| add_custom_command | |
| ------------------ | |
| Add a custom build rule to the generated build system. | |
| There are two main signatures for ``add_custom_command``. | |
| .. _`add_custom_command(OUTPUT)`: | |
| Generating Files | |
| ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ | |
| The first signature is for adding a custom command to produce an output: | |
| .. code-block:: cmake | |
| add_custom_command(OUTPUT output1 [output2 ...] | |
| COMMAND command1 [ARGS] [args1...] | |
| [COMMAND command2 [ARGS] [args2...] ...] | |
| [MAIN_DEPENDENCY depend] | |
| [DEPENDS [depends...]] | |
| [BYPRODUCTS [files...]] | |
| [IMPLICIT_DEPENDS <lang1> depend1 | |
| [<lang2> depend2] ...] | |
| [WORKING_DIRECTORY dir] | |
| [COMMENT comment] | |
| [DEPFILE depfile] | |
| [JOB_POOL job_pool] | |
| [JOB_SERVER_AWARE <bool>] | |
| [VERBATIM] [APPEND] [USES_TERMINAL] | |
| [CODEGEN] | |
| [COMMAND_EXPAND_LISTS] | |
| [DEPENDS_EXPLICIT_ONLY]) | |
| This defines a command to generate specified ``OUTPUT`` file(s). | |
| A target created in the same directory (``CMakeLists.txt`` file) | |
| that specifies any output of the custom command as a source file | |
| is given a rule to generate the file using the command at build time. | |
| Do not list the output in more than one independent target that | |
| may build in parallel or the instances of the rule may conflict. | |
| Instead, use the :command:`add_custom_target` command to drive the | |
| command and make the other targets depend on that one. See the | |
| `Example: Generating Files for Multiple Targets`_ below. | |
| The options are: | |
| ``APPEND`` | |
| Append the ``COMMAND`` and ``DEPENDS`` option values to the custom | |
| command for the first output specified. There must have already | |
| been a previous call to this command with the same output. | |
| If the previous call specified the output via a generator expression, | |
| the output specified by the current call must match in at least one | |
| configuration after evaluating generator expressions. In this case, | |
| the appended commands and dependencies apply to all configurations. | |
| The ``COMMENT``, ``MAIN_DEPENDENCY``, and ``WORKING_DIRECTORY`` | |
| options are currently ignored when ``APPEND`` is given, but may be | |
| used in the future. | |
| ``BYPRODUCTS`` | |
| .. versionadded:: 3.2 | |
| Specify the files the command is expected to produce but whose | |
| modification time may or may not be newer than the dependencies. | |
| If a byproduct name is a relative path it will be interpreted | |
| relative to the build tree directory corresponding to the | |
| current source directory. | |
| Each byproduct file will be marked with the :prop_sf:`GENERATED` | |
| source file property automatically. | |
| *See policy* :policy:`CMP0058` *for the motivation behind this feature.* | |
| Explicit specification of byproducts is supported by the | |
| :generator:`Ninja` generator to tell the ``ninja`` build tool | |
| how to regenerate byproducts when they are missing. It is | |
| also useful when other build rules (e.g. custom commands) | |
| depend on the byproducts. Ninja requires a build rule for any | |
| generated file on which another rule depends even if there are | |
| order-only dependencies to ensure the byproducts will be | |
| available before their dependents build. | |
| The :ref:`Makefile Generators` will remove ``BYPRODUCTS`` and other | |
| :prop_sf:`GENERATED` files during ``make clean``. | |
| This keyword cannot be used with ``APPEND`` (see policy :policy:`CMP0175`). | |
| All byproducts must be set in the first call to | |
| ``add_custom_command(OUTPUT...)`` for the output files. | |
| .. versionadded:: 3.20 | |
| Arguments to ``BYPRODUCTS`` may use a restricted set of | |
| :manual:`generator expressions <cmake-generator-expressions(7)>`. | |
| :ref:`Target-dependent expressions <Target-Dependent Expressions>` | |
| are not permitted. | |
| .. versionchanged:: 3.28 | |
| In targets using :ref:`file sets`, custom command byproducts are now | |
| considered private unless they are listed in a non-private file set. | |
