load_cache — CMake 4.0.1 Documentation (original) (raw)
Load in the values from another project's CMakeCache.txt cache file. This is useful for projects that depend on another project built in a separate directory tree.
This command has two signatures. The recommended signature is:
load_cache( READ_WITH_PREFIX ...)¶
Loads the cache file from the specified <build-dir> build directory and retrieves the listed cache entries. The retrieved values are stored in local variables, with their names prefixed by the provided <prefix>. This only reads the cache values; it does not create or modify entries in the local project's cache.
READ_WITH_PREFIX <prefix>
For each cache <entry>, a local variable is created using the specified<prefix> followed by the entry name.
This signature can be also used in cmake -P script mode.
The following signature of this command is strongly discouraged, but it is provided for backward compatibility:
load_cache( [EXCLUDE ...] [INCLUDE_INTERNALS ...])¶
This form loads the cache file from the specified <build-dir> build directory and imports all its non-internal cache entries into the local project's cache as internal cache variables. By default, only non-internal entries are imported, unless the INCLUDE_INTERNALS option is used.
The options are:
EXCLUDE <entry>...
This option can be used to exclude a given list of non-internal cache entries when importing values.
INCLUDE_INTERNALS <entry>...
This option can be used to provide a list of internal cache entries to include in addition to the non-internal cache entries.
This signature can be used only in CMake projects. Script mode is not supported.
Note
Instead of loading the outside project's cache file and manually accessing variables, a more robust and convenient approach is to use theexport() command in the outside project, when available. This allows the project to provide its targets, configuration, or features in a structured and maintainable way, making integration simpler and less error-prone.
Examples¶
Reading specific cache variables from another project and storing them as local variables:
load_cache( path/to/other-project/build-dir READ_WITH_PREFIX prefix_ OTHER_PROJECT_CACHE_VAR_1 OTHER_PROJECT_CACHE_VAR_2 )
message(STATUS "${prefix_OTHER_PROJECT_CACHE_VAR_1") message(STATUS "${prefix_OTHER_PROJECT_CACHE_VAR_2")
Outputs:
-- some-value...
-- another-value...
Reading all non-internal cache entries from another project and storing them as internal cache variables using the obsolete signature:
load_cache(path/to/other-project/build-dir)
message(STATUS "${OTHER_PROJECT_CACHE_VAR_1") message(STATUS "${OTHER_PROJECT_CACHE_VAR_2")
Outputs:
-- some-value...
-- another-value...
Excluding specific non-internal cache entries and including internal ones using the obsolete signature:
load_cache( path/to/other-project/build-dir EXCLUDE OTHER_PROJECT_CACHE_VAR_2 INCLUDE_INTERNALS OTHER_PROJECT_INTERNAL_CACHE_VAR )
message(STATUS "${OTHER_PROJECT_CACHE_VAR_1") message(STATUS "${OTHER_PROJECT_CACHE_VAR_2") message(STATUS "${OTHER_PROJECT_INTERNAL_CACHE_VAR}")