CMAKE(1) CMake CMAKE(1)NAMEcmake - CMake Command-Line Reference
SYNOPSIScmake [<options>] (<path-to-source> | <path-to-existing-build>)
cmake [(-D <var>=<value>)...] -P <cmake-script-file>
cmake--build <dir> [<options>] [-- <build-tool-options>...]
cmake-E <command> [<options>...]
cmake--find-package <options>...
DESCRIPTION
The "cmake" executable is the CMake command-line interface. It may be
used to configure projects in scripts. Project configuration settings
may be specified on the command line with the -D option.
CMake is a cross-platform build system generator. Projects specify
their build process with platform-independent CMake listfiles included
in each directory of a source tree with the name CMakeLists.txt. Users
build a project by using CMake to generate a build system for a native
tool on their platform.
OPTIONS-C <initial-cache>
Pre-load a script to populate the cache.
When cmake is first run in an empty build tree, it creates a
CMakeCache.txt file and populates it with customizable settings
for the project. This option may be used to specify a file from
which to load cache entries before the first pass through the
project's cmake listfiles. The loaded entries take priority
over the project's default values. The given file should be a
CMake script containing SET commands that use the CACHE option,
not a cache-format file.
-D <var>:<type>=<value>, -D <var>=<value>
Create a cmake cache entry.
When cmake is first run in an empty build tree, it creates a
CMakeCache.txt file and populates it with customizable settings
for the project. This option may be used to specify a setting
that takes priority over the project's default value. The
option may be repeated for as many cache entries as desired.
If the :<type> portion is given it must be one of the types
specified by the set() command documentation for its CACHE sig‐
nature. If the :<type> portion is omitted the entry will be
created with no type if it does not exist with a type already.
If a command in the project sets the type to PATH or FILEPATH
then the <value> will be converted to an absolute path.
This option may also be given as a single argument:
-D<var>:<type>=<value> or -D<var>=<value>.
-U <globbing_expr>
Remove matching entries from CMake cache.
This option may be used to remove one or more variables from the
CMakeCache.txt file, globbing expressions using * and ? are sup‐
ported. The option may be repeated for as many cache entries as
desired.
Use with care, you can make your CMakeCache.txt non-working.
-G <generator-name>
Specify a build system generator.
CMake may support multiple native build systems on certain plat‐
forms. A generator is responsible for generating a particular
build system. Possible generator names are specified in the
cmake-generators(7) manual.
-T <toolset-name>
Specify toolset name if supported by generator.
Some CMake generators support a toolset name to be given to the
native build system to choose a compiler. This is supported
only on specific generators:
Visual Studio >= 10
Xcode >= 3.0
See native build system documentation for allowed toolset names.
-A <platform-name>
Specify platform name if supported by generator.
Some CMake generators support a platform name to be given to the
native build system to choose a compiler or SDK. This is sup‐
ported only on specific generators:
Visual Studio >= 8
See native build system documentation for allowed platform
names.
-Wno-dev
Suppress developer warnings.
Suppress warnings that are meant for the author of the CMake‐
Lists.txt files.
-Wdev Enable developer warnings.
Enable warnings that are meant for the author of the CMake‐
Lists.txt files.
-E <command> [<options>...]
See Command-Line Tool Mode.
-L[A][H]
List non-advanced cached variables.
List cache variables will run CMake and list all the variables
from the CMake cache that are not marked as INTERNAL or
ADVANCED. This will effectively display current CMake settings,
which can then be changed with -D option. Changing some of the
variables may result in more variables being created. If A is
specified, then it will display also advanced variables. If H
is specified, it will also display help for each variable.
--build <dir>
Build a CMake-generated project binary tree.
This abstracts a native build tool's command-line interface with
the following options:
<dir> = Project binary directory to be built.
--target <tgt> = Build <tgt> instead of default targets.
--config <cfg> = For multi-configuration tools, choose <cfg>.
--clean-first = Build target 'clean' first, then build.
(To clean only, use --target 'clean'.)
--use-stderr = Ignored. Behavior is default in CMake >= 3.0.
-- = Pass remaining options to the native tool.
Run cmake--build with no options for quick help.
-N View mode only.
Only load the cache. Do not actually run configure and generate
steps.
-P <file>
Process script mode.
Process the given cmake file as a script written in the CMake
language. No configure or generate step is performed and the
cache is not modified. If variables are defined using -D, this
must be done before the -P argument.
