How to Add Dependency In Cmake Targets?

In CMake, dependencies can be added to targets by using the target_link_libraries command. This command specifies which libraries or targets a given target depends on. For example, if you have a target my_target that depends on a library my_library, you can add this dependency like so:

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target_link_libraries(my_target my_library)

This tells CMake that my_target depends on my_library, and it will ensure that my_library is built and linked correctly when building my_target. Additionally, you can also specify dependencies on other targets by using their names in the target_link_libraries command.

Overall, adding dependencies in CMake targets is a straightforward process using the target_link_libraries command, and it helps ensure that the necessary libraries and targets are properly linked when building your project.

How to make one CMake target depend on another?

To make one CMake target depend on another, you can use the add_dependencies function. Here's an example:

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# Define the first target
add_executable(target1 source1.cpp)

# Define the second target that depends on the first target
add_executable(target2 source2.cpp)
add_dependencies(target2 target1)

In this example, target2 depends on target1, meaning that CMake will ensure that target1 is built before target2 is built. This can be useful if target2 needs some files or libraries that are generated by target1.

What is the syntax for adding dependencies in CMake?

The syntax for adding dependencies in CMake is as follows:

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target_link_libraries(target_name dependency1 dependency2 ...)

Here, target_name is the name of the target you are linking the dependencies to, and dependency1, dependency2, etc. are the names of the libraries or targets that target_name depends on.

How to add a dependency in a CMake target?

To add a dependency in a CMake target, you can use the add_dependencies function. This function specifies a list of targets that should be built before the specified target is built. Here is an example of how to add a dependency in a CMake target:

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add_executable(my_target my_source.cpp)

# Add a dependency on another target
add_dependencies(my_target other_target)

In this example, the my_target target depends on the other_target target, which means that other_target will be built before my_target is built.

You can also add multiple dependencies by specifying multiple target names as arguments to the add_dependencies function:

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add_dependencies(my_target other_target1 other_target2)

This will ensure that other_target1 and other_target2 are built before my_target is built.

How can you specify dependencies between CMake targets?

You can specify dependencies between CMake targets using the add_dependencies function in your CMakeLists.txt file.

Here's an example:

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add_executable(target1 source1.cpp)
add_executable(target2 source2.cpp)

add_dependencies(target2 target1)

In this example, we are specifying that target2 depends on target1. This means that target1 will be built before target2.

You can also specify dependencies between different types of targets, such as between an executable and a library.

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add_library(mylib mylib.cpp)
add_executable(myexe main.cpp)

add_dependencies(myexe mylib)

In this example, we are specifying that myexe depends on mylib. This means that mylib will be built before myexe.