Help/policy/CMP0162.rst

CMP0162
-------

.. versionadded:: 3.30

:ref:`Visual Studio Generators` add ``UseDebugLibraries`` indicators by default.

The "Use Debug Libraries" setting in Visual Studio projects indicates what
configurations are considered debug configurations.  In standalone projects,
this may affect MSBuild's default selection of MSVC runtime library,
optimization flags, runtime checks, and similar settings.  CMake typically
generates all those settings explicitly based on the project's specification,
so CMake 3.29 and below do not write any ``UseDebugLibraries`` indicators to
``.vcxproj`` files.

CMake 3.30 and above prefer to write ``UseDebugLibraries`` indicators because
they are useful for reference by both humans and tools, and may also affect
the behavior of platform-specific SDKs.  The indicator for each configuration
of a target is determined as follows:

* If the target compiles sources for a known MSVC runtime library
  (such as that specified by :prop_tgt:`MSVC_RUNTIME_LIBRARY`),
  then ``UseDebugLibraries`` is ``true`` for configurations that
  compile for a "Debug" runtime library, and ``false`` for others.

* Otherwise, such as in targets created by :command:`add_custom_target`,
  ``UseDebugLibraries`` is ``true`` for the ``Debug`` configuration,
  and ``false`` for others.

This policy provides compatibility for projects that have not been updated to
expect the indicators.  The policy setting is recorded by each target as it is
created and used to determine the default behavior for that target's
``.vcxproj`` file.

The ``OLD`` behavior for this policy is to not generate ``UseDebugLibraries``
indicators by default.  The ``NEW`` behavior for this policy is to generate
``UseDebugLibraries`` indicators by default.

If the :variable:`CMAKE_VS_USE_DEBUG_LIBRARIES` variable and/or
:prop_tgt:`VS_USE_DEBUG_LIBRARIES` target property is set, it explicitly
controls ``UseDebugLibraries`` generation regardless of this policy.

.. |INTRODUCED_IN_CMAKE_VERSION| replace:: 3.30
.. |WARNS_OR_DOES_NOT_WARN| replace:: does *not* warn
.. include:: STANDARD_ADVICE.txt

.. include:: DEPRECATED.txt