[cmake-developers] Requesting Advice: Installing object files

[Nils Gladitz]

On 17.01.2017 23:25, Chris Bieneman wrote:
> Hello CMake-developers!
>
> In one of the LLVM sub-projects we have a problem where we need to 
> install object files, which doesn't seem like a particularly easy 
> task. I'm curious if anyone has any advice on how to approach this 
> problem.
>
> The patch is currently being reviewed here:
> https://reviews.llvm.org/D28791
>
> Since the object files have fairly simple compile commands our current 
> approach is to compile the files in custom commands, then use 
> install(FILES...). This is workable, but I'm wondering if there is a 
> better way. They do need to be object files, static archives would not 
> work because these specially named files are handled by linkers and 
> other tools that we don't control.

Also more of a workaround but perhaps you could create static libraries 
but extract them with e.g. CMAKE_AR (toolchain specific) during either 
installation e.g. install(CODE|SCRIPT) or as a POST_BUILD custom command.

An OBJECT library might be better suited in theory but I don't think it 
currently allows installation and the location of the object files is 
generator specific (and afair not always known to cmake).
By doing a manual extraction of the archive you'd be in control over 
where the objects go.

Nils