| See policy :policy:`CMP0154`. | |
| ``COMMAND`` | |
| Specify the command-line(s) to execute at build time. | |
| At least one ``COMMAND`` would normally be given, but certain patterns | |
| may omit it, such as adding commands in separate calls using `APPEND`. | |
| If more than one ``COMMAND`` is specified, they will be executed in order, | |
| but *not* necessarily composed into a stateful shell or batch script. | |
| To run a full script, use the :command:`configure_file` command or the | |
| :command:`file(GENERATE)` command to create it, and then specify | |
| a ``COMMAND`` to launch it. | |
| The optional ``ARGS`` argument is for backward compatibility and | |
| will be ignored. | |
| If ``COMMAND`` specifies an executable target name (created by the | |
| :command:`add_executable` command), it will automatically be replaced | |
| by the location of the executable created at build time if either of | |
| the following is true: | |
| * The target is not being cross-compiled (i.e. the | |
| :variable:`CMAKE_CROSSCOMPILING` variable is not set to true). | |
| * .. versionadded:: 3.6 | |
| The target is being cross-compiled and an emulator is provided (i.e. | |
| its :prop_tgt:`CROSSCOMPILING_EMULATOR` target property is set). | |
| In this case, the contents of :prop_tgt:`CROSSCOMPILING_EMULATOR` will be | |
| prepended to the command before the location of the target executable. | |
| If neither of the above conditions are met, it is assumed that the | |
| command name is a program to be found on the ``PATH`` at build time. | |
| Arguments to ``COMMAND`` may use | |
| :manual:`generator expressions <cmake-generator-expressions(7)>`. | |
| Use the :genex:`TARGET_FILE` generator expression to refer to the location | |
| of a target later in the command line (i.e. as a command argument rather | |
| than as the command to execute). | |
| Whenever one of the following target based generator expressions are used as | |
| a command to execute or is mentioned in a command argument, a target-level | |
| dependency will be added automatically so that the mentioned target will be | |
| built before any target using this custom command | |
| (see policy :policy:`CMP0112`). | |
| * ``TARGET_FILE`` | |
| * ``TARGET_LINKER_FILE`` | |
| * ``TARGET_SONAME_FILE`` | |
| * ``TARGET_PDB_FILE`` | |
| This target-level dependency does NOT add a file-level dependency that would | |
| cause the custom command to re-run whenever the executable is recompiled. | |
| List target names with the ``DEPENDS`` option to add such file-level | |
| dependencies. | |
| ``COMMENT`` | |
| Display the given message before the commands are executed at | |
| build time. This will be ignored if ``APPEND`` is given, although a future | |
| version may use it. | |
| .. versionadded:: 3.26 | |
| Arguments to ``COMMENT`` may use | |
| :manual:`generator expressions <cmake-generator-expressions(7)>`. | |
| ``DEPENDS`` | |
| Specify files on which the command depends. Each argument is converted | |
| to a dependency as follows: | |
| 1. If the argument is the name of a target (created by the | |
| :command:`add_custom_target`, :command:`add_executable`, or | |
| :command:`add_library` command) a target-level dependency is | |
| created to make sure the target is built before any target | |
| using this custom command. Additionally, if the target is an | |
| executable or library, a file-level dependency is created to | |
| cause the custom command to re-run whenever the target is | |
| recompiled. | |
| 2. If the argument is an absolute path, a file-level dependency | |
| is created on that path. | |
| 3. If the argument is the name of a source file that has been | |
| added to a target or on which a source file property has been set, | |
| a file-level dependency is created on that source file. | |
| 4. If the argument is a relative path and it exists in the current | |
| source directory, a file-level dependency is created on that | |
| file in the current source directory. | |
| 5. Otherwise, a file-level dependency is created on that path relative | |
| to the current binary directory. | |
