Merge topic 'improve-INTERFACE-property-docs'

bb1111ea Help: Warn that paths should not be used in INTERFACE_ build properties.
96691d12 Help: Fix typo in genex in documentation.
f8f02451 Help: Use a property-specific command instead of the generic one.
8609a884 Help: Make remaining build property docs consistent.
bcface39 Help: Link to target_link_libraries from target properies.
e12926e7 Help: Format the LINK_INTERFACE_LIBRARIES target properies.
c8540e94 Help: Unify the help text of INTERFACE_ build properties.

Help/command/target_include_directories.rst

@@ -54,3 +54,6 @@ installation prefix.  For example:
     $<BUILD_INTERFACE:${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/include/mylib>
     $<INSTALL_INTERFACE:include/mylib>  # <prefix>/include/mylib
   )
+
+.. |INTERFACE_PROPERTY_LINK| replace:: :prop_tgt:`INTERFACE_INCLUDE_DIRECTORIES`
+.. include:: /include/INTERFACE_INCLUDE_DIRECTORIES_WARNING.txt

Help/command/target_link_libraries.rst

@@ -49,6 +49,9 @@ CMake will also propagate :ref:`usage requirements <Target Usage Requirements>`
 from linked library targets.  Usage requirements of dependencies affect
 compilation of sources in the ``<target>``.
 
+.. |INTERFACE_PROPERTY_LINK| replace:: :prop_tgt:`INTERFACE_LINK_LIBRARIES`
+.. include:: /include/INTERFACE_LINK_LIBRARIES_WARNING.txt
+
 If an ``<item>`` is a library in a Mac OX framework, the ``Headers``
 directory of the framework will also be processed as a
 :ref:`usage requirement <Target Usage Requirements>`.  This has the same

Help/include/INTERFACE_INCLUDE_DIRECTORIES_WARNING.txt

@@ -0,0 +1,30 @@
+
+Note that it is not advisable to populate the ``INSTALL_INTERFACE`` of the
+|INTERFACE_PROPERTY_LINK| of a target with paths for dependencies.
+That would hard-code into installed packages the include directory paths
+for dependencies **as found on the machine the package was made on**.
+
+The ``INSTALL_INTERFACE`` of the |INTERFACE_PROPERTY_LINK| is only
+suitable for specifying the required include directories of the target itself,
+not its dependencies.
+
+That is, code like this is incorrect for targets which will be used to
+generate :manual:`cmake-packages(7)`:
+
+.. code-block:: cmake
+
+  target_include_directories(mylib INTERFACE
+    $<INSTALL_INTERFACE:${Boost_INCLUDE_DIRS};${OtherDep_INCLUDE_DIRS}>
+  )
+
+Dependencies must provide their own :ref:`IMPORTED targets <Imported Targets>`
+which have their own |INTERFACE_PROPERTY_LINK| populated
+appropriately.  Those :ref:`IMPORTED targets <Imported Targets>` may then be
+used with the :command:`target_link_libraries` command for ``mylib``.
+
+That way, when a consumer uses the installed package, the
+consumer will run the appropriate :command:`find_package` command to find
+the dependencies on their own machine and populate the
+:ref:`IMPORTED targets <Imported Targets>` with appropriate paths.  See
+:ref:`Creating Packages` for more.  Note that many modules currently shipped
+with CMake do not currently provide :ref:`IMPORTED targets <Imported Targets>`.

Help/include/INTERFACE_LINK_LIBRARIES_WARNING.txt

@@ -0,0 +1,23 @@
+
+Note that it is not advisable to populate the
+|INTERFACE_PROPERTY_LINK| of a target with paths for dependencies.
+That would hard-code into installed packages the include directory paths
+for dependencies **as found on the machine the package was made on**.
+
+That is, code like this is incorrect for targets which will be used to
+generate :manual:`cmake-packages(7)`:
+
+.. code-block:: cmake
+
+  target_link_libraries(mylib INTERFACE
+    ${Boost_LIBRARIES};${OtherDep_LIBRARIES}
+  )
+
+Dependencies must provide their own :ref:`IMPORTED targets <Imported Targets>`
+which have their own :prop_tgt:`IMPORTED_LOCATION` populated
+appropriately.  That way, when a consumer uses the installed package, the
+consumer will run the appropriate :command:`find_package` command to find
+the dependencies on their own machine and populate the
+:ref:`IMPORTED targets <Imported Targets>` with appropriate paths.  See
+:ref:`Creating Packages` for more.  Note that many modules currently shipped
+with CMake do not currently provide :ref:`IMPORTED targets <Imported Targets>`.

