CMake Training for embedded software

Objectives

1. Configure simple and complex projects with CMake
2. Understand the basics of CMake (variables, cache, flow, etc.)
3. Learn about the target centric modern approach
4. Manage source and pre-built dependencies
5. Create a toolchain file/preset file to cross-compile your applications/libraries
6. Create SuperBuilds that download, configure, build and install project dependencies

Prerequisites

C/C++ : Basic knowledge

Day 1

• Getting Started with CMake
• CMake history
• The advantages of CMake
• CMake major features and pipeline configuration
• Setup projects with CMake
• CMake syntax: variables, cache usage, and workflow management
• Starting a CMake project
• Pass flags and definitions to the compiler
• Extend CMake functionalities with functions, macros and helper files
• Optimize builds with build configurations
• Optimize library management
• CMake Modern Best Practices
• How to convert legacy CMake to modern CMake
• Best practices with the target-based approach
• Fine tuning of target properties propagation via dependencies
• Prepare packaging and target export by setting install rules
• IDE Integration
• Learn how to drive CMake from your IDE
• Practical example with VSCode

Day 2

• • System introspection
    • Understand what are FindModules and how to use them
    • Write FindModules to import pre-built libraries and non CMake-compatible projects
    • Understand how FindModules seek files in the host machine
    • Use try_compile and try_run features to get platform specific information from the host machine
  • Use CMake to run arbitrary commands at specific times of the configuration or build process
    • Learn the difference between commands ran during configuration or during build
  • CMake Presets
    • Setup the environment of CMake to configure, build, test and package your project
    • Automatically set environment variables or predefined CMake variables
  • Conan package manager
    • Learn how to download pre-built dependencies from Conan
    • Drive CMake from Conan
    • Download your toolchain from Conan
  • Cross-compilation
    • Principles of cross-compilation
    • Write a toolchain file to cross-compile your application
    • Specificities of a cross-compiled CMake project
  • Packaging
    • Export and Import your CMake project (Config Modules)
    • Use Conan to create a package of your library
  • Extra chapters – Covered if time permits it and depending on participants’ interests
    • Speed up your compilations by integrating ccache
    • Packaging with CPack
      • Introduction to the packaging tool: CPack (provided with CMake)
      • Quickly and efficiently package applications/libraries on multiple platforms: Windows, Mac, Linux (Debian installers and Yum)
    • External Projects – Download, Patch, Configure, Build, Test and Install your dependencies automatically
    • CMake Policies
  • Conclusion
    • Tips to maintain good code quality and debug your CMake scripts

This training course will be taught in English. Course notes are also in English.
Participants are asked to bring a laptop computer for this training session.
The instructor will communicate all the specifications required to each participants before the training session.

Lunch is included.

Kitware SAS is registered as a training center in France