Does CMake offer a method to set the working directory for a given build system to use when running/debugging the project?

Question

I have a project with the following structure:

project_name/CMakeLists.txt
project_name/src
project_name/resources
...
project_name-build/configuration_name/         


        

Answer 1

Here is an easier solution. Paste this at the end of your cmake:

file( WRITE "${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/${PROJECT_NAME}.vcxproj.user" 
    "<?xml version=\"1.0\" encoding=\"utf-8\"?>     \
    <Project ToolsVersion=\"4.0\" xmlns=\"http://schemas.microsoft.com/developer/msbuild/2003\">
    <PropertyGroup Condition=\"'$(Configuration)|$(Platform)'=='Debug|x64'\">
        <LocalDebuggerWorkingDirectory>$(OutDir)</LocalDebuggerWorkingDirectory>
        <DebuggerFlavor>WindowsLocalDebugger</DebuggerFlavor>
    </PropertyGroup>
    <PropertyGroup Condition=\"'$(Configuration)|$(Platform)'=='Release|x64'\">
        <LocalDebuggerWorkingDirectory>$(OutDir)</LocalDebuggerWorkingDirectory>
        <DebuggerFlavor>WindowsLocalDebugger</DebuggerFlavor>
    </PropertyGroup>
    </Project>")

It overwrites the default vcxproj.user file for the current project and specifies $(OutDir) for the Working Directory as desired for debugging. Make sure that $PROJECT_NAME is your project name.

Answer 2

Since CMake 3.8, there is the VS_DEBUGGER_WORKING_DIRECTORY target property, which allows you to set the debugger working directory for a target in Visual Studio.

Usage example:

set_property(TARGET MyTarget PROPERTY VS_DEBUGGER_WORKING_DIRECTORY "${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/bin")

Answer 3

As drescherjm pointed out (in his comment on the question) CMake doesn't provide a method to directly set a working directory. However, CMake does provide indirect methods of doing so.

The path I think I'll take is to use the configure_file command to fill in a template .user file.