Help/manual/cmake-buildsystem.7.rst

@@ -270,7 +270,11 @@ be specified in the order ``lib3`` ``lib1`` ``lib2``:
 
   target_link_libraries(myExe lib1 lib2 lib3)
   target_include_directories(myExe
-    PRIVATE $<TARGET_PROPERTY:INTERFACE_INCLUDE_DIRECTORIES:lib3>)
+    PRIVATE $<TARGET_PROPERTY:lib3,INTERFACE_INCLUDE_DIRECTORIES>)
+
+Note that care must be taken when specifying usage requirements for targets
+which will be exported for installation using the :command:`install(EXPORT)`
+command.  See :ref:`Creating Packages` for more.
 
 .. _`Compatible Interface Properties`:
 

Help/manual/cmake-packages.7.rst

@@ -260,6 +260,8 @@ The variables report the version of the package that was actually found.
 The ``<package>`` part of their name matches the argument given to the
 :command:`find_package` command.
 
+.. _`Creating Packages`:
+
 Creating Packages
 =================
 
@@ -369,6 +371,38 @@ attempt to use version 3 together with version 4.  Packages can choose to
 employ such a pattern if different major versions of the package are designed
 to be incompatible.
 
+Note that it is not advisable to populate any properties which may contain
+paths, such as :prop_tgt:`INTERFACE_INCLUDE_DIRECTORIES` and
+:prop_tgt:`INTERFACE_LINK_LIBRARIES`, with paths relevnt to dependencies.
+That would hard-code into installed packages the include directory or library
+paths for dependencies **as found on the machine the package was made on**.
+
+That is, code like this is incorrect for targets which will be used to
+generate config file packages:
+
+.. code-block:: cmake
+
+  target_link_libraries(ClimbingStats INTERFACE
+    ${Boost_LIBRARIES};${OtherDep_LIBRARIES}>
+  )
+  target_include_directories(ClimbingStats INTERFACE
+    $<INSTALL_INTERFACE:${Boost_INCLUDE_DIRS};${OtherDep_INCLUDE_DIRS}>
+  )
+
+Dependencies must provide their own :ref:`IMPORTED targets <Imported Targets>`
+which have their own :prop_tgt:`INTERFACE_INCLUDE_DIRECTORIES` and
+:prop_tgt:`IMPORTED_LOCATION` populated appropriately.  Those
+:ref:`IMPORTED targets <Imported Targets>` may then be
+used with the :command:`target_link_libraries` command for ``ClimbingStats``.
+
+That way, when a consumer uses the installed package, the
+consumer will run the appropriate :command:`find_package` command (via the
+find_dependency macro described below) to find
+the dependencies on their own machine and populate the
+:ref:`IMPORTED targets <Imported Targets>` with appropriate paths. Note that
+many modules currently shipped with CMake do not currently provide
+:ref:`IMPORTED targets <Imported Targets>`.
+
 A ``NAMESPACE`` with double-colons is specified when exporting the targets
 for installation.  This convention of double-colons gives CMake a hint that
 the name is an :prop_tgt:`IMPORTED` target when it is used by downstreams

Help/prop_tgt/INTERFACE_BUILD_PROPERTY.txt

@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+
+List of public |property_name| requirements for a library.
+
+Targets may populate this property to publish the |property_name|
+required to compile against the headers for the target.  The |command_name|
+command populates this property with values given to the ``PUBLIC`` and
+``INTERFACE`` keywords.  Projects may also get and set the property directly.
+
+When target dependencies are specified using :command:`target_link_libraries`,
+CMake will read this property from all target dependencies to determine the
+build properties of the consumer.
+
+Contents of |PROPERTY_INTERFACE_NAME| may use "generator expressions"
+with the syntax ``$<...>``.  See the :manual:`cmake-generator-expressions(7)`
+manual for available expressions.  See the :manual:`cmake-buildsystem(7)`
+-manual for more on defining buildsystem properties.