--find-package
Run in pkg-config like mode.
Search a package using find_package() and print the resulting
flags to stdout. This can be used to use cmake instead of
pkg-config to find installed libraries in plain Makefile-based
projects or in autoconf-based projects (via share/aclo‐
cal/cmake.m4).
--graphviz=[file]
Generate graphviz of dependencies, see CMakeGraphVizOp‐
tions.cmake for more.
Generate a graphviz input file that will contain all the library
and executable dependencies in the project. See the documenta‐
tion for CMakeGraphVizOptions.cmake for more details.
--system-information [file]
Dump information about this system.
Dump a wide range of information about the current system. If
run from the top of a binary tree for a CMake project it will
dump additional information such as the cache, log files etc.
--debug-trycompile
Do not delete the try_compile build tree. Only useful on one
try_compile at a time.
Do not delete the files and directories created for try_compile
calls. This is useful in debugging failed try_compiles. It may
however change the results of the try-compiles as old junk from
a previous try-compile may cause a different test to either pass
or fail incorrectly. This option is best used for one try-com‐
pile at a time, and only when debugging.
--debug-output
Put cmake in a debug mode.
Print extra information during the cmake run like stack traces
with message(send_error ) calls.
--trace
Put cmake in trace mode.
Print a trace of all calls made and from where.
--trace-expand
Put cmake in trace mode.
Like --trace, but with variables expanded.
--warn-uninitialized
Warn about uninitialized values.
Print a warning when an uninitialized variable is used.
--warn-unused-vars
Warn about unused variables.
Find variables that are declared or set, but not used.
--no-warn-unused-cli
Don't warn about command line options.
Don't find variables that are declared on the command line, but
not used.
--check-system-vars
Find problems with variable usage in system files.
Normally, unused and uninitialized variables are searched for
only in CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR and CMAKE_BINARY_DIR. This flag tells
CMake to warn about other files as well.
--help,-help,-usage,-h,-H,/?
Print usage information and exit.
Usage describes the basic command line interface and its
options.
--version,-version,/V [<f>]
Show program name/version banner and exit.
If a file is specified, the version is written into it. The
help is printed to a named <f>ile if given.
--help-full [<f>]
Print all help manuals and exit.
All manuals are printed in a human-readable text format. The
help is printed to a named <f>ile if given.
--help-manual <man> [<f>]
Print one help manual and exit.
The specified manual is printed in a human-readable text format.
The help is printed to a named <f>ile if given.
--help-manual-list [<f>]
List help manuals available and exit.
The list contains all manuals for which help may be obtained by
using the --help-manual option followed by a manual name. The
help is printed to a named <f>ile if given.
--help-command <cmd> [<f>]
Print help for one command and exit.
The cmake-commands(7) manual entry for <cmd> is printed in a
human-readable text format. The help is printed to a named
<f>ile if given.
--help-command-list [<f>]
List commands with help available and exit.
The list contains all commands for which help may be obtained by
using the --help-command option followed by a command name. The
help is printed to a named <f>ile if given.
--help-commands [<f>]
Print cmake-commands manual and exit.
The cmake-commands(7) manual is printed in a human-readable text
format. The help is printed to a named <f>ile if given.
--help-module <mod> [<f>]
Print help for one module and exit.
The cmake-modules(7) manual entry for <mod> is printed in a
human-readable text format. The help is printed to a named
<f>ile if given.
--help-module-list [<f>]
List modules with help available and exit.
The list contains all modules for which help may be obtained by
using the --help-module option followed by a module name. The
help is printed to a named <f>ile if given.
--help-modules [<f>]
Print cmake-modules manual and exit.
The cmake-modules(7) manual is printed in a human-readable text
format. The help is printed to a named <f>ile if given.
--help-policy <cmp> [<f>]
Print help for one policy and exit.
The cmake-policies(7) manual entry for <cmp> is printed in a
human-readable text format. The help is printed to a named
<f>ile if given.
--help-policy-list [<f>]
List policies with help available and exit.
The list contains all policies for which help may be obtained by
using the --help-policy option followed by a policy name. The
help is printed to a named <f>ile if given.
--help-policies [<f>]
Print cmake-policies manual and exit.
The cmake-policies(7) manual is printed in a human-readable text
format. The help is printed to a named <f>ile if given.
--help-property <prop> [<f>]
Print help for one property and exit.
