Skip to content

Instantly share code, notes, and snippets.

@larsch
Last active March 12, 2022 10:49
  • Star 30 You must be signed in to star a gist
  • Fork 15 You must be signed in to fork a gist
Star You must be signed in to star a gist
Save larsch/573926 to your computer and use it in GitHub Desktop.
cmake module for setting up precompiled headers (MSVC & GCC)
# Function for setting up precompiled headers. Usage:
#
# add_library/executable(target
# pchheader.c pchheader.cpp pchheader.h)
#
# add_precompiled_header(target pchheader.h
# [FORCEINCLUDE]
# [SOURCE_C pchheader.c]
# [SOURCE_CXX pchheader.cpp])
#
# Options:
#
# FORCEINCLUDE: Add compiler flags to automatically include the
# pchheader.h from every source file. Works with both GCC and
# MSVC. This is recommended.
#
# SOURCE_C/CXX: Specifies the .c/.cpp source file that includes
# pchheader.h for generating the pre-compiled header
# output. Defaults to pchheader.c. Only required for MSVC.
#
# Caveats:
#
# * Its not currently possible to use the same precompiled-header in
# more than a single target in the same directory (No way to set
# the source file properties differently for each target).
#
# * MSVC: A source file with the same name as the header must exist
# and be included in the target (E.g. header.cpp). Name of file
# can be changed using the SOURCE_CXX/SOURCE_C options.
#
# License:
#
# Copyright (C) 2009-2013 Lars Christensen <larsch@belunktum.dk>
#
# Permission is hereby granted, free of charge, to any person
# obtaining a copy of this software and associated documentation files
# (the 'Software') deal in the Software without restriction,
# including without limitation the rights to use, copy, modify, merge,
# publish, distribute, sublicense, and/or sell copies of the Software,
# and to permit persons to whom the Software is furnished to do so,
# subject to the following conditions:
#
# The above copyright notice and this permission notice shall be
# included in all copies or substantial portions of the Software.
#
# THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED 'AS IS', WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND,
# EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF
# MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND
# NONINFRINGEMENT. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE AUTHORS OR COPYRIGHT HOLDERS
# BE LIABLE FOR ANY CLAIM, DAMAGES OR OTHER LIABILITY, WHETHER IN AN
# ACTION OF CONTRACT, TORT OR OTHERWISE, ARISING FROM, OUT OF OR IN
# CONNECTION WITH THE SOFTWARE OR THE USE OR OTHER DEALINGS IN THE
# SOFTWARE.
include(CMakeParseArguments)
macro(combine_arguments _variable)
set(_result "")
foreach(_element ${${_variable}})
set(_result "${_result} \"${_element}\"")
endforeach()
string(STRIP "${_result}" _result)
set(${_variable} "${_result}")
endmacro()
function(export_all_flags _filename)
set(_include_directories "$<TARGET_PROPERTY:${_target},INCLUDE_DIRECTORIES>")
set(_compile_definitions "$<TARGET_PROPERTY:${_target},COMPILE_DEFINITIONS>")
set(_compile_flags "$<TARGET_PROPERTY:${_target},COMPILE_FLAGS>")
set(_compile_options "$<TARGET_PROPERTY:${_target},COMPILE_OPTIONS>")
set(_include_directories "$<$<BOOL:${_include_directories}>:-I$<JOIN:${_include_directories},\n-I>\n>")
set(_compile_definitions "$<$<BOOL:${_compile_definitions}>:-D$<JOIN:${_compile_definitions},\n-D>\n>")
set(_compile_flags "$<$<BOOL:${_compile_flags}>:$<JOIN:${_compile_flags},\n>\n>")
set(_compile_options "$<$<BOOL:${_compile_options}>:$<JOIN:${_compile_options},\n>\n>")
file(GENERATE OUTPUT "${_filename}" CONTENT "${_compile_definitions}${_include_directories}${_compile_flags}${_compile_options}\n")
endfunction()
function(add_precompiled_header _target _input)
cmake_parse_arguments(_PCH "FORCEINCLUDE" "SOURCE_CXX:SOURCE_C" "" ${ARGN})
get_filename_component(_input_we ${_input} NAME_WE)
if(NOT _PCH_SOURCE_CXX)
set(_PCH_SOURCE_CXX "${_input_we}.cpp")
endif()
if(NOT _PCH_SOURCE_C)
set(_PCH_SOURCE_C "${_input_we}.c")
endif()
if(MSVC)
set(_cxx_path "${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/${_target}_cxx_pch")
set(_c_path "${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/${_target}_c_pch")
make_directory("${_cxx_path}")
make_directory("${_c_path}")
set(_pch_cxx_header "${_cxx_path}/${_input}")
set(_pch_cxx_pch "${_cxx_path}/${_input_we}.pch")
set(_pch_c_header "${_c_path}/${_input}")
