CMake/Help/command/execute_process.rst
Brad King 3bb6266492 Help: Clarify execute_process COMMAND argument behavior
State in the execute_process how COMMAND arguments are passed to
the child.  Add a note at the end about how the command differs
from add_custom_*().

Suggested-by: Alan W. Irwin
2013-11-07 16:42:39 -05:00

76 lines
2.8 KiB
ReStructuredText

execute_process
---------------
Execute one or more child processes.
.. code-block:: cmake
execute_process(COMMAND <cmd1> [args1...]]
[COMMAND <cmd2> [args2...] [...]]
[WORKING_DIRECTORY <directory>]
[TIMEOUT <seconds>]
[RESULT_VARIABLE <variable>]
[OUTPUT_VARIABLE <variable>]
[ERROR_VARIABLE <variable>]
[INPUT_FILE <file>]
[OUTPUT_FILE <file>]
[ERROR_FILE <file>]
[OUTPUT_QUIET]
[ERROR_QUIET]
[OUTPUT_STRIP_TRAILING_WHITESPACE]
[ERROR_STRIP_TRAILING_WHITESPACE])
Runs the given sequence of one or more commands with the standard
output of each process piped to the standard input of the next.
A single standard error pipe is used for all processes.
Options:
COMMAND
A child process command line.
CMake executes the child process using operating system APIs directly.
All arguments are passed VERBATIM to the child process.
No intermediate shell is used, so shell operators such as ``>``
are treated as normal arguments.
(Use the ``INPUT_*``, ``OUTPUT_*``, and ``ERROR_*`` options to
redirect stdin, stdout, and stderr.)
WORKING_DIRECTORY
The named directory will be set as the current working directory of
the child processes.
TIMEOUT
The child processes will be terminated if they do not finish in the
specified number of seconds (fractions are allowed).
RESULT_VARIABLE
The variable will be set to contain the result of running the processes.
This will be an integer return code from the last child or a string
describing an error condition.
OUTPUT_VARIABLE, ERROR_VARIABLE
The variable named will be set with the contents of the standard output
and standard error pipes, respectively. If the same variable is named
for both pipes their output will be merged in the order produced.
INPUT_FILE, OUTPUT_FILE, ERROR_FILE
The file named will be attached to the standard input of the first
process, standard output of the last process, or standard error of
all processes, respectively.
OUTPUT_QUIET, ERROR_QUIET
The standard output or standard error results will be quietly ignored.
If more than one ``OUTPUT_*`` or ``ERROR_*`` option is given for the
same pipe the precedence is not specified.
If no ``OUTPUT_*`` or ``ERROR_*`` options are given the output will
be shared with the corresponding pipes of the CMake process itself.
The :command:`execute_process` command is a newer more powerful version of
:command:`exec_program`, but the old command has been kept for compatibility.
Both commands run while CMake is processing the project prior to build
system generation. Use :command:`add_custom_target` and
:command:`add_custom_command` to create custom commands that run at
build time.