[CMake] Windows build inconsistency...

[David Cole]

On Fri, Jun 3, 2011 at 9:10 AM, Eric Noulard <eric.noulard at gmail.com> wrote:
> 2011/6/3 Jean-Christophe Fillion-Robin <jchris.fillionr at kitware.com>:
>> Just tested it on linux and the same remark applies.
>
> Hi,
>
> I cannot find the answer in the ML archive but I think I already
> crossed that issue in the past
> and I was answered that this was the expected "legacy CMake" behavior.
>
> 1) When you specify a directory path then CMake assume this is a "source dir"
> and will use the current directory as build dir.
>
> 2) When you specify a CMakeLists.txt file it will consider you want to build
>    in the directory where the CMakeLists.txt is.
>
> in CMake source one read (see: Source/cmake.cxx:791):
>
>    if(argIsFile)
>      {
>      // Source CMakeLists.txt file given.  It was probably dropped
>      // onto the executable in a GUI.  Default to an in-source build.
>      this->SetHomeOutputDirectory(listPath.c_str());
>      this->SetStartOutputDirectory(listPath.c_str());
>      }
>    else
>      {
>      // Source directory given on command line.  Use current working
>      // directory as build tree.
>      std::string cwd = cmSystemTools::GetCurrentWorkingDirectory();
>      this->SetHomeOutputDirectory(cwd.c_str());
>      this->SetStartOutputDirectory(cwd.c_str());
>      }
>
> So I bet this is purposely done, even if this may be an unexpected
> behavior in the first place.
>
> I don't know the rational for that (beside maintaining some legacy
> behavior) but may be someone
> at kitware is old enough to explain that :-]
>

I'm too young to explain this one.
:-)