Changing CMake files standard location

Question

I have a source directory with a folder called "phantom-dir/" where I put all generated files I don't need. I want to put all generated files by CMake inside this phantom directory (together with other generated and "ugly" files).

A mini example:

$ mkdir cmake-test
$ cd cmake-test
$ echo 'message("Hello World!")' > CMakeLists.txt
$ cmake . | grep "Hello"
Hello World!
$ tree
.
├── CMakeCache.txt
├── CMakeFiles
│   ├── CMakeCCompiler.cmake
│   ├── cmake.check_cache
│   ├── CMakeCXXCompiler.cmake
│   ├── CMakeDetermineCompilerABI_C.bin
│   ├── CMakeDetermineCompilerABI_CXX.bin
│   ├── CMakeDirectoryInformation.cmake
│   ├── CMakeOutput.log
│   ├── CMakeSystem.cmake
│   ├── CMakeTmp
│   ├── CompilerIdC
│   │   ├── a.out
│   │   └── CMakeCCompilerId.c
│   ├── CompilerIdCXX
│   │   ├── a.out
│   │   └── CMakeCXXCompilerId.cpp
│   ├── Makefile2
│   ├── Makefile.cmake
│   ├── progress.marks
│   └── TargetDirectories.txt
├── cmake_install.cmake
├── CMakeLists.txt
└── Makefile

4 directories, 20 files

By default, all CMake files (CMakeCache.txt, cmake_install.cmake, Makefile, CMakeFiles) are written in the working directory. But, I want something like that:

$ mkdir cmake-test
$ cd cmake-test
$ mkdir phantom-dir
$ echo 'message("Hello World!")' > CMakeLists.txt
$ // editing CMakeLists.txt to set some cmake variables.
$ cmake . | grep "Hello"
Hello World!
$ tree
.
├── phantom-dir
│   ├── CMakeCache.txt
│   ├── CMakeFiles
│   │   ├── CMakeCCompiler.cmake
│   │   ├── cmake.check_cache
│   │   ├── CMakeCXXCompiler.cmake
│   │   ├── CMakeDetermineCompilerABI_C.bin
│   │   ├── CMakeDetermineCompilerABI_CXX.bin
│   │   ├── CMakeDirectoryInformation.cmake
│   │   ├── CMakeOutput.log
│   │   ├── CMakeSystem.cmake
│   │   ├── CMakeTmp
│   │   ├── CompilerIdC
│   │   │   ├── a.out
│   │   │   └── CMakeCCompilerId.c
│   │   ├── CompilerIdCXX
│   │   │   ├── a.out
│   │   │   └── CMakeCXXCompilerId.cpp
│   │   ├── Makefile2
│   │   ├── Makefile.cmake
│   │   ├── progress.marks
│   │   └── TargetDirectories.txt
│   ├── cmake_install.cmake
├── CMakeLists.txt
└── Makefile

4 directories, 20 files

That means: the Makefile in the current directory (to make, "cmake . && make"), but the remaining generated files inside the "phantom" directory.

I know I can make it with:

$ cd phantom-dir/
$ cmake ../

But it's a little tiresome for me to do it each time I want to re-compiling or remake cmake, above all taking into account that I'm modifying many times my CMakeLists.txt.

Which variables I have to set in the CMakeLists.txt file in order to achieve it?

We wrote a script that does all the directory changes for us. Ie: build.sh compile and build.sh configure which would do the directory change, make or cmake, and make install. — tpg2114
The problem with your method is: the code (the build process) isn't any more cross-platform. Then, I will need an script for each known platform. Perhaps a CMake file executing it in script mode (-D) will be an equivalent solution, but this solution isn't elegant (in my point of view). — Peregring-lk
We did a python script not a bash script, so it is still cross-platform. But that's why it was just a comment and not an answer, I know it doesn't address exactly what you asked :) — tpg2114
I explain it at the end of my question: that implies to move in this "build directory" each time I have to compile or rebuild the project, and when I have to do it many times, it becomes a little tiresome. — Peregring-lk
+1 for the tree command... in almost two decades of UNIX, it's the first time I see it - unbelievable! :-) — andreee

Fraser Fraser · Accepted Answer · 2012-12-04T23:14:10

You could make use of the undocumented CMake options -H and -B to avoid leaving your source dir. -H specifies the path to the main CMakeLists.txt file, and -B specifies the path to your desired build directory.

cmake -H. -Bphantom-dir

Note that these are undocumented and so I suppose could change at any time the Kitware guys feel like.

To build your project without leaving your source dir, you can make use of the (official) option --build This is a cross-platform way to invoke your chosen build tool, and you can pass whatever flags you want to this tool. e.g.

cmake --build phantom-dir -- -j3

Changing CMake files standard location

1 Answers