How to print messages after make done with cmake?

Question

I'm trying to print messages after building process done using CMake.

I just want to inform the user after make command is done without any error.

How can I do it? I tried add_custom_target() but I cannot choose when to run.

Also, I tried add_custom_command(), again it doesn't give me the right result.

Any idea?

Thank you for your idea in advance.

You wish to print this message when all targets are completed...So this custom target depends on all other targets... Would it be a good idea to `add_dependencies()` ? — francis, Aug 11 '14 at 14:43
Yes! You're very right! But, the project consists of numerous targets. Is there any way I can get the list of all the targets? — Genie, Aug 11 '14 at 15:17

score 9 · Accepted Answer · answered Aug 11 '14 at 15:47

9

You could, indeed, do the following:

add_custom_target( FinalMessage ALL
    ${CMAKE_COMMAND} -E cmake_echo_color --cyan "Compilation is over!"
    COMMENT "Final Message" )
add_dependencies( FinalMessage ${ALL_TARGETS} )

That custom target depending on the list of all the targets you previously defined, you make sure it will be run last.

answered Aug 11 '14 at 15:47

xStan

552
4
4

1

Thanks the reply. I tried just now only to fail. `${ALL_TARGETS}` was just empty. I'm using CMake 2.8.11.2. Is it implemented in CMake above 3.0? – Genie Aug 11 '14 at 16:28
Thanks. I tried that before with `Set(ALL_TARGETS ${ALL_TARGETS} "${LIBRARY_NAME}" PARENT_SCOPE)`. but some targets defined in subdirectories loaded by `add_subdirectory()` method don't exist in that list. – Genie Aug 11 '14 at 17:01

score 5 · Answer 2 · answered Jan 22 '16 at 18:30

To print a message after building a specific target, e. g. make yourtarget, you can use

add_custom_command(TARGET yourtarget POST_BUILD
                   COMMAND ${CMAKE_COMMAND} -E cmake_echo_color --cyan
                   "Message after yourtarget has been built.")

Instead of POST_BUILD, you could also use PRE_BUILD or PRE_LINK for other purposes, see documentation.

(You specified in the comments, that you like to print a message after all targets, but the original question is less precise. So it might be of some value for people looking here.)

Just note that with this approach, documentation states "If the target is already built, the command will not execute." — sdbbs, Oct 03 '22 at 18:13

score 3 · Answer 3 · edited Sep 23 '22 at 06:32

I just resolved the issue with the help of smarquis. Thank you.

Here's the step by step procedure to do it. Since my source tree are connected complicatedly with add_subdirectory() method, this method can be applied everyone.

Initialize ALL_TARGETS variable cached. Add the line in CMakeLists.txt right below the version checking command.
```
 Set(ALL_TARGETS "" CACHE INTERNAL "")
```

Override Add_library() and Add_executable() methods. If there's any other target, override it as well. Add the lines below at the end of CMakeLists.txt file.

 function(Add_library NAME)
   Set(ALL_TARGETS ${ALL_TARGETS} "${ARGN}" CACHE INTERNAL "ALL_TARGETS")
   _add_library(${NAME} ${ARGN})
 endfunction()

 function(Add_executable NAME)
   Set(ALL_TARGETS ${ALL_TARGETS} "${ARGN}" CACHE INTERNAL "ALL_TARGETS")
   _add_executable(${NAME} ${ARGN})
 endfunction()

Create custom target that will execute all the things you want to do after building. In this example I just print some information on screen. Add it followed by the above.

 add_custom_target(BUILD_SUCCESSFUL ALL
                   DEPENDS ${ALL_TARGETS}
                   COMMAND ${CMAKE_COMMAND} -E echo ""
                   COMMAND ${CMAKE_COMMAND} -E echo "====================="
                   COMMAND ${CMAKE_COMMAND} -E echo "  Compile complete!"
                   COMMAND ${CMAKE_COMMAND} -E echo "====================="
                   COMMAND ${CMAKE_COMMAND} -E echo ""
                  )

Tada!

How to print messages after make done with cmake?

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