use cmake configure_file to copy recursive files

Question

I wanna using configure_file(<input> <output> COPYONLY) to copy a specific directory files recursive , I used this command:

configure_file(${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/res/* ${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/res COPYONLY)

but I got some errors , How I should use this command for this porpuse? (I looked at this question too), the Errors:

CMake Error at CMakeLists.txt:86 (configure_file): configure_file Problem configuring file

I know that I can use it with file(...) too , but I wanna use configure_file(...):

file(COPY ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/res/ DESTINATION ${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/res)

From the cmake documentation of `configure_file` (emphasis mine): *"Copies **an** `` file to **an** `` file .."* — fabian, Apr 09 '22 at 11:39
"I wanna use configure_file(...)" - Then you need to use it for **every** separate file. You could obtain list of files using `file(GLOB)` and iterate over this list with `foreach`. — Tsyvarev, Apr 09 '22 at 11:39
There's `execute_process(COMMAND ${CMAKE_COMMAND} -E copy_directory "${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/res" "${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/res")` which does seem to achieve what you seem to attempt here btw... — fabian, Apr 09 '22 at 11:41

score 2 · Accepted Answer · answered Apr 09 '22 at 11:45

I don't think it is possible to use configure_file to copy a folder directly. The command is about

copy a file to another location and modify its contents.

1 Answers1