1 CMake 3.4 Release Notes
2 ***********************
8 Changes made since CMake 3.3 include the following.
16 * The :generator:`Visual Studio 14 2015` generator learned to select
17 a Windows 10 SDK based on the value of the :variable:`CMAKE_SYSTEM_VERSION`
18 variable and the SDKs available on the host.
20 * CMake learned rudimentary support for the Apple Swift language. When using
21 the :generator:`Xcode` generator with Xcode 6.1 or higher, one may enable
22 the ``Swift`` language with the :command:`enable_language` command or the
23 :command:`project` command (this is an error with other generators or when
24 Xcode is too old). Then one may list ``.swift`` source files in targets
30 * The :command:`find_program` command learned a ``NAMES_PER_DIR``
31 option to consider all given ``NAMES`` in each directory before
32 moving on to the next directory.
34 * The :command:`get_filename_component` command learned a new ``BASE_DIR``
35 subcommand. This is used to specify a base directory when calculating an
36 absolute path from a relative path.
38 * The :command:`if` command learned a new ``TEST`` operator that evaluates
39 to true if a given test name has been defined by the :command:`add_test`
40 command. See policy :policy:`CMP0064`.
42 * The :command:`install(DIRECTORY)` command ``DESTINATION`` option learned to
43 support :manual:`generator expressions <cmake-generator-expressions(7)>`.
45 * The :command:`install(FILES)` command ``DESTINATION`` option learned to
46 support :manual:`generator expressions <cmake-generator-expressions(7)>`.
48 * The :command:`string` command learned a new ``APPEND`` subcommand.
53 * The :ref:`Makefile Generators` and the :generator:`Ninja` generator
54 learned to add compiler launcher tools like distcc and ccache along
55 with the compiler for ``C`` and ``CXX`` languages. See the
56 :variable:`CMAKE_<LANG>_COMPILER_LAUNCHER` variable and
57 :prop_tgt:`<LANG>_COMPILER_LAUNCHER` target property for details.
59 * New :variable:`CMAKE_LINK_SEARCH_START_STATIC` and
60 :variable:`CMAKE_LINK_SEARCH_END_STATIC` variables were
61 introduced to initialize the
62 :prop_tgt:`LINK_SEARCH_START_STATIC` and
63 :prop_tgt:`LINK_SEARCH_END_STATIC` target properties,
69 * :ref:`Visual Studio Generators` learned to support additional
70 target properties to customize projects for NVIDIA Nsight
71 Tegra Visual Studio Edition:
73 * :prop_tgt:`ANDROID_ANT_ADDITIONAL_OPTIONS`
74 * :prop_tgt:`ANDROID_ARCH`
75 * :prop_tgt:`ANDROID_ASSETS_DIRECTORIES`
76 * :prop_tgt:`ANDROID_JAR_DEPENDENCIES`
77 * :prop_tgt:`ANDROID_JAR_DIRECTORIES`
78 * :prop_tgt:`ANDROID_JAVA_SOURCE_DIR`
79 * :prop_tgt:`ANDROID_NATIVE_LIB_DEPENDENCIES`
80 * :prop_tgt:`ANDROID_NATIVE_LIB_DIRECTORIES`
81 * :prop_tgt:`ANDROID_PROCESS_MAX`
82 * :prop_tgt:`ANDROID_PROGUARD`
83 * :prop_tgt:`ANDROID_PROGUARD_CONFIG_PATH`
84 * :prop_tgt:`ANDROID_SECURE_PROPS_PATH`
85 * :prop_tgt:`ANDROID_SKIP_ANT_STEP`
86 * :prop_tgt:`ANDROID_STL_TYPE`
88 * The :prop_tgt:`ARCHIVE_OUTPUT_DIRECTORY`,
89 :prop_tgt:`LIBRARY_OUTPUT_DIRECTORY`, and
90 :prop_tgt:`RUNTIME_OUTPUT_DIRECTORY` target properties learned to
91 support :manual:`generator expressions <cmake-generator-expressions(7)>`.
