Add a command that returns the resolved value of cmake.buildDirectory

[zrno]

Brief Issue Summary

Using ${config:cmake.buildDirectory} in launch.json with visual cpp debugger doesn't work. After a successful cmake configure the ${config:cmake.buildDirectory} is not correctly resolved. In my example in settings.json the cmake.buildDirectory looks like this:
"cmake.buildDirectory": "${workspaceFolder}/../CMakeBuild/vscode/NSW-51770/${buildKit}/${buildType}",

The ${buildKit} and ${buildType} are not resolved but just copied into the resulting string.

Expected:

cmake.buildDirectory is correctly resolved

Platform and Versions

• Operating System: Windows
• CMake Version: 3.14
• VSCode Version: 1.34
• CMake Tools Extension Version: 1.1.3
• Compiler/Toolchain: Visual C++ 2019

[KoeMai]

The config build directory is the expansion template for cmake extension. It is used to generate the build directory. If you want to get the directory for debugging then try the lauchTargetDirectory.

[zrno]

Thanks for the answer. I can not use launchTargetDirectory as I have multiple targets in my project. The launch.json has several targets listed. Example launch.json:

"configurations": [
    {
        "name": "Target1 Launch",
        "program": "${config:cmake.buildDirectory}/Target1/Target1.exe",
    },
    {
        "name": "Target2 Launch",
        "program": "${config:cmake.buildDirectory}/Target2/Target2.exe",
    },

Using ${config:cmake.buildDirectory} isn't working. Any solution for that?

[KoeMai]

With the present extension it is not possible. It requires a new command.

[zrno]

Thanks for the fast response. Anything I need to do to open a feature request? Or is this open issue already enough?

[bobbrow]

Do you need to list out all of your targets in the launch.json?

The following works for me today:

        {
            "name": "Launch CMake active target",
            "type": "cppvsdbg",
            "request": "launch",
            "program": "${command:cmake.launchTargetPath}"
        }

It looks like command:cmake.launchTargetDirectory is not available in 1.1.3, but when we release the next update it will be available to set as the value for "cwd" should you need it.

If that doesn't work for you, we can leave this issue open as a feature request for a new command to return the resolved build directory.

[giantmustache]

The launchTargetDirectory is not always the same as the buildDirectory.

For example, if I have multiple targets in my project, I will get a subdirectory:

• project1
  • CMakeLists.txt contains add_executable()
• project2
  • CMakeLists.txt contains add_executable()

The build directory would be

• bin --> would be buildDirectory
  • project1 --> would be launchTargetDirectory
    • project1.exe
  • project2 --> would be launchTargetDirectory
    • project2.exe

[bobbrow]

@giantmustache, you are correct. There are cases where the build directory might be desirable, but for the simple case launchTargetDirectory would put you in the same directory as the executable (launchTargetPath).

[giantmustache]

I was able to work around this using vs power tools. For those looking for an answer:

I created a new command in my workspace settings like so:

"ego.power-tools": {
	"commands": {
		"expandedBuildDirectory": {
			"script": "expandedBuildDirectory.js"
		}
	}
}

Then I created the command as follows:

// expandedBuildDirectory.js
exports.execute = async (args) => {
	const vscode = args.require('vscode');

	// tried to use path first, but that contains a / at the front of the path
	const buildFolder = vscode.workspace.getConfiguration('cmake').get('buildDirectory').replace('${workspaceRoot}', vscode.workspace.workspaceFolders[0].uri.fsPath);
	return buildFolder.replace(/\\/g, '/');
};

You can call the command simply via ${command:expandedBuildDirectory}

[bobbrow]

As I have been reviewing the existing issues, I found that there is already one tracking this request. #564