Project¶

Create a project¶

The Project is the heart of your script. He will contains all information about your project sources, dependencies, links, definitions, ...

Initialise object and create your project:

project = Project()
language = 'C++'
project.create('myLib', language)

Currently, only C and C++ are valid language. During create(), PyCMake create a variable named PROJECT_NAME (See below).

CMake Variables¶

To facilitate read and management of your project, PyCMake will help you to generate variable you can use after along the process.

There is some default variables who will be created and you can create your own if needed.

Predefined Variables¶

PROJECT_NAME: when the create() method is called, name of your project is automatically associated with this variable.
PROJECT_DIR: you can use project_dir() method to set this variable. WARNING: you have to indicate a relative path from your future CMakeLists.txt location ! Cause this variable will define absolute path from this.
OUTPUTS: you have 3 methods for each type of target. You have to give the path for each.
- library_output_path()
- archive_output_path()
- executable_output_path()

Here is a way to use it:

project.variables.library_output_path('${PROJECT_DIR}/build')

Feel free to use existing variables in your paths.

Custom Variables¶

You can also add custom variables to your project. Simply type the following:

project.variables.add('TEST_DIR', '${PROJECT_DIR}/src/tests')

You can add as many variables as you want or replace existing ones. The Project object provides the get_variable() method to access any variable created.

Targets¶

Now that your project is defined, you must add target(s) to build. There is 2 types of targets : libraries and executables.

Libraries¶

You have to precise the true name of your library. She can be shared or static.

For a shared library called libmylib.so (or mylib.dll on Windows):

project.add_library_target('mylib', shared=True)

For a static library called libmylib.a (or mylib.lib on Windows):

project.add_library_target('mylib')

The shared option is false by default.

Executables¶

You have to give the true name of your executable. For an executable called myexe (or myexe.exe on Windows):

project.add_executable_target('myexe')

That’s all.

Files and Directories¶

Note: these methods will be reworked in the future to facilitate the addition of files and folders.

There are two distinct methods in PyCMake to add folders or files to your target. Each must receive a tuple of them to get it work. They can be append to your PROJECT_DIR variable or not.

For folders, you can set recursive mode or not.

Here is a full example for a library and his folders:

project.add_library_target('mylib', shared=True)
project.add_source_directories('dir_cpp',
                               'mylib',
                               True,
                               False,
                               '../../lib/src/*.cpp',
                               '../../lib/src/test/*.cpp',
                               )
project.add_source_directories('dir_header',
                               'mylib',
                               True,
                               False,
                               '../../lib/src/includes/*.h',
                               '../../lib/src/test/includes/*.h',
                               )

And here, for add specific files:

project.add_source_files('cpp_files',
                         'mylib',
                         True,
                         '../../main.cpp',
                         '../../graphics.cpp',
                         )
project.add_source_files('headers_files',
                         'mylib',
                         True,
                         '../../stdafx.h',
                         '../../main.h',
                         '../../graphics.h',
                         )

PyCMake then associate these files to the target to compile.

Preprocessor Definitions¶

If your project need specific definitions for preprocessor, you can set it like that:

project.preprocessor_definitions('UNICODE', '_UNICODE', 'MYLIB_EXPORTS')

Easy and simple.