The cmake-properties(7) manual entries for <prop> are printed in
a human-readable text format. The help is printed to a named
<f>ile if given.
--help-property-list [<f>]
List properties with help available and exit.
The list contains all properties for which help may be obtained
by using the --help-property option followed by a property name.
The help is printed to a named <f>ile if given.
--help-properties [<f>]
Print cmake-properties manual and exit.
The cmake-properties(7) manual is printed in a human-readable
text format. The help is printed to a named <f>ile if given.
--help-variable <var> [<f>]
Print help for one variable and exit.
The cmake-variables(7) manual entry for <var> is printed in a
human-readable text format. The help is printed to a named
<f>ile if given.
--help-variable-list [<f>]
List variables with help available and exit.
The list contains all variables for which help may be obtained
by using the --help-variable option followed by a variable name.
The help is printed to a named <f>ile if given.
--help-variables [<f>]
Print cmake-variables manual and exit.
The cmake-variables(7) manual is printed in a human-readable
text format. The help is printed to a named <f>ile if given.
COMMAND-LINE TOOL MODE
CMake provides builtin command-line tools through the signature:
cmake-E <command> [<options>...]
Run cmake-E or cmake-E help for a summary of commands. Available
commands are:
chdir <dir> <cmd> [<arg>...]
Change the current working directory and run a command.
compare_files <file1> <file2>
Check if file1 is same as file2.
copy <file> <destination>
Copy file to destination (either file or directory).
copy_directory <source> <destination>
Copy directory 'source' content to directory 'destination'.
copy_if_different <in-file> <out-file>
Copy file if input has changed.
echo [<string>...]
Displays arguments as text.
echo_append [<string>...]
Displays arguments as text but no new line.
env [--unset=NAME]... [NAME=VALUE]... COMMAND [ARG]...
Run command in a modified environment.
environment
Display the current environment.
make_directory <dir>
Create a directory.
md5sum [<file>...]
Compute md5sum of files.
remove [-f] [<file>...]
Remove the file(s), use -f to force it.
remove_directory <dir>
Remove a directory and its contents.
rename <oldname> <newname>
Rename a file or directory (on one volume).
sleep <number>...
Sleep for given number of seconds.
tar [cxt][vf][zjJ] file.tar [<options>...] [--] [<file>...]
Create or extract a tar or zip archive. Options are:
-- Stop interpreting options and treat all remaining argu‐
ments as file names even if they start in -.
--files-from=<file>
Read file names from the given file, one per line. Blank
lines are ignored. Lines may not start in - except for
--add-file=<name> to add files whose names start in -.
--mtime=<date>
Specify modification time recorded in tarball entries.
--format=<format>
Specify the format of the archive to be created. Sup‐
ported formats are: 7zip, gnutar, pax, paxr (restricted
pax, default), and zip.
time <command> [<args>...]
Run command and return elapsed time.
touch <file>
Touch a file.
touch_nocreate <file>
Touch a file if it exists but do not create it.
UNIX-specific Command-Line Tools
The following cmake-E commands are available only on UNIX:
create_symlink <old> <new>
Create a symbolic link <new> naming <old>.
Windows-specific Command-Line Tools
The following cmake-E commands are available only on Windows:
delete_regv <key>
Delete Windows registry value.
env_vs8_wince <sdkname>
Displays a batch file which sets the environment for the pro‐
vided Windows CE SDK installed in VS2005.
env_vs9_wince <sdkname>
Displays a batch file which sets the environment for the pro‐
vided Windows CE SDK installed in VS2008.
write_regv <key> <value>
Write Windows registry value.
SEE ALSO
The following resources are available to get help using CMake:
Home Page
https://cmake.org
The primary starting point for learning about CMake.
Frequently Asked Questions
https://cmake.org/Wiki/CMake_FAQ
A Wiki is provided containing answers to frequently asked ques‐
tions.
Online Documentation
https://cmake.org/documentation
Links to available documentation may be found on this web page.
Mailing List
https://cmake.org/mailing-lists
For help and discussion about using cmake, a mailing list is
provided at cmake@cmake.org. The list is member-post-only but
one may sign up on the CMake web page. Please first read the
full documentation at https://cmake.org before posting questions
to the list.
COPYRIGHT
2000-2015 Kitware, Inc.
3.4.2 February 17, 2016 CMAKE(1)
