1 target_compile_definitions
2 --------------------------
4 Add compile definitions to a target.
8 target_compile_definitions(<target>
9 <INTERFACE|PUBLIC|PRIVATE> [items1...]
10 [<INTERFACE|PUBLIC|PRIVATE> [items2...] ...])
12 Specifies compile definitions to use when compiling a given ``<target>``. The
13 named ``<target>`` must have been created by a command such as
14 :command:`add_executable` or :command:`add_library` and must not be an
15 :ref:`ALIAS target <Alias Targets>`.
17 The ``INTERFACE``, ``PUBLIC`` and ``PRIVATE`` keywords are required to
18 specify the :ref:`scope <Target Usage Requirements>` of the following arguments.
19 ``PRIVATE`` and ``PUBLIC`` items will populate the :prop_tgt:`COMPILE_DEFINITIONS`
20 property of ``<target>``. ``PUBLIC`` and ``INTERFACE`` items will populate the
21 :prop_tgt:`INTERFACE_COMPILE_DEFINITIONS` property of ``<target>``.
22 The following arguments specify compile definitions. Repeated calls for the
23 same ``<target>`` append items in the order called.
25 .. versionadded:: 3.11
26 Allow setting ``INTERFACE`` items on :ref:`IMPORTED targets <Imported Targets>`.
28 Arguments to ``target_compile_definitions`` may use "generator expressions"
29 with the syntax ``$<...>``. See the :manual:`cmake-generator-expressions(7)`
30 manual for available expressions. See the :manual:`cmake-buildsystem(7)`
31 manual for more on defining buildsystem properties.
33 Any leading ``-D`` on an item will be removed. Empty items are ignored.
34 For example, the following are all equivalent:
38 target_compile_definitions(foo PUBLIC FOO)
39 target_compile_definitions(foo PUBLIC -DFOO) # -D removed
40 target_compile_definitions(foo PUBLIC "" FOO) # "" ignored
41 target_compile_definitions(foo PUBLIC -D FOO) # -D becomes "", then ignored
43 Definitions may optionally have values:
47 target_compile_definitions(foo PUBLIC FOO=1)
49 Note that many compilers treat ``-DFOO`` as equivalent to ``-DFOO=1``, but
50 other tools may not recognize this in all circumstances (e.g. IntelliSense).