Cmake Cheat Sheet

Basics
Init/Config
cmake_minimum_version (VERSION 2.8)
project (project_name)
#if test build required
enable_testing()
#version number
set (project_name_VERSION_MAJOR 1)
set (project_name_VERSION_MINOR 0)
configure_file (
${PROJECT_SOURCE_DIR}/ProjectNameConfig.h.in"
${PROJECT_BINARY_DIR}/ProjectNameConfig.h"
)
include_directories ("${PROJECT_BINARY_DIR}")
include_directories ("${PROJECT_SOURCE_DIR}")

${EXTRA_BINCFLAGS})
#making binary
add_executable (BinaryName ${binary_name_SRCS})
target_link_libraries (BinaryName "..libs.." ${LIBS})
#installation
install (TARGETS BinaryName DESTINATION
${CMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX})
#error while loading shared libraries: cannot open
#shared object file: No such file or directory
set (CMAKE_INSTALL_RPATH_USE_LINK_PATH TRUE) #do this

find_package (LibXML++ REQUIRED)

include_directories (${LibXML++_INCLUDE_DIRS})
set (LIBS ${LIBS} ${LibXML++_LIBRARIES})
... [check LibXML++_FOUND variable]
target_link_libraries(exampleProgram ${LIBS})
Miscellaneous

#tests (optional)
add_test (BinaryNameTest BinaryName input_args)

#set cmake variable

set (VARIABLE VALUE)

add_test (BinaryNameTest2 BinaryName input_args)

set_tests_properties (BinaryNameTest2
PROPERTIES PASS_REGULAR_EXPRESSION "expected output")
Library (s)
set (lib_name_SRCS list_of_c_or_cpp_srcs)

#system function check

#e.g. system provides log and exp?
include (CheckFunctionExists.cmake)
check_function_exists (log HAVE_LOG)
check_function_exists (exp HAVE_EXP)

#Using external libraries that CMake doesnt yet have

#modules for, e.g., LibXML++
#creat a folder cmake/Modules/ and put FindXXX.cmake
set(CMAKE_MODULE_PATH ${CMAKE_MODULE_PATH}
"${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/cmake/Modules/")

# set the path to the library folder

link_directories (/path/to/lib)
include_directories (/path/to/include)

#message
message ("Please do this...${var_name}")
#error message
message (FATAL_ERROR "An error occured!")
#conditional statement
if (condition)
do sth
else (condition) #condition must match
do sth else
endif (condition)

set (LIBS ${LIBS} "external libs")

ProjectNameConfig.h.in
//the configured options and settings for Tutorial
#define Tutorial_VERSION_MAJOR @Tutorial_VERSION_MAJOR@
#define Tutorial_VERSION_MINOR @Tutorial_VERSION_MINOR@
#cmakedefine HAVE_LOG
#cmakedefine HAVE_EXP
Subdirectorie(s)
add_subdirectory(sub_dir/)

set (EXTRA_LIBCFLAGS "-Wall ...")

# for c
set (CMAKE_C_FLAGS ${CMAKE_C_FLAGS} ${EXTRA_LIBCFLAGS})
# for c++
set (CMAKE_CXX_FLAGS ${CMAKE_CXX_FLAGS}
${EXTRA_LIBCFLAGS})
#making lib
add_library (LibraryName STATIC/SHARED
${binary_name_SRCS})
#this perhaps has a project scope (?)
target_link_libraries (LibraryName "..libs.." ${LIBS})

Executable(s)

#logical operators
if (A AND/OR B)
if (NOT A)
#creating an alias for a lib
add_library(<name> ALIAS <target>)
#Add a dependency between top-level targets.
add_dependencies (<target> [<target-dependency>]...)
#accessing properties e.g.
get_property(inc_dirs DIRECTORY PROPERTY
INCLUDE_DIRECTORIES)
message ("inc_dirs = ${inc_dirs}")

Finding Package (s)

set (binary_name_SRCS list_of_c_or_cpp_srcs)
find_package (Eigen3)
link_directories (/path/to/lib)
include_directories (/path/to/include)
set (LIBS ${LIBS} "external libs")
set (EXTRA_BINCFLAGS "-Wall ...")
#for c
set (CMAKE_C_FLAGS ${CMAKE_C_FLAGS} ${EXTRA_BINCFLAGS})
#for c++
set (CMAKE_CXX_FLAGS ${CMAKE_CXX_FLAGS}

EIGEN3_FOUND #will be defined (if found)

EIGEN3_INCLUDE_DIRS and EIGEN3_LIBRARIES
#usage
include_directories (${EIGEN3_INCLUDE_DIRS})
target_link_libraries (bin_app ${EIGEN3_LIBRARIES})

Details
Non standard find modules

Packages with components

find_package (Qt COMPONENTS QtOpenGL QtXml REQUIRED)

if ( NOT Qt_FOUND OR NOT QtXml_FOUND )
message (FATAL_ERROR "Package Qt and component
QtXml required, but not found!")
endif ( NOT Qt_FOUND OR NOT QtXml_FOUND )