set(_pch_c_pch "${_c_path}/${_input_we}.pch")
get_target_property(sources ${_target} SOURCES)
foreach(_source ${sources})
set(_pch_compile_flags "")
if(_source MATCHES \\.\(cc|cxx|cpp|c\)$)
if(_source MATCHES \\.\(cpp|cxx|cc\)$)
set(_pch_header "${_input}")
set(_pch "${_pch_cxx_pch}")
else()
set(_pch_header "${_input}")
set(_pch "${_pch_c_pch}")
endif()
if(_source STREQUAL "${_PCH_SOURCE_CXX}")
set(_pch_compile_flags "${_pch_compile_flags} \"/Fp${_pch_cxx_pch}\" /Yc${_input}")
set(_pch_source_cxx_found TRUE)
elseif(_source STREQUAL "${_PCH_SOURCE_C}")
set(_pch_compile_flags "${_pch_compile_flags} \"/Fp${_pch_c_pch}\" /Yc${_input}")
set(_pch_source_c_found TRUE)
else()
if(_source MATCHES \\.\(cpp|cxx|cc\)$)
set(_pch_compile_flags "${_pch_compile_flags} \"/Fp${_pch_cxx_pch}\" /Yu${_input}")
set(_pch_source_cxx_needed TRUE)
else()
set(_pch_compile_flags "${_pch_compile_flags} \"/Fp${_pch_c_pch}\" /Yu${_input}")
set(_pch_source_c_needed TRUE)
endif()
if(_PCH_FORCEINCLUDE)
set(_pch_compile_flags "${_pch_compile_flags} /FI${_input}")
endif(_PCH_FORCEINCLUDE)
endif()
get_source_file_property(_object_depends "${_source}" OBJECT_DEPENDS)
if(NOT _object_depends)
set(_object_depends)
endif()
if(_PCH_FORCEINCLUDE)
if(_source MATCHES \\.\(cc|cxx|cpp\)$)
list(APPEND _object_depends "${_pch_header}")
else()
list(APPEND _object_depends "${_pch_header}")
endif()
endif()
set_source_files_properties(${_source} PROPERTIES
COMPILE_FLAGS "${_pch_compile_flags}"
OBJECT_DEPENDS "${_object_depends}")
endif()
endforeach()
if(_pch_source_cxx_needed AND NOT _pch_source_cxx_found)
message(FATAL_ERROR "A source file ${_PCH_SOURCE_CXX} for ${_input} is required for MSVC builds. Can be set with the SOURCE_CXX option.")
endif()
if(_pch_source_c_needed AND NOT _pch_source_c_found)
message(FATAL_ERROR "A source file ${_PCH_SOURCE_C} for ${_input} is required for MSVC builds. Can be set with the SOURCE_C option.")
endif()
endif(MSVC)
if(CMAKE_COMPILER_IS_GNUCXX)
get_filename_component(_name ${_input} NAME)
set(_pch_header "${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/${_input}")
set(_pch_binary_dir "${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/${_target}_pch")
set(_pchfile "${_pch_binary_dir}/${_input}")
set(_outdir "${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/${_target}_pch/${_name}.gch")
make_directory(${_outdir})
set(_output_cxx "${_outdir}/.c++")
set(_output_c "${_outdir}/.c")
set(_pch_flags_file "${_pch_binary_dir}/compile_flags.rsp")
export_all_flags("${_pch_flags_file}")
set(_compiler_FLAGS "@${_pch_flags_file}")
add_custom_command(
OUTPUT "${_pchfile}"
COMMAND "${CMAKE_COMMAND}" -E copy "${_pch_header}" "${_pchfile}"
DEPENDS "${_pch_header}"
COMMENT "Updating ${_name}")
add_custom_command(
OUTPUT "${_output_cxx}"
COMMAND "${CMAKE_CXX_COMPILER}" ${_compiler_FLAGS} -x c++-header -o "${_output_cxx}" "${_pchfile}"
DEPENDS "${_pchfile}" "${_pch_flags_file}"
COMMENT "Precompiling ${_name} for ${_target} (C++)")
add_custom_command(
OUTPUT "${_output_c}"
COMMAND "${CMAKE_C_COMPILER}" ${_compiler_FLAGS} -x c-header -o "${_output_c}" "${_pchfile}"
DEPENDS "${_pchfile}" "${_pch_flags_file}"
COMMENT "Precompiling ${_name} for ${_target} (C)")
get_property(_sources TARGET ${_target} PROPERTY SOURCES)
foreach(_source ${_sources})
set(_pch_compile_flags "")
if(_source MATCHES \\.\(cc|cxx|cpp|c\)$)
get_source_file_property(_pch_compile_flags "${_source}" COMPILE_FLAGS)
if(NOT _pch_compile_flags)
set(_pch_compile_flags)
endif()
separate_arguments(_pch_compile_flags)
list(APPEND _pch_compile_flags -Winvalid-pch)
if(_PCH_FORCEINCLUDE)
list(APPEND _pch_compile_flags -include "${_pchfile}")
else(_PCH_FORCEINCLUDE)
list(APPEND _pch_compile_flags "-I${_pch_binary_dir}")
endif(_PCH_FORCEINCLUDE)
get_source_file_property(_object_depends "${_source}" OBJECT_DEPENDS)
if(NOT _object_depends)
set(_object_depends)
endif()
list(APPEND _object_depends "${_pchfile}")
if(_source MATCHES \\.\(cc|cxx|cpp\)$)
list(APPEND _object_depends "${_output_cxx}")
else()
list(APPEND _object_depends "${_output_c}")
endif()
combine_arguments(_pch_compile_flags)
message("${_source}" ${_pch_compile_flags})
set_source_files_properties(${_source} PROPERTIES
COMPILE_FLAGS "${_pch_compile_flags}"
OBJECT_DEPENDS "${_object_depends}")
endif()
endforeach()
endif(CMAKE_COMPILER_IS_GNUCXX)
endfunction()
@ibre5041
Copy link

