Visual C++ source editor or a third-party editor of your choice.
+Visual C++ provides two ways of building a C/C++ program. The easiest (and most common) way is to [build within the Visual Studio IDE](../creating-and-managing-visual-cpp-projects.md). The other way is to [build from a command prompt using command-line tools](../building-on-the-command-line.md). In either case, you can create and edit your source files using Visual Studio or a third-party editor of your choice.
 
 ## In This Section
 
-[MSBuild Overview for C++ projects](msbuild-visual-cpp-overview.md)
+[MSBuild reference for C++ projects](msbuild-visual-cpp-overview.md)
 
 [Compiling a C/C++ Program](compiling-a-c-cpp-program.md)<br/>
-Describes the compiler, which creates an object file containing machine code, linker directives, sections, external references, and function/data names.
+Describes the MSVC compiler, which creates an object file containing machine code, linker directives, sections, external references, and function/data names.
 
 [Linking](linking.md)<br/>
 Describes the linker, which combines code from the object files created by the compiler and from statically linked libraries, resolves the name references, and creates an executable file.
 
+[Unicode Support in the Compiler and Linker](unicode-support-in-the-compiler-and-linker.md)
+
 [C/C++ Build Tools](c-cpp-build-tools.md)<br/>
-Provides the following command-line tools for viewing or manipulating build output:
+Additional command-line tools for C++.
 
 [C/C++ Build Errors](../../error-messages/compiler-errors-1/c-cpp-build-errors.md)<br/>
 Introduces the build errors section in the table of contents.

docs/build/reference/compiling-a-c-cpp-program.md

@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 ---
-title: "Compiling a C/C++ project in Visual Studio"
+title: "C/C++ compiler reference - Visual Studio"
+description:"MSVC compiler toolset options."
 ms.date: "12/10/2018"
 helpviewer_keywords: ["cl.exe compiler", "cl.exe compiler, setting options"]
 ms.assetid: f3eef5ab-d0be-4fb2-90f9-927e6ed58736
@@ -10,7 +11,7 @@ C and C++ compiler options can be set either in the Visual Studio IDE or on the
 
 ## In Visual Studio
 
-You can set compiler options for each project in its **Property Pages** dialog box. In the left pane, select **Configuration Properties**, **C/C++** and then choose the compiler option category. The topic for each compiler option describes how it can be set and where it is found in the development environment. See [Compiler Options](compiler-options.md) for a complete list.
+You can set compiler options for each project in its Visual Studio **Property Pages** dialog box. In the left pane, select **Configuration Properties**, **C/C++** and then choose the compiler option category. The topic for each compiler option describes how it can be set and where it is found in the development environment. See [Compiler Options](compiler-options.md) for a complete list.
 
 ## From the command line
 

docs/build/reference/msbuild-reference-cpp.md

@@ -22,7 +22,16 @@ Describes macros (compile-time constants) that can be used to define properties
 [File types created for C++ projects](file-types-created-for-visual-cpp-projects.md)<br/>
 Describes the various kinds of files that Visual Studio creates for different project types.
 
-[Property Pages (C++)](property-pages-visual-cpp.md)<br/>
+[Visual Studio C++ project templates](visual-cpp-project-types.md)<br>
+Describes the MSBuild-based project types that are available for C++.
+
+[C++ new item templates](using-visual-cpp-add-new-item-templates.md)<br>
+Describes source files and other items you can add to a Visual Studio project.
+
+[Precompiled header files](creating-precompiled-header-files.md)
+How to use precompiled header files and how to create your own custom precompiled code to speed up build times.
+
+[Visual Studio project property reference](property-pages-visual-cpp.md)<br/>
 Reference documentation for project properties that are set in the Visual Studio IDE.
 
 ## See Also