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| 1 | +# How to use CMake |
| 2 | + |
| 3 | +This document gives an overview of the basics of cmake and how to use |
| 4 | +it to make libraries and executables for `pod-embedded`. |
| 5 | + |
| 6 | +## Cmake basics |
| 7 | + |
| 8 | +CMake projects are specified using a `CMakeFiles.txt` in each |
| 9 | +library/exectutable directory. |
| 10 | + |
| 11 | +### Basic CMakeFiles.txt layout |
| 12 | +A top level CMakeFiles.txt always contains a `cmake_minimum_required` |
| 13 | +and a `project` declaration. The rest is populated with `add_subdirectory`, |
| 14 | +calls, which include CMakeFiles.txts from subdirectories. |
| 15 | + |
| 16 | +### Variables |
| 17 | +CMake varaibles are specified using `set(VARIABLE_NAME value...)`, which |
| 18 | +sets the variable `VARIABLE_NAME` to any subsequent values (multiple values |
| 19 | +will make a list.) |
| 20 | + |
| 21 | +Eg: |
| 22 | + |
| 23 | +``` |
| 24 | +#set importantDirectory to /usr/local/bin |
| 25 | +set(importantDirectory /usr/local/bin) |
| 26 | +
|
| 27 | +#set libraries to list containing middleware, drivers, utils |
| 28 | +set(libraries middleware |
| 29 | + drivers |
| 30 | + utils) |
| 31 | +``` |
| 32 | + |
| 33 | +The fundametnal primitives when defining a cmake project are |
| 34 | +executables and libraries. |
| 35 | + |
| 36 | +## Making a library |
| 37 | + |
| 38 | +To create a library that is imported by other executables, we use the following |
| 39 | + |
| 40 | +``` |
| 41 | +#Define the project for the library |
| 42 | +project(foobarlib VERSION 1.0 |
| 43 | + DESCRIPTION "The foobar library" |
| 44 | + LANGUAGES CXX) |
| 45 | +
|
| 46 | +#Define the library target called foobar with all of its source directories |
| 47 | +#Files specified with respect to CMakeLists.txt for the library |
| 48 | +add_library(foobar src/somefile.c |
| 49 | + src/bin.c |
| 50 | + src/baz.c) |
| 51 | +
|
| 52 | +#Add any header files by specifying the include directory, in this case |
| 53 | +#called include |
| 54 | +target_include_directories(foobar PUBLIC include) |
| 55 | +
|
| 56 | +#add any library dependencies |
| 57 | +target_link_libraries(foobar PUBLIC someotherlibrary verynicedependency) |
| 58 | +target_link_libraries(foobar PRIVATE thisonelibrary) |
| 59 | +
|
| 60 | +#export library to cmake file so it can be imported elsewhere |
| 61 | +export(TARGETS foobar FILE FoobarConfig.cmake) |
| 62 | +``` |
| 63 | + |
| 64 | +In this example we define a project called `foobarlib` in its own CMakeLists.txt |
| 65 | +and define a library called `foobar` with its respective source files. |
| 66 | +Then any header files are added by specifying an include directory with `target_include_directories(...)`. Then we link any other libraries `foobar` depends on with `target_link_libraries(...)`. Finally we export the library using `export(...)` so the library can be imported elsewhere in the project. |
| 67 | + |
| 68 | +### PUBLIC vs PRIVATE vs INTERFACE |
| 69 | +Whenever a dependency is specified for a project, you must specify if that dependency |
| 70 | +is `PUBLIC`, `PRIVATE` or `INTERFACE`. This changes the availability of the dependencies |
| 71 | +you're adding to any project that depends on the library you're writing. |
| 72 | + |
| 73 | +For example, if library `foo` depends on library `bar` publically, then |
| 74 | +any library that depends on `foo` will be linked with headers from `bar`. |
| 75 | + |
| 76 | +The rule of thumb is: |
| 77 | + |
| 78 | + * If your source files depend on the library, make it `PRIVATE`. |
| 79 | + * If your header files depend on the library, make it `INTERFACE` |
| 80 | + * If both of the above are true, make it `PUBLIC` |
| 81 | + |
| 82 | +Dependencies for executables should always be `PRIVATE`. |
| 83 | + |
| 84 | +## Making an executable |
| 85 | + |
| 86 | +To make an executable, simply use |
| 87 | + |
| 88 | +``` |
| 89 | +add_executable(binaryName, sourceFile1.c |
| 90 | + sourceFile2.c |
| 91 | + sourceFileN.c) |
| 92 | +``` |
| 93 | + |
| 94 | +and specify includes and dependencies with `target_include_directories(...)` and `target_link_libraries(...)` in the same way as with libraries. |
| 95 | + |
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