How to Define A List Of Files Matching A Pattern In Cmake?

In CMake, you can define a list of files matching a certain pattern by using the file(GLOB) command. This command allows you to specify a pattern using wildcards and generate a list of files that match that pattern. For example, if you want to define a list of all .cpp files in a directory, you can use the following syntax:

1

file(GLOB CPP_FILES "*.cpp")

This will generate a list of all .cpp files in the current directory and store them in the variable CPP_FILES. Keep in mind that using file(GLOB) is not recommended for large projects as it re-evaluates the file list every time CMake is run, which can lead to unexpected behavior. It is better to explicitly list the files in the CMakeLists.txt file to avoid any issues.

What is the glob command in CMake used for?

The glob command in CMake is used to retrieve a list of files that match a specified globbing expression (wildcard pattern). This command is useful for automatically generating lists of source files, header files, or any other kind of files in a project. It can simplify the process of adding new files to a project, as it avoids having to manually update file lists whenever new files are added or removed.

How to define a list of directories matching a pattern in CMake?

To define a list of directories that match a pattern in CMake, you can use the file(GLOB) command to search for directories that match the pattern. Here's an example of how you can define a list of directories matching a pattern in CMake:

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8

# Search for directories matching a pattern
file(GLOB directories_list RELATIVE ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR} "path/to/directory/*")

# Show the list of directories
message("List of directories matching the pattern:")
foreach(directory ${directories_list})
    message("${directory}")
endforeach()

In this example, the file(GLOB) command searches for directories inside the "path/to/directory/" directory and stores them in the directories_list variable. The RELATIVE option is used to specify that the path should be relative to the current source directory. Finally, the message command is used to display the list of directories that match the pattern.

You can customize the search pattern inside the file(GLOB) command to match your specific requirements. Just replace "path/to/directory/*" with the pattern that you want to search for.

What is the command for sorting files in CMake?

The command for sorting files in CMake is sort.

For example:

1

list(SORT <list_variable>)

This command is used to sort a list of strings or variables in alphabetical order.

How to define a list of files in a specific order in CMake?

In CMake, you can define a list of files in a specific order using the set command. You can specify the order of files by listing them in the desired order within the set command. Here's an example:

1
2
3
4
5

set(file_list
    file1.cpp
    file2.cpp
    file3.cpp
)

Alternatively, you can also use the add_executable or add_library command to define a target with a list of source files in a specific order. Here's an example:

1
2
3
4
5

add_executable(my_executable
    file1.cpp
    file2.cpp
    file3.cpp
)

In this example, the source files file1.cpp, file2.cpp, and file3.cpp will be compiled and linked in the specified order when building the my_executable target.

You can customize the order of files within a target by specifying them in the desired order when using the add_executable or add_library command.