Hi,
I've got one suggestion for your macro. Change it into a "FUNCTION". The variable FORCEINCLUDE is a global one and when this macro is used for the 2nd execution it fails. If you used a FUNCTION it will work better.

But anyway it will set props for all the sources in multiple targets.

Ivan

@michaelgrosner
Copy link

I'm not very familiar with cmake, but I keep on getting this error:

$ make -j4 LoopingLibrary
make[3]: *** No rule to make target Includes.h', needed byIncludes.h.gch/.c++'. Stop.
make[2]: *** [CMakeFiles/LoopingLibrary_gch.dir/all] Error 2
make[1]: *** [CMakeFiles/LoopingLibrary.dir/rule] Error 2
make: *** [LoopingLibrary] Error 2

@Maigo
Copy link

Maigo commented Aug 29, 2013

I suggest using this (below) MACRO to check for the forceinclude option.
http://www.cmake.org/Wiki/CMakeMacroParseArguments

@cameronwhite
Copy link

I'd suggest using GET_PROPERTY(_target_flags TARGET ${_targetName} PROPERTY INCLUDE_DIRECTORIES) instead of GET_DIRECTORY_PROPERTY. The current code doesn't pick up include directories added by the qt5_use_modules command.

@larsch
Copy link
Author

larsch commented Sep 17, 2014

Updated with new version from https://github.com/larsch/cmake-precompiled-header/blob/master/PrecompiledHeader.cmake. Thanks everyone for suggestions!
New version is way more robust and well tested (but still with a couple of caveats).

@pkarneliuk
Copy link

Please add cmake_minimum_required(VERSION 2.8.12) command.

I had error at https://gist.github.com/larsch/573926#file-precompiledheader-cmake-L75
because we use 2.8.9.
Thank you for the Module!

@brad-anderson
Copy link

Nice to have something that finally works for me. Thanks.

I was having trouble with SOURCE_CXX not working until I changed

"SOURCE_CXX:SOURCE_C" to
"SOURCE_CXX;SOURCE_C"

I'm on CMake 3.1.0 (perhaps something changed with cmake_parse_arguments?).

@shartte
Copy link

shartte commented Mar 22, 2015

Sadly this breaks for me when my include path contains directories that contain spaces, such as "C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft DirectX SDK (June 2010)\Include" :-(

@slobodin
Copy link

slobodin commented Jul 5, 2015

Had the same problem as @eco. Using cmake 3.3.0 rc3.

@brad-anderson
Copy link

I discovered another problem where all build configurations share the same generated PCH.

I've fixed that by changing set(_pch_cxx_pch "${_cxx_path}/${_input_we}.pch") to set(_pch_cxx_pch "${_cxx_path}/${_input_we}_${CMAKE_CFG_INTDIR}.pch") (and the same for the _pch_c_pch variable).

I've forked this gist and included this change and the change I made back in December.

@delaitre
Copy link

delaitre commented Sep 6, 2016

Have you ever tried to use https://github.com/sakra/cotire instead?

@uap-universe
Copy link

I added forwarding of CMAKE_CXX_FLAGS / CMAKE_C_FLAGS with respect to the currently selected build type.

The reason is, that it is still quite common to pass flags via these variables instead of setting them via target_compile_options. IDEs may use this to configure different options for release and debug builds, e.g.

Sign up for free to join this conversation on GitHub. Already have an account? Sign in to comment