[sldev] [VWR] Switch to cmake?

[Paul Oppenheim (Poppy)]

Phoenix wrote:
> I believe there is a fair amount of support for cmake here at linden 
> primarily because it would simplify adding files/libraries and simplify 
> the changes necessary during a source export.

I admit to being somewhat of a rabble rouser.

> If someone has cmake proficiency and can make a project definition which 
> builds linux and makes project files for xcode and dev studio, I would 
> take responsibility for putting it into the release trunk.

This is on my Someday Maybe list, but is suddenly more relevant.

> On 2007-10-11, at 23:19, Callum Lerwick wrote:
>> This came up at the meeting, but I haven't seen any threads for it.
>> There was talk of switching from scons to cmake. Personally I'm for
>> it. :) The advantages would be all platforms can share the same build
>> system, yet people can continue using MSVC and XCode the way they're
>> used to.

So, kind of.

NOTE: my last experience with CMake is from 2004. Feel free to flame me if what I am saying is either not true anymore, or false from the get-go.

UNIX Workflow:
1. write cmake file
2. build cmake file into makefile
3. make
4. debug / test / etc
5. change cmake file
6. goto 2

seems a lot like automake, so cool there.

XCode / MSVS / other IDE Workflow:
1. write cmake file
2. build cmake file into IDE project file
3. open project, build
3. make
4. debug / test / etc
5. change cmake file   <--- PROBLEM
6. goto 2

Why is step 5 a problem? Because no IDE-using coder is going to want to have to go through this mess EVERY time they want to make a change to the project file.

This could be less of a problem because the gain from cross-platform consistency is high. However, we don't seem to suck TOO bad at that now (hopefully!). This also may not be a problem if good plugins have been written for the corresponding IDEs that change the cmake file whenever you change the project.

That's where I'm at with it. Does anyone know if the workflow is less of an intrusion for IDE developers these days than it has been? It's gonna be a *real* hard sell unless that's not how I wrote it.

+ paul

PS - Bill, thanks for stopping in! (yay!)