Cannot seem to set SFML_DIR while using CMake.

[Dincio]

I'm trying to wrap my head around how the new modern CMake system works. For some reason, though, I can't seem to be able to set SFML_DIR. That is: I set it using the -D flag when calling cmake, but the project doesn't really seem to care much...

Project file structure:

Code: [Select]

~/code/tests/SFMLTest
    src
        main.cpp
    build
        <I call cmake from here>
    CMakeLists.txt

CMakeLists.txt

Code: [Select]

cmake_minimum_required(VERSION 3.5)
project(sfml_test VERSION 1.0.0 LANGUAGES CXX)

add_executable(sfml_test src/main.cpp)

target_compile_options(sfml_test PRIVATE -Werror)

target_compile_features(sfml_test PRIVATE cxx_std_17)

find_package(SFML 2.5 COMPONENTS graphics audio REQUIRED)

target_link_libraries(sfml_test
PUBLIC
sfml-graphics sfml-audio
)

CMake command:

Code: [Select]

cmake -DSFML_DIR="/usr/local/lib/sfml/cmake/SFML" ..

CMake command output:

Code: [Select]

CMake Error at CMakeLists.txt:14 (find_package):
  By not providing "FindSFML.cmake" in CMAKE_MODULE_PATH this project has
  asked CMake to find a package configuration file provided by "SFML", but
  CMake did not find one.

  Could not find a package configuration file provided by "SFML" (requested
  version 2.5) with any of the following names:

    SFMLConfig.cmake
    sfml-config.cmake

  Add the installation prefix of "SFML" to CMAKE_PREFIX_PATH or set
  "SFML_DIR" to a directory containing one of the above files.  If "SFML"
  provides a separate development package or SDK, be sure it has been
  installed.


I have downloaded the sfml binaries for linux (as I am running Ubuntu), and moved the libs to /usr/local/lib/sfml/ and the headers to /usr/local/include/SFML.

Thanks in advance for any response know that I am by no means a CMake expert (even though I'm trying really hard to become one).

[Laurent]

Do you have the SFMLConfig.cmake file in /usr/local/lib/sfml/cmake/SFML?

[Dincio]

Yes.

[Laurent]

Maybe your SFML_DIR variable is overriden by CMake for some reason. Have you tried to look at the CMakeCache.txt file? Or to use the interactive front-end (ccmake) or the graphical one (cmake-gui)?

[Dincio]

I looked into CMakeCache.txt and found this:

Code: [Select]

//The directory containing a CMake configuration file for SFML.
SFML_DIR:PATH=SFML_DIR-NOTFOUND

This is the whole file for completeness:

Code: [Select]

# This is the CMakeCache file.
# For build in directory: /home/dincio/code/tests/SFMLTest/build
# It was generated by CMake: /usr/local/bin/cmake
# You can edit this file to change values found and used by cmake.
# If you do not want to change any of the values, simply exit the editor.
# If you do want to change a value, simply edit, save, and exit the editor.
# The syntax for the file is as follows:
# KEY:TYPE=VALUE
# KEY is the name of a variable in the cache.
# TYPE is a hint to GUIs for the type of VALUE, DO NOT EDIT TYPE!.
# VALUE is the current value for the KEY.

########################
# EXTERNAL cache entries
########################

//Path to a program.
CMAKE_AR:FILEPATH=/usr/bin/ar

//Choose the type of build, options are: None Debug Release RelWithDebInfo
// MinSizeRel ...
CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE:STRING=

//Enable/Disable color output during build.
CMAKE_COLOR_MAKEFILE:BOOL=ON

//CXX compiler
CMAKE_CXX_COMPILER:FILEPATH=/usr/bin/c++

//A wrapper around 'ar' adding the appropriate '--plugin' option
// for the GCC compiler
CMAKE_CXX_COMPILER_AR:FILEPATH=/usr/bin/gcc-ar-7

//A wrapper around 'ranlib' adding the appropriate '--plugin' option
// for the GCC compiler
CMAKE_CXX_COMPILER_RANLIB:FILEPATH=/usr/bin/gcc-ranlib-7

//Flags used by the CXX compiler during all build types.
CMAKE_CXX_FLAGS:STRING=

//Flags used by the CXX compiler during DEBUG builds.
CMAKE_CXX_FLAGS_DEBUG:STRING=-g

