I am new to PureBasic so this may seem a moot question to some, please bare with me
If I want to have the option for a x32 and x64 compiler is it necessary to install both builds of PureBasic? Currently that is the way I have my preferences configured at the moment, with both versions installed...
Yes, you need to install both versions in separate directories. Additionally, you can
also install more different versions into additional directories.
You can use one IDE for all versions. Just open the IDE and add all installed compilers
in Preferences -> Compiler. After adding all installed versions to the IDE, you can
easily switch between compilers in compiler/project settings.