93 * The :prop_tgt:`SOURCE_DIR` and :prop_tgt:`BINARY_DIR` target properties
94 were introduced to allow project code to query where a target is defined.
96 * The :prop_tgt:`OUTPUT_NAME` target property and its variants learned to
97 support :manual:`generator expressions <cmake-generator-expressions(7)>`.
99 * A :prop_gbl:`TARGET_MESSAGES` global property was added to tell the
100 :ref:`Makefile Generators` whether to generate commands to print output
101 after each target is completed.
103 * On Windows with MS-compatible tools, CMake learned to optionally
104 generate a module definition (``.def``) file for ``SHARED`` libraries.
105 See the :prop_tgt:`WINDOWS_EXPORT_ALL_SYMBOLS` target property.
110 * The :module:`ExternalProject` module :command:`ExternalProject_Add`
111 function ``GIT_SUBMODULES`` option now also limits the set of
112 submodules that are initialized in addition to the prior behavior
113 of limiting the set of submodules that are updated.
115 * The :module:`ExternalProject` module learned new ``USES_TERMINAL``
116 arguments for giving steps exclusive terminal access. This is
117 useful with the :generator:`Ninja` generator to monitor CMake
118 superbuild progress and prevent CPU oversubscription.
120 * The :module:`FindBISON` module ``BISON_TARGET`` macro learned a
121 new ``DEFINES_FILE`` option to specify a custom output header
124 * The :module:`FindHDF5` module learend a new ``HDF5_PREFER_PARALLEL``
125 option allowing users to specify that a parallel HDF5 tool is
126 preferred if both are available.
128 * The :module:`FindIce` module now provides imported targets.
130 * The :module:`FindJava` module learned to optionally find
131 the ``idlj`` and ``jarsigner`` tools.
133 * The :module:`FindOpenSSL` module now provides imported targets.
135 * The :module:`FindOpenSSL` module learned a new ``OPENSSL_USE_STATIC_LIBS``
136 option to search only for static libraries.
138 * The :module:`FindPkgConfig` learned a new :command:`pkg_get_variable`
139 command which may be used to query for arbitrary variables from a package
140 (such as for related tools or data and plugin install paths).
142 * The :module:`FindProtobuf` module gained a new
143 :command:`protobuf_generate_python` function to generate python
144 sources from ``.proto`` files.
146 * The :module:`FindTIFF` module learned to search separately for
147 debug and release variants.
149 * The :module:`FindwxWidgets` module learned to support version requests.
151 * The :module:`FindXercesC` module learned to search separately for
152 debug and release variants.
154 * The :module:`FindZLIB` module learned to search separately for
155 debug and release variants.
157 * The :module:`GNUInstallDirs` module learned special default values
158 for certain installation prefixes according to the `GNU Coding
159 Standards`_ and the `Filesystem Hierarchy Standard`_.
161 * The :module:`UseJava` module ``add_jar`` function learned
162 to support response files (e.g. ``@srcs.txt``) for source
165 * The :module:`UseJava` module ``install_jar`` function learned
166 new ``DESTINATION`` and ``COMPONENT`` options to specify
167 the corresponding :command:`install` command options.
169 * The :module:`UseJava` module gained a new ``create_javah``
170 function to create C headers from Java classes.
172 .. _`GNU Coding Standards`: https://www.gnu.org/prep/standards/html_node/Directory-Variables.html
173 .. _`Filesystem Hierarchy Standard`: https://refspecs.linuxfoundation.org/FHS_3.0/fhs/index.html
175 Generator Expressions
176 ---------------------
178 * A new ``$<SHELL_PATH:...>``
179 :manual:`generator expression <cmake-generator-expressions(7)>`
185 * CTest learned to optionally measure the CPU load during parallel
186 testing and avoid starting tests that may cause the load to exceed
187 a given threshold. See the :manual:`ctest(1)` command ``--test-load``
188 option, the ``TestLoad`` setting of the :ref:`CTest Test Step`,
189 the :variable:`CTEST_TEST_LOAD` variable, and the ``TEST_LOAD``
190 option of the :command:`ctest_test` command.
