[CMake] Header only libraries with code generated files...

[Malfettone, Kris]

Hi all,
I had a question about managing code generated header only libraries is a very large project.  Currently, we have a very large project with many static and many generated files.  The problem I have is that due to the size of the project many usages (exe's and libraries) of those code generated files (header files) are done in separate folders from the generation targets.  That leads me to have to be very careful and explicit with using add_custom_command(...), add_custom_target(...), add_depenendcies(...), and set_source_files_properties( ... PROPERTIES GENERATED TRUE ).  Most of that knowledge / setup modeled after reading https://samthursfield.wordpress.com/2015/11/21/cmake-dependencies-between-targets-and-files-and-custom-commands/

I was wondering if I was able to simplify that by using Interface Libraries and doing target_link_libraries( exe_name MY_HEADER_ONLY_LIB_WITH_BOTH_STATIC_AND_GENERATED_FILES ).  I guess my concerns were when adding the interface library to a target in another folder would I still have to:

*         Manually add the transitive dependencies

*         Manually indicate that the generated files are code generated.


I am also assuming my setup would be something like this when using Interface Libraries....

1.       Still use add_custom_command/add_custom_target to do the generation steps.

2.       Add the interface library in the same folder as the generation steps, managing its relationship with the code generation target via add_dependencies() meaning most of the code generation quirks are avoided.

3.       When adding executables or libraries in other folders just use target_link_libraries( exe_name MY_HEADER_ONLY_LIB_WITH_BOTH_STATIC_AND_GENERATED_FILES )

a.       Hoping that any transitive dependencies to the code generation steps would be handled by exe_name being dependent on MY_HEADER_ONLY_LIB_WITH_BOTH_STATIC_AND_GENERATED_FILES

b.      Also hoping that I wouldn't have to specify which files are code generated at that step

I hope this makes sense.

-Kris

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