[CMake] LINK_DIRECTORIES question...

[Lars Pechan]

Hello,
I'm using CMakeCVS Win32 from the 28/3/5 and I'm having problems 
linking. I have a project that I'm trying to get to build cleanly both 
from nmake makefiles and VS.NET2003. I'm doing out-of-source builds.

Currently, the nmake files work fine and will consistently produce a 
clean build. When I configure for VS.NET using the very same source 
tree I get link errors on libs that link fine when using the makefiles.

The structure I have is roughly a top-level directory with a 
CMakeLists.txt containing setup stuff. It ends with a bunch of subdirs. 
I then have an exe-directory where I cobble the executable together 
using a bunch of static libs generated in other directories under 
top-level.

I can see in VS.NET that the linker directories are correctly setup 
without me having explicitly stated the directories using 
LINK_DIRECTORIES. For example (this is just an example, not a 
reproducible test):

                top-level (CML1.txt)
                             /   \                             \
                            /     \                              \
         foo (CML2.txt)  bar (CML3.txt)   exe (CML4.txt

CML1.txt: PROJECT(top-level)
                   SUBDIRS(foo bar exe)

CML2.txt: SET(fooSources foo1.cpp foo2.cpp)
                   ADD_LIBRARY(foo ${fooSources})

CML3.txt: SET(barSources bar1.cpp bar2.cpp)
                   ADD_LIBRARY(bar ${barSources})

CML4.txt: ADD_EXECUTABLE(bling main.cpp)
                   TARGET_LINK_LIBRARIES(bling foo)
                   TARGET_LINK_LIBRARIES(bling bar)

The main difference with my real setup is that I have about 25 
directories on the same level as foo; most of which produce a static 
lib.

In VS.NET I get a 'library not found: foo.lib' whilst in the nmake 
config it builds fine.

So I try to fix this by
1) Adding LINK_DIRECTORIES(${TOP-LEVEL_BINARY_DIR}/foo
                                                           
${TOP-LEVEL_BINARY_DIR}/bar) to CML4.txt.
I do this despite being able to see that VS.NET already has the path 
setup correctly.
Result: nmake ok, VS.NET link error (same)

Aha, VS.NET uses 'Release' and 'Debug' directories, let's add:
2) LINK_DIRECTORIES(${TOP-LEVEL_BINARY_DIR}/foo/${CMAKE_CFG_INTDIR}
                                              
${TOP-LEVEL_BINARY_DIR}/bar/${CMAKE_CFG_INTDIR}
    )
Again, VS.NET already lists this path as well but I'm adding it anyway
Result: nmake ok, VS.NET sometimes gives a 'library not found: foo.lib' 
but it seems it is sometimes able to find foo and then barfs on bar 
instead?

What am I doing wrong? What is the best-practice for writing 
CMakeLists.txt files that work for both Nmake Makefiles and VS.NET2003?

Thanks,

/Lars