| If any dependency is an ``OUTPUT`` of another custom command in the same | |
| directory (``CMakeLists.txt`` file), CMake automatically brings the other | |
| custom command into the target in which this command is built. | |
| .. versionadded:: 3.16 | |
| A target-level dependency is added if any dependency is listed as | |
| ``BYPRODUCTS`` of a target or any of its build events in the same | |
| directory to ensure the byproducts will be available. | |
| If ``DEPENDS`` is not specified, the command will run whenever | |
| the ``OUTPUT`` is missing; if the command does not actually | |
| create the ``OUTPUT``, the rule will always run. | |
| .. versionadded:: 3.1 | |
| Arguments to ``DEPENDS`` may use | |
| :manual:`generator expressions <cmake-generator-expressions(7)>`. | |
| ``COMMAND_EXPAND_LISTS`` | |
| .. versionadded:: 3.8 | |
| Lists in ``COMMAND`` arguments will be expanded, including those | |
| created with | |
| :manual:`generator expressions <cmake-generator-expressions(7)>`, | |
| allowing ``COMMAND`` arguments such as | |
| ``${CC} "-I$<JOIN:$<TARGET_PROPERTY:foo,INCLUDE_DIRECTORIES>,;-I>" foo.cc`` | |
| to be properly expanded. | |
| This keyword cannot be used with ``APPEND`` (see policy :policy:`CMP0175`). | |
| If the appended commands need this option to be set, it must be set on the | |
| first call to ``add_custom_command(OUTPUT...)`` for the output files. | |
| ``CODEGEN`` | |
| .. versionadded:: 3.31 | |
| Adds the custom command to a global ``codegen`` target that can be | |
| used to execute the custom command while avoiding the majority of the | |
| build graph. | |
| This option is supported only by :ref:`Ninja Generators` and | |
| :ref:`Makefile Generators`, and is ignored by other generators. | |
| Furthermore, this option is allowed only if policy :policy:`CMP0171` | |
| is set to ``NEW``. | |
| This keyword cannot be used with ``APPEND`` (see policy :policy:`CMP0175`). | |
| It can only be set on the first call to ``add_custom_command(OUTPUT...)`` | |
| for the output files. | |
| ``IMPLICIT_DEPENDS`` | |
| Request scanning of implicit dependencies of an input file. | |
| The language given specifies the programming language whose | |
| corresponding dependency scanner should be used. | |
| Currently only ``C`` and ``CXX`` language scanners are supported. | |
| The language has to be specified for every file in the | |
| ``IMPLICIT_DEPENDS`` list. Dependencies discovered from the | |
| scanning are added to those of the custom command at build time. | |
| Note that the ``IMPLICIT_DEPENDS`` option is currently supported | |
| only for Makefile generators and will be ignored by other generators. | |
| .. note:: | |
| This option cannot be specified at the same time as ``DEPFILE`` option. | |
| ``JOB_POOL`` | |
| .. versionadded:: 3.15 | |
| Specify a :prop_gbl:`pool <JOB_POOLS>` for the :generator:`Ninja` | |
| generator. Incompatible with ``USES_TERMINAL``, which implies | |
| the ``console`` pool. | |
| Using a pool that is not defined by :prop_gbl:`JOB_POOLS` causes | |
| an error by ninja at build time. | |
| This keyword cannot be used with ``APPEND`` (see policy :policy:`CMP0175`). | |
| Job pools can only be specified in the first call to | |
| ``add_custom_command(OUTPUT...)`` for the output files. | |
| ``JOB_SERVER_AWARE`` | |
| .. versionadded:: 3.28 | |
| Specify that the command is GNU Make job server aware. | |
| For the :generator:`Unix Makefiles`, :generator:`MSYS Makefiles`, and | |
| :generator:`MinGW Makefiles` generators this will add the ``+`` prefix to the | |
| recipe line. See the `GNU Make Documentation`_ for more information. | |
| This option is silently ignored by other generators. | |
| This keyword cannot be used with ``APPEND`` (see policy :policy:`CMP0175`). | |
| Job server awareness can only be specified in the first call to | |
| ``add_custom_command(OUTPUT...)`` for the output files. | |
| .. _`GNU Make Documentation`: https://www.gnu.org/software/make/manual/html_node/MAKE-Variable.html | |
| ``MAIN_DEPENDENCY`` | |
| Specify the primary input source file to the command. This is | |
