Help/release/3.11.rst

CMake 3.11 Release Notes
************************

.. only:: html

  .. contents::

Changes made since CMake 3.10 include the following.

New Features
============

Platforms
---------

* TI C/C++ compilers are now supported by the :generator:`Ninja` generator.

Generators
----------

* The :generator:`CodeBlocks` extra generator learned to check a
  :variable:`CMAKE_CODEBLOCKS_COMPILER_ID` variable for a custom
  compiler identification value to place in the project file.

* The :ref:`Makefile Generators` and the :generator:`Ninja` generator learned
  to add compiler launcher tools along with the compiler for the ``Fortran``
  language (``C``, ``CXX``, and ``CUDA`` were supported previously).
  See the :variable:`CMAKE_<LANG>_COMPILER_LAUNCHER` variable and
  :prop_tgt:`<LANG>_COMPILER_LAUNCHER` target property for details.

* :ref:`Visual Studio Generators` learned to support the ``COMPILE_LANGUAGE``
  :manual:`generator expression <cmake-generator-expressions(7)>` in
  target-wide :prop_tgt:`COMPILE_DEFINITIONS`,
  :prop_tgt:`INCLUDE_DIRECTORIES`, :prop_tgt:`COMPILE_OPTIONS`, and
  :command:`file(GENERATE)`.  See generator expression documentation
  for caveats.

* The :generator:`Xcode` generator learned to support the ``COMPILE_LANGUAGE``
  :manual:`generator expression <cmake-generator-expressions(7)>` in
  target-wide :prop_tgt:`COMPILE_DEFINITIONS` and
  :prop_tgt:`INCLUDE_DIRECTORIES`.  It previously supported only
  :prop_tgt:`COMPILE_OPTIONS` and :command:`file(GENERATE)`.
  See generator expression documentation for caveats.

Commands
--------

* :command:`add_library` and :command:`add_executable` commands can now be
  called without any sources and will not complain as long as sources are
  added later via the :command:`target_sources` command.

* The :command:`file(DOWNLOAD)` and :command:`file(UPLOAD)` commands
  gained ``NETRC`` and ``NETRC_FILE`` options to specify use of a
  ``.netrc`` file.

* The :command:`target_compile_definitions` command learned to set the
  :prop_tgt:`INTERFACE_COMPILE_DEFINITIONS` property on
  :ref:`Imported Targets`.

* The :command:`target_compile_features` command learned to set the
  :prop_tgt:`INTERFACE_COMPILE_FEATURES` property on :ref:`Imported Targets`.

* The :command:`target_compile_options` command learned to set the
  :prop_tgt:`INTERFACE_COMPILE_OPTIONS` property on :ref:`Imported Targets`.

* The :command:`target_include_directories` command learned to set the
  :prop_tgt:`INTERFACE_INCLUDE_DIRECTORIES` property on
  :ref:`Imported Targets`.

* The :command:`target_sources` command learned to set the
  :prop_tgt:`INTERFACE_SOURCES` property on :ref:`Imported Targets`.

* The :command:`target_link_libraries` command learned to set the
  :prop_tgt:`INTERFACE_LINK_LIBRARIES` property on :ref:`Imported Targets`.

Variables
---------

* A :variable:`CMAKE_GENERATOR_INSTANCE` variable was introduced
  to hold the selected instance of the generator's corresponding
  native tools if multiple are available.  This is used by the
  :generator:`Visual Studio 15 2017` generator to hold the
  selected instance of Visual Studio persistently.

* A :variable:`CMAKE_INSTALL_DEFAULT_DIRECTORY_PERMISSIONS` variable was added
  to enable setting of default permissions for directories created implicitly
  during installation of files by :command:`install` and
  :command:`file(INSTALL)`, e.g. during ``make install``.

* A :variable:`CMAKE_JOB_POOLS` variable was added specify a value to use for
  the :prop_gbl:`JOB_POOLS` property. This enables control over build
  parallelism with command line configuration parameters when using the Ninja
  generator.

* The :variable:`CMAKE_NETRC` and :variable:`CMAKE_NETRC_FILE` variables
  were added to specify use of a ``.netrc`` file by the
  :command:`file(DOWNLOAD)` and :command:`file(UPLOAD)` commands and
  the :module:`ExternalProject` module.

