CMake supports setting compile flags in a number of different ways:
-
using target_compile_definitions() function
-
using the CMAKE_C_FLAGS and CMAKE_CXX_FLAGS variables.
The files in this tutorial are below:
$ tree
.
├── CMakeLists.txt
├── main.cpp-
CMakeLists.txt - Contains the CMake commands you wish to run
-
main.cpp - The source file with main
The recommended way to set C++ flags in modern CMake is to use per-target flags which can be populated to other targets through the target_compile_definitions() function. This will populate the INTERFACE_COMPILE_DEFINITIONS for the library and push the definition to the linked target depending on the scope.
target_compile_definitions(cmake_examples_compile_flags
PRIVATE EX3
)This will cause the compiler to add the definition -DEX3 when compiling the target.
If the target was a library and the scope PUBLIC or INTERFACE has been chosen the definition would also be included in any executables that link this target.
For compiler options you can also use the target_compile_options() function.
The default CMAKE_CXX_FLAGS is either empty or contains the appropriate flags
for the build type.
To set additional default compile flags you can add the following to your top level CMakeLists.txt
set (CMAKE_CXX_FLAGS "${CMAKE_CXX_FLAGS} -DEX2" CACHE STRING "Set C++ Compiler Flags" FORCE)Similarly to CMAKE_CXX_FLAGS other options include:
-
Setting C compiler flags using CMAKE_C_FLAGS
-
Setting linker flags using CMAKE_LINKER_FLAGS.
|
Note
|
The values For more details, see here |
Once set the CMAKE_C_FLAGS and CMAKE_CXX_FLAGS will set a compiler flag / definition globally for all targets in this directory or any included sub-directories. This method is not recommended for general usage now and the target_compile_definitions function is preferred.
$ mkdir build
$ cd build/
$ cmake ..
-- The C compiler identification is GNU 4.8.4
-- The CXX compiler identification is GNU 4.8.4
-- Check for working C compiler: /usr/bin/cc
-- Check for working C compiler: /usr/bin/cc -- works
-- Detecting C compiler ABI info
-- Detecting C compiler ABI info - done
-- Check for working CXX compiler: /usr/bin/c++
-- Check for working CXX compiler: /usr/bin/c++ -- works
-- Detecting CXX compiler ABI info
-- Detecting CXX compiler ABI info - done
-- Configuring done
-- Generating done
-- Build files have been written to: /home/matrim/workspace/cmake-examples/01-basic/G-compile-flags/build
$ make VERBOSE=1
/usr/bin/cmake -H/home/matrim/workspace/cmake-examples/01-basic/G-compile-flags -B/home/matrim/workspace/cmake-examples/01-basic/G-compile-flags/build --check-build-system CMakeFiles/Makefile.cmake 0
/usr/bin/cmake -E cmake_progress_start /home/matrim/workspace/cmake-examples/01-basic/G-compile-flags/build/CMakeFiles /home/matrim/workspace/cmake-examples/01-basic/G-compile-flags/build/CMakeFiles/progress.marks
make -f CMakeFiles/Makefile2 all
make[1]: Entering directory `/home/matrim/workspace/cmake-examples/01-basic/G-compile-flags/build'
make -f CMakeFiles/cmake_examples_compile_flags.dir/build.make CMakeFiles/cmake_examples_compile_flags.dir/depend
make[2]: Entering directory `/home/matrim/workspace/cmake-examples/01-basic/G-compile-flags/build'
cd /home/matrim/workspace/cmake-examples/01-basic/G-compile-flags/build && /usr/bin/cmake -E cmake_depends "Unix Makefiles" /home/matrim/workspace/cmake-examples/01-basic/G-compile-flags /home/matrim/workspace/cmake-examples/01-basic/G-compile-flags /home/matrim/workspace/cmake-examples/01-basic/G-compile-flags/build /home/matrim/workspace/cmake-examples/01-basic/G-compile-flags/build /home/matrim/workspace/cmake-examples/01-basic/G-compile-flags/build/CMakeFiles/cmake_examples_compile_flags.dir/DependInfo.cmake --color=
Dependee "/home/matrim/workspace/cmake-examples/01-basic/G-compile-flags/build/CMakeFiles/cmake_examples_compile_flags.dir/DependInfo.cmake" is newer than depender "/home/matrim/workspace/cmake-examples/01-basic/G-compile-flags/build/CMakeFiles/cmake_examples_compile_flags.dir/depend.internal".
Dependee "/home/matrim/workspace/cmake-examples/01-basic/G-compile-flags/build/CMakeFiles/CMakeDirectoryInformation.cmake" is newer than depender "/home/matrim/workspace/cmake-examples/01-basic/G-compile-flags/build/CMakeFiles/cmake_examples_compile_flags.dir/depend.internal".
Scanning dependencies of target cmake_examples_compile_flags
make[2]: Leaving directory `/home/matrim/workspace/cmake-examples/01-basic/G-compile-flags/build'
make -f CMakeFiles/cmake_examples_compile_flags.dir/build.make CMakeFiles/cmake_examples_compile_flags.dir/build
make[2]: Entering directory `/home/matrim/workspace/cmake-examples/01-basic/G-compile-flags/build'
/usr/bin/cmake -E cmake_progress_report /home/matrim/workspace/cmake-examples/01-basic/G-compile-flags/build/CMakeFiles 1
[100%] Building CXX object CMakeFiles/cmake_examples_compile_flags.dir/main.cpp.o
/usr/bin/c++ -DEX2 -o CMakeFiles/cmake_examples_compile_flags.dir/main.cpp.o -c /home/matrim/workspace/cmake-examples/01-basic/G-compile-flags/main.cpp
Linking CXX executable cmake_examples_compile_flags
/usr/bin/cmake -E cmake_link_script CMakeFiles/cmake_examples_compile_flags.dir/link.txt --verbose=1
/usr/bin/c++ -DEX2 CMakeFiles/cmake_examples_compile_flags.dir/main.cpp.o -o cmake_examples_compile_flags -rdynamic
make[2]: Leaving directory `/home/matrim/workspace/cmake-examples/01-basic/G-compile-flags/build'
/usr/bin/cmake -E cmake_progress_report /home/matrim/workspace/cmake-examples/01-basic/G-compile-flags/build/CMakeFiles 1
[100%] Built target cmake_examples_compile_flags
make[1]: Leaving directory `/home/matrim/workspace/cmake-examples/01-basic/G-compile-flags/build'
/usr/bin/cmake -E cmake_progress_start /home/matrim/workspace/cmake-examples/01-basic/G-compile-flags/build/CMakeFiles 0