| treated just like any value given to the ``DEPENDS`` option | |
| but also suggests to Visual Studio generators where to hang | |
| the custom command. Each source file may have at most one command | |
| specifying it as its main dependency. A compile command (i.e. for a | |
| library or an executable) counts as an implicit main dependency which | |
| gets silently overwritten by a custom command specification. | |
| This option is currently ignored if ``APPEND`` is given, but a future | |
| version may use it. | |
| ``OUTPUT`` | |
| Specify the output files the command is expected to produce. | |
| Each output file will be marked with the :prop_sf:`GENERATED` | |
| source file property automatically. | |
| If the output of the custom command is not actually created | |
| as a file on disk it should be marked with the :prop_sf:`SYMBOLIC` | |
| source file property. | |
| If an output file name is a relative path, its absolute path is | |
| determined by interpreting it relative to: | |
| 1. the build directory corresponding to the current source directory | |
| (:variable:`CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR`), or | |
| 2. the current source directory (:variable:`CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR`). | |
| The path in the build directory is preferred unless the path in the | |
| source tree is mentioned as an absolute source file path elsewhere | |
| in the current directory. | |
| The output file path may not contain ``<`` or ``>`` characters. | |
| .. versionadded:: 3.20 | |
| Arguments to ``OUTPUT`` may use a restricted set of | |
| :manual:`generator expressions <cmake-generator-expressions(7)>`. | |
| :ref:`Target-dependent expressions <Target-Dependent Expressions>` | |
| are not permitted. | |
| .. versionchanged:: 3.28 | |
| In targets using :ref:`file sets`, custom command outputs are now | |
| considered private unless they are listed in a non-private file set. | |
| See policy :policy:`CMP0154`. | |
| .. versionchanged:: 3.30 | |
| The output file path may now use ``#`` characters, except | |
| when using the :generator:`Borland Makefiles` generator. | |
| ``USES_TERMINAL`` | |
| .. versionadded:: 3.2 | |
| The command will be given direct access to the terminal if possible. | |
| With the :generator:`Ninja` generator, this places the command in | |
| the ``console`` :prop_gbl:`pool <JOB_POOLS>`. | |
| This keyword cannot be used with ``APPEND`` (see policy :policy:`CMP0175`). | |
| If the appended commands need access to the terminal, it must be set on | |
| the first call to ``add_custom_command(OUTPUT...)`` for the output files. | |
| ``VERBATIM`` | |
| All arguments to the commands will be escaped properly for the | |
| build tool so that the invoked command receives each argument | |
| unchanged. Note that one level of escapes is still used by the | |
| CMake language processor before add_custom_command even sees the | |
| arguments. Use of ``VERBATIM`` is recommended as it enables | |
| correct behavior. When ``VERBATIM`` is not given the behavior | |
| is platform specific because there is no protection of | |
| tool-specific special characters. | |
| This keyword cannot be used with ``APPEND`` (see policy :policy:`CMP0175`). | |
| If the appended commands need to be treated as ``VERBATIM``, it must be set | |
| on the first call to ``add_custom_command(OUTPUT...)`` for the output files. | |
| ``WORKING_DIRECTORY`` | |
| Execute the command with the given current working directory. | |
| If it is a relative path, it will be interpreted relative to the | |
| build tree directory corresponding to the current source directory. | |
| This option is currently ignored if ``APPEND`` is given, but a future | |
| version may use it. | |
| .. versionadded:: 3.13 | |
| Arguments to ``WORKING_DIRECTORY`` may use | |
| :manual:`generator expressions <cmake-generator-expressions(7)>`. | |
| ``DEPFILE`` | |
| .. versionadded:: 3.7 | |
| Specify a depfile which holds dependencies for the custom command. It is | |
| usually emitted by the custom command itself. This keyword may only be used | |
| if the generator supports it, as detailed below. | |
