[CMake] Accessing external files in build tree for testing

[Javier de la Dehesa]

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Hi everybody,

I am using CMake to compile and test a C++ project. Let's say I have a
structure like this:

inc/
    ..
src/
    ..
data/
    dataFile

File dataFile is accessed from code, and will be installed under
<prefix>/share or similar. In my code, I do something like:

std::ifstream dataFile(DATAFILE_PATH);

I get that I can configure DATAFILE_PATH with CMake (with header
template, or compiling options, or anything) so I don't have to
hardcode the file path in my code directly. Also, I know how to
install files to the install tree, and that it is possible to copy
files to copy files to build tree, for example for running tests o
simply running the executable from build tree.

My question is, how should I configure CMake, or maybe my C++ code, so
I can compile my program and run and test it from build tree
(accessing a dataFile copy within build tree) and from install tree
(accessing the dataFile installed copy under <prefix>/share)? Is there
any pattern or technique implemented in CMake that I am missing?

Thanks.

PS: I have posted this same question in stackoverflow
(http://stackoverflow.com/questions/13121428/accessing-external-files-in-build-tree-for-testing);
then I realized maybe this mail list would be a better resource, but
feel free to post your answer there too so maybe I could give you my vote.

- -- 
Javier de la Dehesa (ClowoD Corporation)
gpg key: 0xDC32927E (@ sks.clowod.com)
gpg fingerprint: 5F60C4AEE81DC6239695FE5D036414D6DC32927E
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