Minor improvement suggestion for the readme. I find this alternative way of using cmake a bit more comfortable because I don’t like to change the directory.
It’s just a suggestion based on personal preference, if this is too minor of an improvement feel free to close.
I happen to find this a tiny bit more comfortable, too, but IIRC we had discussed this (I can’t find the discussion) and @hebasto argued that the tutorial cds into the build directory. I also think that mkdir build && cd build is a bit more self-documentary to people not familiar with CMake because it makes clear that build is a directory and not some CMake command or something.
No strong opinion from my side, but I think there are good reasons for what we have currently.
cd in the build docs (see https://github.com/bitcoin/bitcoin/blob/master/doc/build-*.md).
cd-ing seems not so relevant anymore and this would align the instructions here with bitcoin core.
87+ $ cmake -B build
88+ $ cmake --build build
89+ $ ctest --test-dir build # run the test suite
90+ $ sudo cmake --install build # optional
91
92 To compile optional modules (such as Schnorr signatures), you need to run `cmake` with additional flags (such as `-DSECP256K1_ENABLE_MODULE_SCHNORRSIG=ON`). Run `cmake .. -LH` to see the full list of available flags.
This has to be adjusted accordingly:
0To compile optional modules (such as Schnorr signatures), you need to run `cmake` with additional flags (such as `-DSECP256K1_ENABLE_MODULE_SCHNORRSIG=ON`). Run `cmake -B build -LH` to see the full list of available flags.
Or even:
0To compile optional modules (such as Schnorr signatures), you need to run `cmake` with additional flags (such as `-DSECP256K1_ENABLE_MODULE_SCHNORRSIG=ON`). Run `cmake -B build -LH` or `ccmake -B build` to see the full list of available flags.
90@@ -92,11 +91,11 @@ To compile optional modules (such as Schnorr signatures), you need to run `cmake
91 To alleviate issues with cross compiling, preconfigured toolchain files are available in the `cmake` directory.
92 For example, to cross compile for Windows:
93
94- $ cmake .. -DCMAKE_TOOLCHAIN_FILE=../cmake/x86_64-w64-mingw32.toolchain.cmake
95+ $ cmake --build build -DCMAKE_TOOLCHAIN_FILE=../cmake/x86_64-w64-mingw32.toolchain.cmake
0 $ cmake --build build -DCMAKE_TOOLCHAIN_FILE=cmake/x86_64-w64-mingw32.toolchain.cmake
96
97 To alleviate issues with cross compiling, preconfigured toolchain files are available in the `cmake` directory.
98 For example, to cross compile for Windows:
99
100- $ cmake .. -DCMAKE_TOOLCHAIN_FILE=../cmake/x86_64-w64-mingw32.toolchain.cmake
101+ $ cmake --build build -DCMAKE_TOOLCHAIN_FILE=cmake/x86_64-w64-mingw32.toolchain.cmake
My apologies for the typo:
0 $ cmake -B build -DCMAKE_TOOLCHAIN_FILE=cmake/x86_64-w64-mingw32.toolchain.cmake
It was my fault.
101+ $ cmake --build build -DCMAKE_TOOLCHAIN_FILE=cmake/x86_64-w64-mingw32.toolchain.cmake
102
103 To cross compile for Android with [NDK](https://developer.android.com/ndk/guides/cmake) (using NDK's toolchain file, and assuming the `ANDROID_NDK_ROOT` environment variable has been set):
104
105- $ cmake .. -DCMAKE_TOOLCHAIN_FILE="${ANDROID_NDK_ROOT}/build/cmake/android.toolchain.cmake" -DANDROID_ABI=arm64-v8a -DANDROID_PLATFORM=28
106+ $ cmake --build build -DCMAKE_TOOLCHAIN_FILE="${ANDROID_NDK_ROOT}/build/cmake/android.toolchain.cmake" -DANDROID_ABI=arm64-v8a -DANDROID_PLATFORM=28
Same here:
0 $ cmake -B build -DCMAKE_TOOLCHAIN_FILE="${ANDROID_NDK_ROOT}/build/cmake/android.toolchain.cmake" -DANDROID_ABI=arm64-v8a -DANDROID_PLATFORM=28
-S . can be dropped from the example for Windows.
85- $ ctest # run the test suite
86- $ sudo cmake --install . # optional
87+ $ cmake -B build
88+ $ cmake --build build
89+ $ ctest --test-dir build # run the test suite
90+ $ sudo cmake --install build # optional
If you touch this anyway, perhaps it could be made clear that build is a directory here (and it can’t hurt to explain the steps in more detail).
0 $ cmake -B build # Generate a build system in subdirectory "build"
1 $ cmake --build build # Run the actual build process
2 $ ctest --test-dir build # Run the test suite
3 $ sudo cmake --install build # Install the library into the system (optional)
-S . from the windows example too.
LGTM but sorry, a last nit: Perhaps then the comments for the autotools build should also be improved for consistency.
0 $ ./autogen.sh # Generate a ./configure script
1 $ ./configure # Generate a build system
2 $ make # Run the actual build process
3 $ make check # Run the test suite
4 $ sudo make install # Install the library into the system (optional)
And indenting to the same column is more readable, and then should also be done for the CMake instructions for consistency.