//Flags used by the CXX compiler during MINSIZEREL builds.
CMAKE_CXX_FLAGS_MINSIZEREL:STRING=-Os -DNDEBUG

//Flags used by the CXX compiler during RELEASE builds.
CMAKE_CXX_FLAGS_RELEASE:STRING=-O3 -DNDEBUG

//Flags used by the CXX compiler during RELWITHDEBINFO builds.
CMAKE_CXX_FLAGS_RELWITHDEBINFO:STRING=-O2 -g -DNDEBUG

//Flags used by the linker during all build types.
CMAKE_EXE_LINKER_FLAGS:STRING=

//Flags used by the linker during DEBUG builds.
CMAKE_EXE_LINKER_FLAGS_DEBUG:STRING=

//Flags used by the linker during MINSIZEREL builds.
CMAKE_EXE_LINKER_FLAGS_MINSIZEREL:STRING=

//Flags used by the linker during RELEASE builds.
CMAKE_EXE_LINKER_FLAGS_RELEASE:STRING=

//Flags used by the linker during RELWITHDEBINFO builds.
CMAKE_EXE_LINKER_FLAGS_RELWITHDEBINFO:STRING=

//Enable/Disable output of compile commands during generation.
CMAKE_EXPORT_COMPILE_COMMANDS:BOOL=OFF

//Install path prefix, prepended onto install directories.
CMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX:PATH=/usr/local

//Path to a program.
CMAKE_LINKER:FILEPATH=/usr/bin/ld

//Path to a program.
CMAKE_MAKE_PROGRAM:FILEPATH=/usr/bin/make

//Flags used by the linker during the creation of modules during
// all build types.
CMAKE_MODULE_LINKER_FLAGS:STRING=

//Flags used by the linker during the creation of modules during
// DEBUG builds.
CMAKE_MODULE_LINKER_FLAGS_DEBUG:STRING=

//Flags used by the linker during the creation of modules during
// MINSIZEREL builds.
CMAKE_MODULE_LINKER_FLAGS_MINSIZEREL:STRING=

//Flags used by the linker during the creation of modules during
// RELEASE builds.
CMAKE_MODULE_LINKER_FLAGS_RELEASE:STRING=

//Flags used by the linker during the creation of modules during
// RELWITHDEBINFO builds.
CMAKE_MODULE_LINKER_FLAGS_RELWITHDEBINFO:STRING=

//Path to a program.
CMAKE_NM:FILEPATH=/usr/bin/nm

//Path to a program.
CMAKE_OBJCOPY:FILEPATH=/usr/bin/objcopy

//Path to a program.
CMAKE_OBJDUMP:FILEPATH=/usr/bin/objdump

//Value Computed by CMake
CMAKE_PROJECT_NAME:STATIC=sfml_test

//Value Computed by CMake
CMAKE_PROJECT_VERSION:STATIC=1.0.0

//Value Computed by CMake
CMAKE_PROJECT_VERSION_MAJOR:STATIC=1

//Value Computed by CMake
CMAKE_PROJECT_VERSION_MINOR:STATIC=0

//Value Computed by CMake
CMAKE_PROJECT_VERSION_PATCH:STATIC=0

//Value Computed by CMake
CMAKE_PROJECT_VERSION_TWEAK:STATIC=

//Path to a program.
CMAKE_RANLIB:FILEPATH=/usr/bin/ranlib

//Flags used by the linker during the creation of shared libraries
// during all build types.
CMAKE_SHARED_LINKER_FLAGS:STRING=

//Flags used by the linker during the creation of shared libraries
// during DEBUG builds.
CMAKE_SHARED_LINKER_FLAGS_DEBUG:STRING=

//Flags used by the linker during the creation of shared libraries
// during MINSIZEREL builds.
CMAKE_SHARED_LINKER_FLAGS_MINSIZEREL:STRING=

//Flags used by the linker during the creation of shared libraries
// during RELEASE builds.
CMAKE_SHARED_LINKER_FLAGS_RELEASE:STRING=

//Flags used by the linker during the creation of shared libraries
// during RELWITHDEBINFO builds.
CMAKE_SHARED_LINKER_FLAGS_RELWITHDEBINFO:STRING=