| The expected format, compatible with what is generated by ``gcc`` with the | |
| option ``-M``, is independent of the generator or platform. | |
| The formal syntax, as specified using | |
| `BNF <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Backus%E2%80%93Naur_form>`_ notation with | |
| the regular extensions, is the following: | |
| .. raw:: latex | |
| \begin{small} | |
| .. productionlist:: depfile | |
| depfile: `rule`* | |
| rule: `targets` (':' (`separator` `dependencies`?)?)? `eol` | |
| targets: `target` (`separator` `target`)* `separator`* | |
| target: `pathname` | |
| dependencies: `dependency` (`separator` `dependency`)* `separator`* | |
| dependency: `pathname` | |
| separator: (`space` | `line_continue`)+ | |
| line_continue: '\' `eol` | |
| space: ' ' | '\t' | |
| pathname: `character`+ | |
| character: `std_character` | `dollar` | `hash` | `whitespace` | |
| std_character: <any character except '$', '#' or ' '> | |
| dollar: '$$' | |
| hash: '\#' | |
| whitespace: '\ ' | |
| eol: '\r'? '\n' | |
| .. raw:: latex | |
| \end{small} | |
| .. note:: | |
| As part of ``pathname``, any slash and backslash is interpreted as | |
| a directory separator. | |
| .. versionadded:: 3.7 | |
| The :generator:`Ninja` generator supports ``DEPFILE`` since the keyword | |
| was first added. | |
| .. versionadded:: 3.17 | |
| Added the :generator:`Ninja Multi-Config` generator, which included | |
| support for the ``DEPFILE`` keyword. | |
| .. versionadded:: 3.20 | |
| Added support for :ref:`Makefile Generators`. | |
| .. note:: | |
| ``DEPFILE`` cannot be specified at the same time as the | |
| ``IMPLICIT_DEPENDS`` option for :ref:`Makefile Generators`. | |
| .. versionadded:: 3.21 | |
| Added support for :ref:`Visual Studio Generators` with VS 2012 and above, | |
| and for the :generator:`Xcode` generator. Support for | |
| :manual:`generator expressions <cmake-generator-expressions(7)>` was also | |
| added. | |
| .. versionadded:: 3.29 | |
| The :ref:`Ninja Generators` will now incorporate the dependencies into its | |
| "deps log" database if the file is not listed in ``OUTPUTS`` or | |
| ``BYPRODUCTS``. | |
| Using ``DEPFILE`` with generators other than those listed above is an error. | |
| If the ``DEPFILE`` argument is relative, it should be relative to | |
| :variable:`CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR`, and any relative paths inside the | |
| ``DEPFILE`` should also be relative to :variable:`CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR`. | |
| See policy :policy:`CMP0116`, which is always ``NEW`` for | |
| :ref:`Makefile Generators`, :ref:`Visual Studio Generators`, | |
| and the :generator:`Xcode` generator. | |
| This keyword cannot be used with ``APPEND`` (see policy :policy:`CMP0175`). | |
| Depfiles can only be set on the first call to | |
| ``add_custom_command(OUTPUT...)`` for the output files. | |
| ``DEPENDS_EXPLICIT_ONLY`` | |
| .. versionadded:: 3.27 | |
| Indicates that the command's ``DEPENDS`` argument represents all files | |
| required by the command and implicit dependencies are not required. | |
| Without this option, if any target uses the output of the custom command, | |
| CMake will consider that target's dependencies as implicit dependencies for | |
| the custom command in case this custom command requires files implicitly | |
| created by those targets. | |
| This option can be enabled on all custom commands by setting | |
| :variable:`CMAKE_ADD_CUSTOM_COMMAND_DEPENDS_EXPLICIT_ONLY` to ``ON``. | |
| This keyword cannot be used with ``APPEND`` (see policy :policy:`CMP0175`). | |
| It can only be set on the first call to ``add_custom_command(OUTPUT...)`` | |
| for the output files. | |
| Only the :ref:`Ninja Generators` actually use this information to remove | |
| unnecessary implicit dependencies. | |
| See also the :prop_tgt:`OPTIMIZE_DEPENDENCIES` target property, which may | |
| provide another way for reducing the impact of target dependencies in some | |
| scenarios. | |
| Examples: Generating Files | |
| ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ | |
| Custom commands may be used to generate source files. | |
| For example, the code: | |
| .. code-block:: cmake | |
| add_custom_command( | |
| OUTPUT out.c | |
| COMMAND someTool -i ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/in.txt | |
| -o out.c | |
| DEPENDS ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/in.txt | |
| VERBATIM) | |
| add_library(myLib out.c) | |
| adds a custom command to run ``someTool`` to generate ``out.c`` and then | |
| compile the generated source as part of a library. The generation rule | |
| will re-run whenever ``in.txt`` changes. | |
| .. versionadded:: 3.20 | |
| One may use generator expressions to specify per-configuration outputs. | |
| For example, the code: | |
| .. code-block:: cmake | |
| add_custom_command( | |
| OUTPUT "out-$<CONFIG>.c" | |
| COMMAND someTool -i ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/in.txt | |
| -o "out-$<CONFIG>.c" | |
| -c "$<CONFIG>" | |
| DEPENDS ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/in.txt | |
| VERBATIM) | |
| add_library(myLib "out-$<CONFIG>.c") | |
| adds a custom command to run ``someTool`` to generate ``out-<config>.c``, | |
| where ``<config>`` is the build configuration, and then compile the generated | |
| source as part of a library. | |
| .. versionadded:: 3.31 | |
| Use the ``CODEGEN`` option to add a custom command's outputs to the builtin | |
| ``codegen`` target. This is useful to make generated code available for | |
| static analysis without building the entire project. For example: | |
| .. code-block:: cmake | |
| add_executable(someTool someTool.c) | |
| add_custom_command( | |
| OUTPUT out.c | |
| COMMAND someTool -o out.c | |
| CODEGEN) | |
| add_library(myLib out.c) | |
| A user may build the ``codegen`` target to generate ``out.c``. | |
| ``someTool`` is built as dependency, but ``myLib`` is not built at all. | |
| Example: Generating Files for Multiple Targets | |
| """""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" | |
| If multiple independent targets need the same custom command output, | |
| it must be attached to a single custom target on which they all depend. | |
| Consider the following example: | |
| .. code-block:: cmake | |
| add_custom_command( | |
| OUTPUT table.csv | |
| COMMAND makeTable -i ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/input.dat | |
| -o table.csv | |
| DEPENDS ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/input.dat | |
| VERBATIM) | |
| add_custom_target(generate_table_csv DEPENDS table.csv) | |
| add_custom_command( | |
| OUTPUT foo.cxx | |
| COMMAND genFromTable -i table.csv -case foo -o foo.cxx | |
| DEPENDS table.csv # file-level dependency | |
| generate_table_csv # target-level dependency | |
| VERBATIM) | |
| add_library(foo foo.cxx) | |
| add_custom_command( | |
| OUTPUT bar.cxx | |
| COMMAND genFromTable -i table.csv -case bar -o bar.cxx | |
| DEPENDS table.csv # file-level dependency | |
| generate_table_csv # target-level dependency | |
| VERBATIM) | |
| add_library(bar bar.cxx) | |
| Output ``foo.cxx`` is needed only by target ``foo`` and output ``bar.cxx`` | |
| is needed only by target ``bar``, but *both* targets need ``table.csv``, | |
| transitively. Since ``foo`` and ``bar`` are independent targets that may | |
| build concurrently, we prevent them from racing to generate ``table.csv`` | |
| by placing its custom command in a separate target, ``generate_table_csv``. | |
| The custom commands generating ``foo.cxx`` and ``bar.cxx`` each specify a | |
| target-level dependency on ``generate_table_csv``, so the targets using them, | |
| ``foo`` and ``bar``, will not build until after target ``generate_table_csv`` | |
| is built. | |
| .. _`add_custom_command(TARGET)`: | |
| Build Events | |
| ^^^^^^^^^^^^ | |
| The second signature adds a custom command to a target such as a | |
| library or executable. This is useful for performing an operation | |
| before or after building the target. The command becomes part of the | |
| target and will only execute when the target itself is built. If the | |
| target is already built, the command will not execute. | |
