[CMake] converting VS projects to CMake

Sylvain Benner benner at virtools.com
Fri Feb 8 13:14:49 EST 2008


A convertion tool to CMake is not doable for large projects, because 
large projects need a framework to be viable. So migrating to CMake 
implies "making" or "migrating to" a new framework. A conversion tool 
could provide you with working CMakeLists.txt but you will lack a 
framework around them.

Even big projects have a kernel, so I think the best way to migrate to 
CMake is to convert the kernel projects and build a framework around 
them. Then migrate the libraries which use directly the kernel and so on.
When you have your suited framework you can start to code some helper 
tools, but they have to stay simple since they also have to be 
maintained as the framework and CMake will be updated.

Moreover, using a conversion tool means learn to use it which can be a 
big overhead for big projects since you have to fully understand:
-how to use it correctly
-what the conversion tool does
-why it does it like this
-why it does not do what you expect
-what you need to do differently to suit your internal restriction
-.....

All this to say that conversion tools for source files or other easy 
tasks are enough.

--Sylvain


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