//If set, runtime paths are not added when installing shared libraries,
// but are added when building.
CMAKE_SKIP_INSTALL_RPATH:BOOL=NO

//If set, runtime paths are not added when using shared libraries.
CMAKE_SKIP_RPATH:BOOL=NO

//Flags used by the linker during the creation of static libraries
// during all build types.
CMAKE_STATIC_LINKER_FLAGS:STRING=

//Flags used by the linker during the creation of static libraries
// during DEBUG builds.
CMAKE_STATIC_LINKER_FLAGS_DEBUG:STRING=

//Flags used by the linker during the creation of static libraries
// during MINSIZEREL builds.
CMAKE_STATIC_LINKER_FLAGS_MINSIZEREL:STRING=

//Flags used by the linker during the creation of static libraries
// during RELEASE builds.
CMAKE_STATIC_LINKER_FLAGS_RELEASE:STRING=

//Flags used by the linker during the creation of static libraries
// during RELWITHDEBINFO builds.
CMAKE_STATIC_LINKER_FLAGS_RELWITHDEBINFO:STRING=

//Path to a program.
CMAKE_STRIP:FILEPATH=/usr/bin/strip

//If this value is on, makefiles will be generated without the
// .SILENT directive, and all commands will be echoed to the console
// during the make.  This is useful for debugging only. With Visual
// Studio IDE projects all commands are done without /nologo.
CMAKE_VERBOSE_MAKEFILE:BOOL=FALSE

//The directory containing a CMake configuration file for SFML.
SFML_DIR:PATH=SFML_DIR-NOTFOUND

//Value Computed by CMake
sfml_test_BINARY_DIR:STATIC=/home/dincio/code/tests/SFMLTest/build

//Value Computed by CMake
sfml_test_SOURCE_DIR:STATIC=/home/dincio/code/tests/SFMLTest