* A :variable:`CMAKE_CUDA_SEPARABLE_COMPILATION` variable was added to
  initialize the :prop_tgt:`CUDA_SEPARABLE_COMPILATION` target property
  on targets when they are created.

Properties
----------

* The :prop_sf:`COMPILE_DEFINITIONS` source file property learned to support
  :manual:`generator expressions <cmake-generator-expressions(7)>`.

* A :prop_sf:`COMPILE_OPTIONS` source file property was added to manage list
  of options to pass to the compiler.

* An :prop_tgt:`IMPORTED_GLOBAL` target property was added to indicate
  whether an :ref:`IMPORTED target <Imported Targets>` is globally visible.
  It is automatically set to a true value for targets created with the
  ``GLOBAL`` option to :command:`add_library` or :command:`add_executable`.
  Additionally, project code may now *promote* a local imported target
  to be globally visible by setting this property to ``TRUE``.

* An :prop_sf:`INCLUDE_DIRECTORIES` source file property was added to specify
  list of preprocessor include file search directories.

* Source file properties :prop_sf:`VS_SHADER_DISABLE_OPTIMIZATIONS` and
  :prop_sf:`VS_SHADER_ENABLE_DEBUG` have been added to specify more
  details of ``.hlsl`` sources with :ref:`Visual Studio Generators`.

Modules
-------

* The :module:`CheckIncludeFiles` module :command:`CHECK_INCLUDE_FILES`
  command gained a ``LANGUAGE`` option to specify whether to check using the
  ``C`` or ``CXX`` compiler.

* The :module:`CMakePackageConfigHelpers` module
  :command:`write_basic_package_version_file` command learned a new
  ``SameMinorVersion`` mode for the ``COMPATIBILITY`` argument.

* The :module:`ExternalProject` module learned to substitute ``<DOWNLOAD_DIR>``
  in comments, commands, working directory and byproducts.

* The :module:`ExternalProject` module gained ``NETRC`` and ``NETRC_FILE``
  options to specify use of a ``.netrc`` file.

* A new :module:`FetchContent` module was added which supports populating
  content at configure time using any of the download/update methods
  supported by :command:`ExternalProject_Add`.  This allows the content
  to be used immediately during the configure stage, such as with
  :command:`add_subdirectory`, etc.  Hierarchical project structures are
  well supported, allowing parent projects to override the content details
  of child projects and ensuring content is not populated multiple times
  throughout the whole project tree.

* The :module:`FindBLAS` and :module:`FindLAPACK` modules learned to support
  `FLAME`_ ``blis`` and ``libflame``.

* The :module:`FindDoxygen` module :command:`doxygen_add_docs` function
  now supports a new ``DOXYGEN_VERBATIM_VARS`` list variable.  Any
  ``DOXYGEN_...`` variable contained in that list will bypass the automatic
  quoting logic, leaving its contents untouched when transferring them to the
  output ``Doxyfile``.

* A :module:`FindIconv` module was added to locate iconv support.

* The :module:`GenerateExportHeader` module ``GENERATE_EXPORT_HEADER`` command
  gained an ``INCLUDE_GUARD_NAME`` option to change the name of the include
  guard symbol written to the generated export header.
  Additionally, it now adds a comment after the closing ``#endif`` on the
  generated export header's include guard.

* The :module:`UseJava` module ``add_jar`` command gained a
  ``GENERATE_NATIVE_HEADERS`` option to generate native header files
  using ``javac -h`` for ``javac`` 1.8 or above.  This supersedes
  ``create_javah``, which no longer works with JDK 1.10 and above due
  to removal of the ``javah`` tool by `JEP 313`_.

.. _`FLAME`: https://github.com/flame
.. _`JEP 313`: http://openjdk.java.net/jeps/313

Autogen
-------

* When using :prop_tgt:`AUTOMOC` or :prop_tgt:`AUTOUIC`, CMake now starts
  multiple parallel ``moc`` or ``uic`` processes to reduce the build time.
  A new :variable:`CMAKE_AUTOGEN_PARALLEL` variable and
  :prop_tgt:`AUTOGEN_PARALLEL` target property may be set to specify the
  number of parallel ``moc`` or ``uic`` processes to start.  The default
  is derived from the number of CPUs on the host.

