How do I copy a folder in CMake?
John Castro
Published Feb 11, 2026
How do I copy a folder in CMake?
With CMake 2.8, use the file(COPY …) command. With older CMake versions, this macro copies files from one directory to another. If you don’t want to substitute variables in the copied files, then change the configure_file @ONLY argument (for example to COPYONLY ).
How do I copy a file in CMake?
Copy file from source directory to binary directory using CMake
- Via file(COPY file(COPY ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/input.txt DESTINATION ${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/input.txt.
- Via add_custom_command.
Where is the CMake file?
Run cmake-gui.exe, which should be in your Start menu under Program Files, there may also be a shortcut on your desktop, or if you built from source, it will be in the build directory. A GUI will appear similar to what is shown below. The top two entries are the source code and binary directories.
How do I upload a file to CMake?
Manage CMake project files
- In the Project tree, right-click the folder you want to add a file into and select New from the context menu.
- Specify the name, type, and additional options for the new file.
- If you have selected the target on the previous step, the new entry will be automatically added to CMakeLists.txt:
What is Cmake_command?
The full path to the cmake executable. This is the full path to the CMake executable cmake which is useful from custom commands that want to use the cmake -E option for portable system commands. ( e.g. /usr/local/bin/cmake.
What is Cmake_source_dir?
The path to the top level of the source tree. This is the full path to the top level of the current CMake source tree. For an in-source build, this would be the same as CMAKE_BINARY_DIR .
What does Add_subdirectory do in CMake?
Add a subdirectory to the build. Adds a subdirectory to the build. The source_dir specifies the directory in which the source CMakeLists.
What is Cmakefiles?
About CMake. CMake is an extensible, open-source system that manages the build process in an operating system and in a compiler-independent manner. txt files) are used to generate standard build files (e.g., makefiles on Unix and projects/workspaces in Windows MSVC) which are used in the usual way.
How do I generate CMakeLists txt from Visual Studio project?
Clone an open-source CMake project from GitHub
- On the Visual Studio main menu, choose File > Open > CMake. Navigate to the CMakeLists. txt file in the root of the bullet3 repo you just downloaded.
- Choose the Show all files button to see all the files in the folder.
How do I add a directory to CMake?
First, you use include_directories() to tell CMake to add the directory as -I to the compilation command line. Second, you list the headers in your add_executable() or add_library() call.
What is an include directory?
The include directories are added to the INCLUDE_DIRECTORIES directory property for the current CMakeLists file. They are also added to the INCLUDE_DIRECTORIES target property for each target in the current CMakeLists file. The target property values are the ones used by the generators.
Where is ${ Cmake_binary_dir?
The path to the top level of the build tree. This is the full path to the top level of the current CMake build tree. For an in-source build, this would be the same as CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR .
How can I copy a directory?
Alternatively, you can single-click the folder, and then press Ctrl+C on Windows or Command+C on Mac to copy it. Next, navigate to the destination directory-or wherever you want to copy this folder to-right-click, and then click “Paste,” or press Ctrl+V on Windows or Command+V on Mac.
What is the purpose of a .CMake file?
Unlike many cross-platform systems, CMake is designed to be used in conjunction with the native build environment. Simple configuration files placed in each source directory (called CMakeLists.txt files) are used to generate standard build files (e.g., makefiles on Unix and projects/workspaces in Windows MSVC) which are used in the usual way.
How to copy entire directory structure?
Open a Command Prompt.
How to copy a directory or folder?
At first,just open the directory/file you want to copy the path of.