Specify format of `cmake_build_dir` path

[mark2185]

Is your feature request related to a problem? Please describe.
I have several projects at work, and for each one I have to set up the build directory manually since it's in the form of $HOME/workspace/build/$project_name/$compiler/$build_type, but currently I cannot tell the plugin to have it in that form.

The default after setting the cmake_build_dir_prefix is $HOME/workspace/build/$build_type.

Describe the solution you'd like
I would like to be able to specify the format of the path to the build directory, like mentioned above, although that may be overkill.

Describe alternatives you've considered
Currently I edited autoload/utils/cmake.vim:50 to this:
return g:cmake_build_dir_prefix . l:cmake_info['cmake']['project_name'] . '/' . g:cmake_cxx_compiler . '/' . l:build_type

This works after the build folder has been created since l:cmake_info['cmake']['project_name'] is empty the first time, and it's not persistent across multiple sessions, which makes sense since it's hackish.

Additional context
I would open a PR, but I'm not sure how to enable this feature in a resonable way, if the user should be able to set a format for it, e.g. path/$project_name/$compiler/$build_type, I don't exactly know how to implement that, except it being a literal string of vimscript and then just execute it, but I'm just a vimscript beginner so I'm not sure if that's the way to do it.

Also the "new" path should be remembered somehow for the next vim sesssion to just run :CMakeBuild

And I'd actually be happier with using the name of the project's root folder in the output build path, instead of the ['cmake']['project_name'], currently for that I have a separate script which uses basename $(git rev-parse --show-toplevel)

[mark2185]

In the meantime, I just edited the source like this:

--- a/autoload/utils/cmake.vim
+++ b/autoload/utils/cmake.vim
@@ -47,7 +47,8 @@ function! s:detectCMakeBuildDir() abort
         return l:cmake_info['cmake']['build_dir']
     endif
     let l:build_type = s:detectCMakeBuildType()
-    return g:cmake_build_dir_prefix . l:build_type
+    let l:project_name = systemlist('basename $(git rev-parse --show-toplevel)')[0]
+    return g:cmake_build_dir_prefix . l:project_name . '/' . g:cmake_cxx_compiler . '/' . l:build_type
 endfunction

[ilyachur]

Hi @mark2185

Sorry, I didn't have a time to have a look at the issue.

If you have several projects, why cannot you use local vimrc files in order to define the build folders for each project?
I think in this case the plugin should allow to use build paths like: $HOME/workspace/build/$project_name/$compiler/$build_type

[mark2185]

No problem, glad you found time at all!

Well that thought didn't even occur to me.

What do you suggest, that I hardcode
let g:cmake_build_dir_prefix = $HOME/workspace/build/$(basename $(git rev-parse --show-toplevel))/clang/

in e.g. ./.vim.custom in each of my projects?

[ilyachur]

@mark2185 Yes it is exactly what I mean. Is it possible for you?
It can be more convenient because local vimrc files also allow to specialise different options (not only g:cmake_build_dir_prefix) for example g:cmake_usr_args or something else.

[mark2185]

Sure it's possible, that solves most of my problems!

I just need to find a way how to get the cmake_cxx_compiler in it and I'm all set!

[ilyachur]

Maybe you can use something like:
local vimrc:

let l:home = ...
let l:project_name=...
let g:cmake_cxx_compiler = 'compiler'
let g:cmake_build_dir_prefix = l:home . '/workspace/build/' . l:project_name . '/' . g:cmake_cxx_compiler . '/'

[mark2185]

That almost solves it. I want to be able to choose different compilers, e.g. emscripten, gcc, clang, so that the output dir is created automatically.

If I understood correctly, in order to use your suggestion I should explicitly source the local vimrc before each build, so the cmake_build_dir_prefix is evaluated again? Although, that could easily be solved with a map... I'll try this out and report back if it's not working! Thanks!

[ilyachur]

I think it really depends on a way how you choose the compiler.
As a variant you can define the function which will change the compiler and update cmake_build_dir_prefix.

[mark2185]

Great! Thanks so much for your help, consider this issue solved!