CMake: Set different name for #cmakedefine variable

Question

I know you can use CMake\'s configure_file to make CMake variables available to your program. For example, I can use

#define ${CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE}
         


        

Answer 1

This is more a question of your preferred programming style (configuration files vs. compiler definitions).

In your case I would use add_definitions() or directly modify/append COMPILE_DEFINITIONS directory property (using generator expressions also supports multi-configuration environments):

set_property(
    DIRECTORY 
    APPEND 
    PROPERTY 
        COMPILE_DEFINITIONS "BUILD_TYPE_$>"
)

Most simplified Debug/Release Check

You can also check what compiler definitions CMake does pre-define. Without having to modify/add something to your CMakeLists.txt files you could simply check for NDEBUG definition (set for Release builds across platforms) in you C/C++ code:

#ifdef NDEBUG
... 
#endif

References

• CMake: How to pass preprocessor macros
• How to check if a CMake build directory build type is Debug or Release?
• What predefined macro can be used to detect debug build with clang?