########################
# INTERNAL cache entries
########################

//ADVANCED property for variable: CMAKE_AR
CMAKE_AR-ADVANCED:INTERNAL=1
//This is the directory where this CMakeCache.txt was created
CMAKE_CACHEFILE_DIR:INTERNAL=/home/dincio/code/tests/SFMLTest/build
//Major version of cmake used to create the current loaded cache
CMAKE_CACHE_MAJOR_VERSION:INTERNAL=3
//Minor version of cmake used to create the current loaded cache
CMAKE_CACHE_MINOR_VERSION:INTERNAL=12
//Patch version of cmake used to create the current loaded cache
CMAKE_CACHE_PATCH_VERSION:INTERNAL=20180716
//ADVANCED property for variable: CMAKE_COLOR_MAKEFILE
CMAKE_COLOR_MAKEFILE-ADVANCED:INTERNAL=1
//Path to CMake executable.
CMAKE_COMMAND:INTERNAL=/usr/local/bin/cmake
//Path to cpack program executable.
CMAKE_CPACK_COMMAND:INTERNAL=/usr/local/bin/cpack
//Path to ctest program executable.
CMAKE_CTEST_COMMAND:INTERNAL=/usr/local/bin/ctest
//ADVANCED property for variable: CMAKE_CXX_COMPILER
CMAKE_CXX_COMPILER-ADVANCED:INTERNAL=1
//ADVANCED property for variable: CMAKE_CXX_COMPILER_AR
CMAKE_CXX_COMPILER_AR-ADVANCED:INTERNAL=1
//ADVANCED property for variable: CMAKE_CXX_COMPILER_RANLIB
CMAKE_CXX_COMPILER_RANLIB-ADVANCED:INTERNAL=1
//ADVANCED property for variable: CMAKE_CXX_FLAGS
CMAKE_CXX_FLAGS-ADVANCED:INTERNAL=1
//ADVANCED property for variable: CMAKE_CXX_FLAGS_DEBUG
CMAKE_CXX_FLAGS_DEBUG-ADVANCED:INTERNAL=1
//ADVANCED property for variable: CMAKE_CXX_FLAGS_MINSIZEREL
CMAKE_CXX_FLAGS_MINSIZEREL-ADVANCED:INTERNAL=1
//ADVANCED property for variable: CMAKE_CXX_FLAGS_RELEASE
CMAKE_CXX_FLAGS_RELEASE-ADVANCED:INTERNAL=1
//ADVANCED property for variable: CMAKE_CXX_FLAGS_RELWITHDEBINFO
CMAKE_CXX_FLAGS_RELWITHDEBINFO-ADVANCED:INTERNAL=1
//Path to cache edit program executable.
CMAKE_EDIT_COMMAND:INTERNAL=/usr/local/bin/ccmake
//Executable file format
CMAKE_EXECUTABLE_FORMAT:INTERNAL=ELF
//ADVANCED property for variable: CMAKE_EXE_LINKER_FLAGS
CMAKE_EXE_LINKER_FLAGS-ADVANCED:INTERNAL=1
//ADVANCED property for variable: CMAKE_EXE_LINKER_FLAGS_DEBUG
CMAKE_EXE_LINKER_FLAGS_DEBUG-ADVANCED:INTERNAL=1
//ADVANCED property for variable: CMAKE_EXE_LINKER_FLAGS_MINSIZEREL
CMAKE_EXE_LINKER_FLAGS_MINSIZEREL-ADVANCED:INTERNAL=1
//ADVANCED property for variable: CMAKE_EXE_LINKER_FLAGS_RELEASE
CMAKE_EXE_LINKER_FLAGS_RELEASE-ADVANCED:INTERNAL=1
//ADVANCED property for variable: CMAKE_EXE_LINKER_FLAGS_RELWITHDEBINFO
CMAKE_EXE_LINKER_FLAGS_RELWITHDEBINFO-ADVANCED:INTERNAL=1
//ADVANCED property for variable: CMAKE_EXPORT_COMPILE_COMMANDS
CMAKE_EXPORT_COMPILE_COMMANDS-ADVANCED:INTERNAL=1
//Name of external makefile project generator.
CMAKE_EXTRA_GENERATOR:INTERNAL=
//Name of generator.
CMAKE_GENERATOR:INTERNAL=Unix Makefiles
//Generator instance identifier.
CMAKE_GENERATOR_INSTANCE:INTERNAL=
//Name of generator platform.
CMAKE_GENERATOR_PLATFORM:INTERNAL=
//Name of generator toolset.
CMAKE_GENERATOR_TOOLSET:INTERNAL=
//Source directory with the top level CMakeLists.txt file for this
// project
CMAKE_HOME_DIRECTORY:INTERNAL=/home/dincio/code/tests/SFMLTest
//Install .so files without execute permission.
CMAKE_INSTALL_SO_NO_EXE:INTERNAL=1
//ADVANCED property for variable: CMAKE_LINKER
CMAKE_LINKER-ADVANCED:INTERNAL=1
//ADVANCED property for variable: CMAKE_MAKE_PROGRAM
CMAKE_MAKE_PROGRAM-ADVANCED:INTERNAL=1
//ADVANCED property for variable: CMAKE_MODULE_LINKER_FLAGS
CMAKE_MODULE_LINKER_FLAGS-ADVANCED:INTERNAL=1
//ADVANCED property for variable: CMAKE_MODULE_LINKER_FLAGS_DEBUG
CMAKE_MODULE_LINKER_FLAGS_DEBUG-ADVANCED:INTERNAL=1
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CMAKE_MODULE_LINKER_FLAGS_MINSIZEREL-ADVANCED:INTERNAL=1
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CMAKE_MODULE_LINKER_FLAGS_RELEASE-ADVANCED:INTERNAL=1
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CMAKE_MODULE_LINKER_FLAGS_RELWITHDEBINFO-ADVANCED:INTERNAL=1
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CMAKE_NM-ADVANCED:INTERNAL=1
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CMAKE_NUMBER_OF_MAKEFILES:INTERNAL=1
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CMAKE_OBJCOPY-ADVANCED:INTERNAL=1
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CMAKE_OBJDUMP-ADVANCED:INTERNAL=1
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CMAKE_PLATFORM_INFO_INITIALIZED:INTERNAL=1
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CMAKE_RANLIB-ADVANCED:INTERNAL=1
//Path to CMake installation.
CMAKE_ROOT:INTERNAL=/usr/local/share/cmake-3.12
//ADVANCED property for variable: CMAKE_SHARED_LINKER_FLAGS
CMAKE_SHARED_LINKER_FLAGS-ADVANCED:INTERNAL=1
//ADVANCED property for variable: CMAKE_SHARED_LINKER_FLAGS_DEBUG
CMAKE_SHARED_LINKER_FLAGS_DEBUG-ADVANCED:INTERNAL=1
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CMAKE_SKIP_INSTALL_RPATH-ADVANCED:INTERNAL=1
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CMAKE_SKIP_RPATH-ADVANCED:INTERNAL=1
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CMAKE_STATIC_LINKER_FLAGS_MINSIZEREL-ADVANCED:INTERNAL=1
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CMAKE_STATIC_LINKER_FLAGS_RELEASE-ADVANCED:INTERNAL=1
//ADVANCED property for variable: CMAKE_STATIC_LINKER_FLAGS_RELWITHDEBINFO
CMAKE_STATIC_LINKER_FLAGS_RELWITHDEBINFO-ADVANCED:INTERNAL=1
//ADVANCED property for variable: CMAKE_STRIP
CMAKE_STRIP-ADVANCED:INTERNAL=1
//uname command
CMAKE_UNAME:INTERNAL=/bin/uname
//ADVANCED property for variable: CMAKE_VERBOSE_MAKEFILE
CMAKE_VERBOSE_MAKEFILE-ADVANCED:INTERNAL=1
//MODIFIED property for variable: SFML_DIR
SFML_DIR-MODIFIED:INTERNAL=ON