CTest
-----

* The :command:`ctest_start` command no longer sets
  :variable:`CTEST_RUN_CURRENT_SCRIPT` due to issues with scoping if it is
  called from inside a function. Instead, it sets an internal variable in
  CTest. However, setting :variable:`CTEST_RUN_CURRENT_SCRIPT` to 0 at the
  global scope still prevents the script from being re-run at the end.

CPack
-----

* :manual:`cpack(1)` gained ``--trace`` and ``--trace-expand`` options.

* The :module:`CPackIFW` module gained new
  :variable:`CPACK_IFW_PACKAGE_REMOVE_TARGET_DIR` variable to control
  if the target directory should not be deleted when uninstalling.

* The :module:`CPackRPM` module learned to enable enforcing of execute
  privileges on programs and shared libraries.
  See :variable:`CPACK_RPM_INSTALL_WITH_EXEC` variable.

* A :variable:`CPACK_INSTALL_DEFAULT_DIRECTORY_PERMISSIONS` variable was added
  which serves the same purpose during packaging (e.g. ``make package``) as the
  :variable:`CMAKE_INSTALL_DEFAULT_DIRECTORY_PERMISSIONS` variable serves during
  installation (e.g. ``make install``).

Other
-----

* :ref:`Alias Targets` may now alias :ref:`Imported Targets` that are
  created with the ``GLOBAL`` option to :command:`add_library`.

* :ref:`Interface Libraries` may now have custom properties set on them if
  they start with either an underscore (``_``) or a lowercase ASCII character.
  The original intention was to only allow properties which made sense for
  ``INTERFACE`` libraries, but it also blocked usage of custom properties.

* The :manual:`cmake(1)` ``--open <dir>`` command-line option was added
  to open generated IDE projects like Visual Studio solutions or Xcode
  projects.

Deprecated and Removed Features
===============================

* An explicit deprecation diagnostic was added for policies ``CMP0037``
  through ``CMP0054`` (``CMP0036`` and below were already deprecated).
  The :manual:`cmake-policies(7)` manual explains that the OLD behaviors
  of all policies are deprecated and that projects should port to the
  NEW behaviors.

* The ``KDevelop3`` generator has been removed.

Other Changes
=============

* Policy :policy:`CMP0037` no longer reserves target names associated
  with optional features, such as ``test`` and ``package``, unless
  the corresponding feature is enabled.

* The :module:`FindOpenGL` module now prefers GLVND libraries if available.
  See policy :policy:`CMP0072`.

* The minimum deployment target set in the
  :variable:`CMAKE_OSX_DEPLOYMENT_TARGET` variable used to be only
  applied for macOS regardless of the selected SDK.  It is now properly
  set for the target platform selected by :variable:`CMAKE_OSX_SYSROOT`.
  For example, if the sysroot variable specifies an iOS SDK then the
  value in ``CMAKE_OSX_DEPLOYMENT_TARGET`` is interpreted as minimum
  iOS version.

* The :generator:`Xcode` generator behavior of generating one project
  file per :command:`project()` command may now be controlled with the
  :variable:`CMAKE_XCODE_GENERATE_TOP_LEVEL_PROJECT_ONLY` variable.
  This could be useful to speed up the CMake generation step for
  large projects and to work-around a bug in the ``ZERO_CHECK`` logic.

* Since the ``CMakeCache.txt`` format does not support newlines in values,
  values containing newlines are now truncated before writing to the file.
  In addition, a warning comment is written to the cache file, and a warning
  message is displayed to the user on the console.

Updates
=======

Changes made since CMake 3.11.0 include the following.

3.11.1
------

* The :module:`CheckIncludeFile` module ``check_include_file`` macro,
  :module:`CheckIncludeFileCXX` module ``check_include_file_cxx`` macro,
  and :module:`CheckIncludeFiles` module ``check_include_files`` macro
  were taught to honor the ``CMAKE_REQUIRED_LIBRARIES`` variable in
  CMake 3.11.0.  This has been reverted due to changing behavior of
  checks for existing projects.  It may be restored in the future
  with a policy for compatibility.