MantisBT - CMake
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IDProjectCategoryView StatusDate SubmittedLast Update
0016093CMakeCMakepublic2016-05-04 10:212016-06-10 14:21
ReporterAndreas Schuh 
Assigned ToBrad King 
PrioritynormalSeverityminorReproducibilityhave not tried
StatusclosedResolutionfixed 
PlatformApple MacOSOS XOS Version10.11.4
Product VersionCMake 3.5.2 
Target VersionCMake 3.6Fixed in VersionCMake 3.6 
Summary0016093: Clarify documentation of --build as a separate command mode
DescriptionThe following results in an error as if I'd specified a subdirectory underneath the current build directory. Changing the order of --build and --target options works as expected, though. Just "--build ." followed directly by "--target" gives this error.

cmake --config Release --build . --target apidoc
CMake Error: The source directory "/Users/as12312/Software/BASIS/Xcode/apidoc" does not exist.
Specify --help for usage, or press the help button on the CMake GUI.


cmake --config Release --target apidoc --build .
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Issue History
Date ModifiedUsernameFieldChange
2016-05-04 10:21Andreas SchuhNew Issue
2016-05-04 10:24Andreas SchuhNote Added: 0041024
2016-05-05 08:33Brad KingNote Added: 0041026
2016-05-05 08:33Brad KingStatusnew => resolved
2016-05-05 08:33Brad KingResolutionopen => won't fix
2016-05-05 08:36Andreas SchuhNote Added: 0041027
2016-05-10 04:19AntonioNote Added: 0041038
2016-05-10 09:47Brad KingNote Added: 0041039
2016-05-10 09:47Brad KingAssigned To => Brad King
2016-05-10 09:47Brad KingResolutionwon't fix => fixed
2016-05-10 09:47Brad KingFixed in Version => CMake 3.6
2016-05-10 09:47Brad KingTarget Version => CMake 3.6
2016-05-10 09:47Brad KingSummaryOrder of --build and --target "cmake" command options matters => Clarify documentation of --build as a separate command mode
2016-05-11 03:47AntonioNote Added: 0041047
2016-06-10 14:21Kitware RobotNote Added: 0041177
2016-06-10 14:21Kitware RobotStatusresolved => closed

Notes
(0041024)
Andreas Schuh   
2016-05-04 10:24   
Actually, the error message seems to suggest that the argument "--target" is taken as the argument of the "--build" option, ignoring the dot ".". Then the name of the target following the "--target" option becomes the positional argument of "cmake" which is the source directory.
(0041026)
Brad King   
2016-05-05 08:33   
The command mode is "cmake --build <dir>" followed by other options. This is just like "git clone" has options that must come after "clone" and not before. This is shown in the documented command synopsis:

 https://cmake.org/cmake/help/v3.5/manual/cmake.1.html [^]
 cmake --build <dir> [<options>] [-- <build-tool-options>...]
(0041027)
Andreas Schuh   
2016-05-05 08:36   
Fair enough. Although there is an important difference between "git clone" and "cmake --build". The first makes it clear the "clone" is a subcommand (cf. Python argparse subcommand) while "--build" suggest it to be just an option... obviously not to be changed now, but I think you see where the assumption that the order of arguments should not matter comes from.
(0041038)
Antonio   
2016-05-10 04:19   
I understand the synopsis shows that --build, -E and --find-package have to be given as first, but I think then it should be made explicit in the option description and/or cmake should give a clear error if such an option doesn't appear as first. In fact, calling them "options" makes things ambiguous: staying with the comparison with "git clone", they should be called "commands".
(0041039)
Brad King   
2016-05-10 09:47   
Re 0016093:0041038: Yes, fixed:

Help: Document `cmake --find-package` as a separate command mode
https://cmake.org/gitweb?p=cmake.git;a=commitdiff;h=d4faed2f [^]

Help: Document `cmake --build` as a separate command mode (0016093)
https://cmake.org/gitweb?p=cmake.git;a=commitdiff;h=3e503fe1 [^]
(0041047)
Antonio   
2016-05-11 03:47   
Great, thank you!
(0041177)
Kitware Robot   
2016-06-10 14:21   
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