[CMake] cmake support Eclipse

Mike Jackson imikejackson at gmail.com
Tue Jul 31 10:41:36 EDT 2007


These are my _thoughts_ on what I would like to see as a first cut at  
CMake/Eclipse integration.

As someone has already done in the past day, basically have cmake  
generate a CDT "Makefile" project that sets up the .project/.cproject  
files for eclipse to invoke make on the makefiles that are generated  
by Cmake. I think this is going to be the best way to go about this  
due to limitations on how a "ManagedMakefile" project is used in  
Eclipse. Also, if the include paths can be preset in the eclipse  
project file based on what is in the CMakeLists.txt file this is one  
more added bonus.

Add into the project file the "exectuables" so I don't have to add  
them in eclipse each time.

Next, Implement the "ccmake" program as an Eclipse Plugin so that I  
can run "ccmake" from within eclipse. The interface that our windows  
brethren get with CMakeSetup would suffice for this. This plugin is  
written in Java and would use the Eclipse PDE as its project management.

Version 3: Implement some CMake Wizards that would help a cmake  
newbie generate a basic CMakeLists.txt file. These wizards are just  
for basic projects and help to generate a properly working  
CMakeLists.txt file. After that the programmer can use the cmake  
documentation to enhance/add-to their cmake files.

All this would be a great start. I agree with an earlier posting  
about trying to have eclipse use CMake for its project management. It  
is going to be a long difficult road. If the above it completed  
first, and done well, then you have a decent chance of getting the  
CDT project leads behind CMake. BTW, the project leads do embedded C/C 
++ development so getting them to switch to CMake would be a great  
first step.. ;-)

Again, these are just my thoughts on what I would like to see in an  
"Eclipse" Generator
-- 
Mike Jackson   Senior Research Engineer
Innovative Management & Technology Services






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