CMAKE_SYSTEM_PREFIX_PATHΒΆ

Semicolon-separated list of directories specifying installation prefixes to be searched by the find_package(), find_program(), find_library(), find_file(), and find_path() commands. Each command will add appropriate subdirectories (like bin, lib, or include) as specified in its own documentation.

By default this contains the system directories for the current system, the CMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX, and the CMAKE_STAGING_PREFIX. The installation and staging prefixes may be excluded by setting the CMAKE_FIND_NO_INSTALL_PREFIX variable before the first project() invocation.

The system directories that are contained in CMAKE_SYSTEM_PREFIX_PATH are locations that typically include installed software. An example being /usr/local for UNIX based platforms. In addition to standard platform locations, CMake will also add values to CMAKE_SYSTEM_PREFIX_PATH based on environment variables. The environment variables and search locations that CMake uses may evolve over time, as platforms and their conventions also evolve. The following provides an indicative list of environment variables and locations that CMake searches, but they are subject to change:

CrayLinuxEnvironment:

  • ENV{SYSROOT_DIR}/

  • ENV{SYSROOT_DIR}/usr

  • ENV{SYSROOT_DIR}/usr/local

Darwin:

  • ENV{SDKROOT}/usr When CMAKE_OSX_SYSROOT is not explicitly specified.

OpenBSD:

  • ENV{LOCALBASE}

Unix:

  • ENV{CONDA_PREFIX} when using a conda compiler

MSYSTEM environment with MinGW toolchain:

Added in version 3.28.

  • ENV{MSYSTEM_PREFIX}/local

  • ENV{MSYSTEM_PREFIX}

Windows:

  • ENV{ProgramW6432}

  • ENV{ProgramFiles}

  • ENV{ProgramFiles(x86)}

  • ENV{SystemDrive}/Program Files

  • ENV{SystemDrive}/Program Files (x86)

CMAKE_SYSTEM_PREFIX_PATH is not intended to be modified by the project; use CMAKE_PREFIX_PATH for this.

See also CMAKE_SYSTEM_INCLUDE_PATH, CMAKE_SYSTEM_LIBRARY_PATH, CMAKE_SYSTEM_PROGRAM_PATH, and CMAKE_SYSTEM_IGNORE_PATH.