build_command

Get a command line to build the current project. This is mainly intended for internal use by the :module:CTest module.

.. code-block:: cmake

build_command(<variable> [CONFIGURATION <config>] [PARALLEL_LEVEL <parallel>] [TARGET <target>] [PROJECT_NAME <projname>] # legacy, causes warning )

Sets the given <variable> to a command-line string of the form::

<cmake> --build . [--config <config>] [--parallel <parallel>] [--target <target>...]

where <cmake> is the location of the :manual:cmake(1) command-line tool, and <config>, <parallel> and <target> are the values provided to the CONFIGURATION, PARALLEL_LEVEL and TARGET options, if any. In CMake versions prior to 4.0, a trailing -- -i option was added for :ref:Makefile Generators if policy :policy:CMP0061 was not set to NEW.

When invoked, this :option:cmake --build command line will launch the underlying build system tool.

.. versionadded:: 3.21 The PARALLEL_LEVEL argument can be used to set the :option:--parallel <cmake--build --parallel> flag.

.. code-block:: cmake

build_command(<cachevariable> <makecommand>)

This second signature is deprecated, but still available for backwards compatibility. Use the first signature instead.

It sets the given <cachevariable> to a command-line string as above but without the :option:--target <cmake--build --target> option. The <makecommand> is ignored but should be the full path to devenv, nmake, make or one of the end user build tools for legacy invocations.

.. note:: In CMake versions prior to 3.0 this command returned a command line that directly invokes the native build tool for the current generator. Their implementation of the PROJECT_NAME option had no useful effects, so CMake now warns on use of the option.