CODEWITHSUNDEEP
cmake
user1607549
user1607549

Reputation: 1569

CMake: How to get subdirectories to use source files from the root directory

I have this variable set in the root CMakeLists.txt

set(${LIBNAME}_srcs
File1.cpp
File2.cpp
File3.cpp
File4.cpp
File5.cpp
)
add_subdirectory(A)

and I want to add the variable as a source for the executable in the subdirectory A

add_executable(${TEST}}

What is the cleanest way to do this? without having to create a new variable with ../ on all the source files? Or is there a macro I can use?

Upvotes: 1

Views: 1227

Answers (2)

Fraser
Fraser

Reputation: 78448

You can insert the absolute path to each of the values in ${LIBNAME}_srcs by doing something like:

foreach(${LIBNAME}_src ${${LIBNAME}_srcs})
  list(APPEND abs_${LIBNAME}_srcs ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/${${LIBNAME}_src})
endforeach()

add_executable(${TEST} ${abs_${LIBNAME}_srcs})

Jumping to conclusions here, it looks like what you're doing may be a bit unusual.

Normally the add_executable call would be made in the same place where the list of source files is gathered - usually in the same directory.

Going by the fact that you've named your sources variable ${LIBNAME}_srcs, I'd guess that you're already creating a library from these sources. If so, it'd be better to just link that library in your test subdirectory rather than recompiling all the library's sources into the executable.

Something like:

add_executable(${TEST} test_main.cpp)
target_link_libraries(${TEST} ${LIBNAME})

Upvotes: 2

SethMMorton
SethMMorton

Reputation: 48815

When I add sources, I do something like this:

set(${LIBNAME}_srcs
${SRC}/File1.cpp
${SRC}/File2.cpp
${SRC}/File3.cpp
${SRC}/File4.cpp
${SRC}/File5.cpp
)

Where ${SRC} is the absolute path to the source directory found using ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}.

Then, you can simply use add_executable(${TEST} ${LIBNAME}_srcs) in your subdirectory. CMake will automatically import the scope of parent directories into child directories.

Upvotes: 0

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