192 * :manual:`ctest(1)` learned options
193 ``--test-output-size-passed`` and ``--test-output-size-failed``
194 to customize the limit on test output size submitted when
195 running as a :ref:`Dashboard Client`.
200 * The :cpack_gen:`CPack DEB Generator` learned to set package dependencies
201 per component. See variables:
203 * :variable:`CPACK_DEBIAN_<COMPONENT>_PACKAGE_BREAKS`
204 * :variable:`CPACK_DEBIAN_<COMPONENT>_PACKAGE_CONFLICTS`
205 * :variable:`CPACK_DEBIAN_<COMPONENT>_PACKAGE_ENHANCES`
206 * :variable:`CPACK_DEBIAN_<COMPONENT>_PACKAGE_PREDEPENDS`
207 * :variable:`CPACK_DEBIAN_<COMPONENT>_PACKAGE_PROVIDES`
208 * :variable:`CPACK_DEBIAN_<COMPONENT>_PACKAGE_RECOMMENDS`
209 * :variable:`CPACK_DEBIAN_<COMPONENT>_PACKAGE_REPLACES`
210 * :variable:`CPACK_DEBIAN_<COMPONENT>_PACKAGE_SUGGESTS`
212 * The :module:`CPack` module learned to package empty directories.
214 * The :module:`CPack` module gained a new setting, ``CPACK_VERBATIM_VARIABLES``,
215 which can be used to ensure the cpack program receives the settings' values
216 exactly as they were set, even if they contain CMake-special characters.
217 For compatibility, it's off by default.
222 * The :manual:`Compile Features <cmake-compile-features(7)>` functionality
223 is now aware of features supported by GNU C compilers on Windows.
225 * CMake learned to honor ``*.manifest`` source files with MSVC tools.
226 Manifest files named as sources of ``.exe`` and ``.dll`` targets
227 will be merged with linker-generated manifests and embedded in the
230 * The `Concurrent Fortran 77 <https://ccur.com>`__ compiler is now supported.
231 Its :variable:`compiler id <CMAKE_<LANG>_COMPILER_ID>` is ``CCur``.
233 * :manual:`cmake(1)` gained a new ``--trace-expand`` command line option
234 that is like ``--trace`` but expands variable references in the output.
236 Deprecated and Removed Features
237 ===============================
239 * The :module:`CMakeExpandImportedTargets` module is now documented
240 as deprecated. See module documentation for an explanation.
242 * The :variable:`CMAKE_USE_RELATIVE_PATHS` variable no longer has any
243 effect. Previously it was partially implemented and unreliable.
248 * The :module:`CheckFunctionExists`, :module:`CheckLibraryExists`,
249 :module:`CheckSymbolExists`, and :module:`FindThreads` modules learned to
250 work in environments where only CXX is enabled.
252 * The :cpack_gen:`CPack DEB Generator` now correctly excludes symlinks
253 during package checksum calculation.
255 * The :cpack_gen:`CPack DEB Generator` no longer uses fakeroot and
256 system tar program for packaging.
258 * The :module:`CPack` module no longer mangles settings with CMake-special
259 characters when they're used as defaults for other settings. The macro
260 ``cpack_set_if_not_set``, which was responsible for this, is now deprecated.
262 * CMake no longer links executables with flags to export symbols
263 unless the :prop_tgt:`ENABLE_EXPORTS` target property is set.
264 See policy :policy:`CMP0065`.
266 * The ``SONAME`` field is no longer set for ``MODULE`` libraries
267 created with the :command:`add_library` command. ``MODULE``
268 libraries are meant for explicit dynamic loading at runtime.
269 They cannot be linked so ``SONAME`` is not useful.
271 * The internal :variable:`CMAKE_<LANG>_COMPILE_OBJECT` rule variable now
272 substitutes compiler include flags in a separate ``<INCLUDES>`` placeholder
273 instead of the main ``<FLAGS>`` placeholder.