[CMake] cmake-gui's separation between configuration & generation

[Andreas Pakulat]

Hi,

On Thu, Aug 23, 2012 at 5:48 PM, Robert Dailey <rcdailey.lists at gmail.com> wrote:
> On Thu, Aug 23, 2012 at 10:43 AM, John Drescher <drescherjm at gmail.com> wrote:
>>> Is the separation between configuration & generation really necessary
>>> for cmake-gui? I ask because several of my co-workers are confused
>>> between the differences in the two, even though I explain it.
>>>
>>> Honestly there isn't really a reason that I can think of to do a
>>> configure without a generate, unless you're testing the integrity of
>>> your CMake script changes maybe, but even then, if its broken
>>> generation won't take place.
>>>
>>> The command line program does not separate the two, so I simply think
>>> cmake-gui should eliminate the configure button, and simply have a
>>> generate button. Does this seem fair? Is there a reason why they are
>>> separated?
>>
>> I can think of one use case that I use that the separation is a good
>> thing. What about when you have options and variables that are
>> conditional depending on other CMake variables so that setting the
>> variables / options may take more than 1 configure.
>
> Well, think of this from the perspective of Linux users. They don't
> get to configure seperately, so only Windows users get special
> treatment here (and maybe Mac too, since it's using Qt).

You need to check your facts a bit more thoroughly ;) cmake-gui exists
on all platforms that Qt exists on, specifically because Qt is
cross-platform. And Qt runs on Windows, Linux, MacOSX and a few more
Unices.

That being said, I also don't see that much value in having those two
steps separate since one cannot change the CMake generator or anything
else anyway after hitting configure once. If that would be possible
things would be different, but as it is currently thats not the case.

Andreas