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How to Specify Relative Paths In Cmake?

5 minutes read

In CMake, you can specify relative paths by using the ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR} variable as a reference point. This variable represents the directory where the currently processed CMakeLists.txt file resides. You can use it to construct relative paths to other directories or files within the project.


For example, if you want to refer to a subdirectory src located in the same directory as the CMakeLists.txt file, you can use ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/src to specify the relative path. This approach allows you to maintain flexibility and portability in your project by avoiding hardcoding absolute paths.


By utilizing relative paths in CMake, you can easily navigate and organize your project structure without worrying about the specific file system layout on different platforms. It also makes it easier for other developers to understand and work with the project codebase.


How to specify relative paths in cmake for plugins?

In CMake, you can specify relative paths for plugins using the add_subdirectory() function.


Here's an example of how you can specify a relative path for a plugin in CMake:

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add_subdirectory(path/to/plugin)


In this code snippet, path/to/plugin is a relative path to the directory containing the plugin source code. When you use add_subdirectory(), CMake will include the plugin's CMakeLists.txt file and build it along with the rest of your project.


You can also use variables to specify relative paths for plugins in CMake. For example:

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set(PLUGIN_DIR path/to/plugin)
add_subdirectory(${PLUGIN_DIR})


In this code snippet, we define a variable PLUGIN_DIR with the relative path to the plugin directory and then use it in the add_subdirectory() function.


Using relative paths in this way allows you to easily include and build plugins within your CMake project without having to specify absolute paths.


How to specify relative paths in cmake for header files?

In CMake, you can specify relative paths for header files using the target_include_directories command. This command is used to specify the directories in which the target should search for header files.


To specify a relative path for a header file, you can use a relative path from the current CMakeLists.txt file to the directory containing the header file. Here is an example of how you can specify a relative path for a header file:

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target_include_directories(my_target PUBLIC
    "${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/include"
)


In this example, the target_include_directories command is used to specify that the target "my_target" should search for header files in the "include" directory that is located in the same directory as the current CMakeLists.txt file.


You can also use variables to specify relative paths for header files. For example, if you have a variable that specifies the relative path to a directory containing header files, you can use that variable in the target_include_directories command:

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set(HEADER_PATH "${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/include")

target_include_directories(my_target PUBLIC
    "${HEADER_PATH}"
)


Using relative paths for header files in CMake can help make your build system more flexible and portable, as it allows you to easily specify the locations of header files relative to your source code files.


What is the role of CMAKE_BINARY_DIR in specifying relative paths?

CMAKE_BINARY_DIR is a CMake variable that represents the directory where the built executable and library files will be generated. It is used to specify relative paths in CMake project files. By using CMAKE_BINARY_DIR in file paths, you can ensure that the paths remain correct regardless of where the built files are located on the system.


For example, if you want to specify a path to a generated executable file in a CMake project, you can use the ${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR} variable to refer to the directory where the executable will be created. This allows you to write platform-independent CMake scripts that will work correctly on different systems.


Overall, CMAKE_BINARY_DIR plays a key role in specifying relative paths in CMake project files, ensuring that the paths remain valid and consistent across different build environments.


How to specify relative paths in cmake for linking libraries?

In CMake, you can specify relative paths for linking libraries using the target_link_libraries command.


For example, if you have a library located in a subdirectory of your project, you can specify the relative path to the library using the ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR} variable.


Here is an example of how you can specify a relative path to a library located in a subdirectory:

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add_subdirectory(lib)

target_link_libraries(my_target
    PRIVATE
        lib::my_library
)


In this example, the library "my_library" is located in a subdirectory called "lib" in the project directory. By using the lib::my_library syntax, CMake will automatically add the correct include directories and link the library to the target.


It is important to note that the target_link_libraries command should be placed after the add_subdirectory command in order for CMake to properly locate the library.


How to specify relative paths in cmake for include directories?

To specify relative paths in CMake for include directories, you can use the ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR} variable to refer to the current source directory. For example, if you have a directory called include in your project directory and you want to include files from that directory, you can specify the include directory in your CMakeLists.txt file like this:

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include_directories(${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/include)


This way, CMake will look for header files in the include directory relative to the current source directory. You can use this approach to specify relative paths for include directories in your CMake project.


How to specify relative paths in cmake for version information?

In CMake, you can use the configure_file command to generate version information and specify relative paths. Here is an example of how you can specify relative paths in CMake for version information:

  1. Create a version.h.in file with placeholders for version information:
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#define PROJECT_VERSION_MAJOR @PROJECT_VERSION_MAJOR@
#define PROJECT_VERSION_MINOR @PROJECT_VERSION_MINOR@
#define PROJECT_VERSION_PATCH @PROJECT_VERSION_PATCH@


  1. In your CMakeLists.txt file, use the configure_file command to generate the version.h file with the version information:
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configure_file(version.h.in ${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/version.h @ONLY)


  1. Add the directory containing the generated version.h file to your include directories:
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include_directories(${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR})


  1. Include the version.h file in your source code to access the version information:
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#include "version.h"


  1. You can then use the PROJECT_VERSION_MAJOR, PROJECT_VERSION_MINOR, and PROJECT_VERSION_PATCH variables in your CMake configuration to set the version information:
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set(PROJECT_VERSION_MAJOR 1)
set(PROJECT_VERSION_MINOR 0)
set(PROJECT_VERSION_PATCH 0)


By following these steps, you can specify relative paths in CMake for version information using the configure_file command.

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