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/project_name.exe

I want my application to be run in the root project directory project_name so it can directly access resources.

Does CMake provide a method to specify this property, or will I have to manually set it in each build environment I use?

I've looked around in the documentation and haven't found anything other than the possibility of setting up a post-build event to run my project from the desired directory which is less than desirable. I also found that the working directory setting for Visual Studio is saved in a per-user file (.vcxproj.user) which I don't believe CMake generates (which points to the answer being probably no).

Answer 1

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 2

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.

Answer 3

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.