If I try to replace it with the path and then call cmake again it just resets to that thing again... [SFML_DIR-NOTFOUND]. The same thing happens when I use ccmake and set it there.

[Dincio]

All right, I think I found out thee problem. I actually need to grant read/write permission to the sfml folder. Once I did, SFML_DIR stopped being overwritten. I went overkill and just used chmod 777 -R on my lib and include folders in /usr/local/ (I will take the time to learn how to actually use chmod some day  ).

Unfortunately something is still wrong. As you might have noticed, I have placed the sfml libraries in a rather unconventional place (at least, I think), which is a folder called "sfml" inside /usr/local/lib/. Now I have done this to better organize the lib folder, which would be otherwise clogged with .so files all over the place. My reasoning was that by grouping all of sfml's files in a folder, I can just do a "rm -rf sfml" and be done with it if I, for instance, need to install a different version or update the library. I don't actually know if there's a better way to accomplish this (maybe something similar to the "apt-get" packages, where everything is bundled together, but easily updatable/removable using the command line), and so I just went with the most naive solution possible.

I'm telling you all this because cmake works fine as soon as I put all the .so files directly in /usr/local/lib/ instead of /usr/local/lib/sfml. If I don't, I get this:

Code: [Select]

CMake Error at /usr/local/lib/sfml/cmake/SFML/SFMLSharedTargets.cmake:139 (message):
  The imported target "sfml-system" references the file

     "/usr/local/lib/lib/libsfml-system-d.so.2.5.0"

  but this file does not exist.  Possible reasons include:

  * The file was deleted, renamed, or moved to another location.

  * An install or uninstall procedure did not complete successfully.

  * The installation package was faulty and contained

     "/usr/local/lib/sfml/cmake/SFML/SFMLSharedTargets.cmake"

  but not all the files it references.

Call Stack (most recent call first):
  /usr/local/lib/sfml/cmake/SFML/SFMLConfig.cmake:116 (include)
  CMakeLists.txt:14 (find_package)


-- Configuring incomplete, errors occurred!

Consequently, if I try to use ccmake, I get a new field named SFML_DOC_DIR, which doesn't seem to change the situation, whatever the value I set it to.

[Laurent]

Don't change the directory structure of the SFML installation, otherwise yes, the CMake config file won't be able to work as it has those (relative) paths written in it.

My reasoning was that by grouping all of sfml's files in a folder, I can just do a "rm -rf sfml" and be done with it if I, for instance, need to install a different version or update the library

I'm not a Linux user, but I don't think it is how you're supposed to manage your shared libraries on that OS. You can perfectly have many versions of the same library, all in /usr/local/lib, and still be able to choose the one you want to use.

If you want to keep things local, then put (all) the SFML files into /home/<you>/sfml for example.