| .. code-block:: cmake | |
| add_custom_command(TARGET <target> | |
| PRE_BUILD | PRE_LINK | POST_BUILD | |
| COMMAND command1 [ARGS] [args1...] | |
| [COMMAND command2 [ARGS] [args2...] ...] | |
| [BYPRODUCTS [files...]] | |
| [WORKING_DIRECTORY dir] | |
| [COMMENT comment] | |
| [VERBATIM] | |
| [COMMAND_EXPAND_LISTS] | |
| [USES_TERMINAL]) | |
| This defines a new command that will be associated with building the | |
| specified ``<target>``. The ``<target>`` must be defined in the current | |
| directory; targets defined in other directories may not be specified. | |
| When the command will happen is determined by which | |
| of the following is specified: | |
| ``PRE_BUILD`` | |
| This option has unique behavior for the :ref:`Visual Studio Generators`. | |
| When using one of the Visual Studio generators, the command will run before | |
| any other rules are executed within the target. With all other generators, | |
| this option behaves the same as ``PRE_LINK`` instead. Because of this, | |
| it is recommended to avoid using ``PRE_BUILD`` except when it is known that | |
| a Visual Studio generator is being used. | |
| ``PRE_LINK`` | |
| Run after sources have been compiled but before linking the binary | |
| or running the librarian or archiver tool of a static library. | |
| This is not defined for targets created by the | |
| :command:`add_custom_target` command. | |
| ``POST_BUILD`` | |
| Run after all other rules within the target have been executed. | |
| Projects should always specify one of the above three keywords when using | |
| the ``TARGET`` form. See policy :policy:`CMP0175`. | |
| All other keywords shown in the signature above have the same meaning as they | |
| do for the :command:`add_custom_command(OUTPUT)` form of the command. | |
| At least one ``COMMAND`` must be given, see policy :policy:`CMP0175`. | |
| .. note:: | |
| Because generator expressions can be used in custom commands, | |
| it is possible to define ``COMMAND`` lines or whole custom commands | |
| which evaluate to empty strings for certain configurations. | |
| For :ref:`Visual Studio Generators` these command | |
| lines or custom commands will be omitted for the specific | |
| configuration and no "empty-string-command" will be added. | |
| This allows adding individual build events for every configuration. | |
| .. versionadded:: 3.21 | |
| Support for target-dependent generator expressions. | |
| .. versionadded:: 3.29 | |
| The ``<target>`` may be an :ref:`ALIAS target <Alias Targets>`. | |
| Examples: Build Events | |
| ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ | |
| A ``POST_BUILD`` event may be used to post-process a binary after linking. | |
| For example, the code: | |
| .. code-block:: cmake | |
| add_executable(myExe myExe.c) | |
| add_custom_command( | |
| TARGET myExe POST_BUILD | |
| COMMAND someHasher -i "$<TARGET_FILE:myExe>" | |
| -o "$<TARGET_FILE:myExe>.hash" | |
| VERBATIM) | |
| will run ``someHasher`` to produce a ``.hash`` file next to the executable | |
| after linking. | |
| .. versionadded:: 3.20 | |
| One may use generator expressions to specify per-configuration byproducts. | |
| For example, the code: | |
| .. code-block:: cmake | |
| add_library(myPlugin MODULE myPlugin.c) | |
| add_custom_command( | |
| TARGET myPlugin POST_BUILD | |
| COMMAND someHasher -i "$<TARGET_FILE:myPlugin>" | |
| --as-code "myPlugin-hash-$<CONFIG>.c" | |
| BYPRODUCTS "myPlugin-hash-$<CONFIG>.c" | |
| VERBATIM) | |
| add_executable(myExe myExe.c "myPlugin-hash-$<CONFIG>.c") | |
| will run ``someHasher`` after linking ``myPlugin``, e.g. to produce a ``.c`` | |
| file containing code to check the hash of ``myPlugin`` that the ``myExe`` | |
| executable can use to verify it before loading. | |
| Ninja Multi-Config | |
| ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ | |
| .. versionadded:: 3.20 | |
| ``add_custom_command`` supports the :generator:`Ninja Multi-Config` | |
| generator's cross-config capabilities. See the generator documentation | |
| for more information. | |
| See Also | |
| ^^^^^^^^ | |
| * :command:`add_custom_target` | |