Help/prop_tgt/INTERFACE_COMPILE_DEFINITIONS.rst

@@ -1,15 +1,9 @@
 INTERFACE_COMPILE_DEFINITIONS
 -----------------------------
 
-List of public compile definitions for a library.
+.. |property_name| replace:: compile definitions
-
+.. |command_name| replace:: :command:`target_compile_definitions`
-Targets may populate this property to publish the compile definitions
+.. |PROPERTY_INTERFACE_NAME| replace:: ``INTERFACE_COMPILE_DEFINITIONS``
-required to compile against the headers for the target.  Consuming
+.. |PROPERTY_LINK| replace:: :prop_tgt:`COMPILE_DEFINITIONS`
-targets can add entries to their own :prop_tgt:`COMPILE_DEFINITIONS`
+.. |PROPERTY_GENEX| replace:: ``$<TARGET_PROPERTY:foo,INTERFACE_COMPILE_DEFINITIONS>``
-property such as ``$<TARGET_PROPERTY:foo,INTERFACE_COMPILE_DEFINITIONS>``
+.. include:: INTERFACE_BUILD_PROPERTY.txt
-to use the compile definitions specified in the interface of ``foo``.
-
-Contents of ``INTERFACE_COMPILE_DEFINITIONS`` may use "generator expressions"
-with the syntax ``$<...>``.  See the :manual:`cmake-generator-expressions(7)`
-manual for available expressions.  See the :manual:`cmake-buildsystem(7)`
-manual for more on defining buildsystem properties.

Help/prop_tgt/INTERFACE_COMPILE_FEATURES.rst

@@ -1,16 +1,12 @@
 INTERFACE_COMPILE_FEATURES
 --------------------------
 
-List of public compile requirements for a library.
+.. |property_name| replace:: compile features
+.. |command_name| replace:: :command:`target_compile_features`
+.. |PROPERTY_INTERFACE_NAME| replace:: ``INTERFACE_COMPILE_FEATURES``
+.. |PROPERTY_LINK| replace:: :prop_tgt:`COMPILE_FEATURES`
+.. |PROPERTY_GENEX| replace:: ``$<TARGET_PROPERTY:foo,INTERFACE_COMPILE_FEATURES>``
+.. include:: INTERFACE_BUILD_PROPERTY.txt
 
-Targets may populate this property to publish the compiler features
+See the :manual:`cmake-compile-features(7)` manual for information on compile
-required to compile against the headers for the target.  Consuming
-targets can add entries to their own :prop_tgt:`COMPILE_FEATURES`
-property such as ``$<TARGET_PROPERTY:foo,INTERFACE_COMPILE_FEATURES>``
-to require the features specified in the interface of ``foo``.
-
-Contents of ``INTERFACE_COMPILE_FEATURES`` may use "generator expressions"
-with the syntax ``$<...>``.  See the :manual:`cmake-generator-expressions(7)`
-manual for available expressions.  See the
-:manual:`cmake-compile-features(7)` manual for information on compile
 features.

Help/prop_tgt/INTERFACE_COMPILE_OPTIONS.rst

@@ -1,15 +1,9 @@
 INTERFACE_COMPILE_OPTIONS
 -------------------------
 
-List of interface options to pass to the compiler.
+.. |property_name| replace:: compile options
-
+.. |command_name| replace:: :command:`target_compile_options`
-Targets may populate this property to publish the compile options
+.. |PROPERTY_INTERFACE_NAME| replace:: ``INTERFACE_COMPILE_OPTIONS``
-required to compile against the headers for the target.  Consuming
+.. |PROPERTY_LINK| replace:: :prop_tgt:`COMPILE_OPTIONS`
-targets can add entries to their own :prop_tgt:`COMPILE_OPTIONS` property
+.. |PROPERTY_GENEX| replace:: ``$<TARGET_PROPERTY:foo,INTERFACE_COMPILE_OPTIONS>``
-such as ``$<TARGET_PROPERTY:foo,INTERFACE_COMPILE_OPTIONS>`` to use the
+.. include:: INTERFACE_BUILD_PROPERTY.txt
-compile options specified in the interface of ``foo``.
-
-Contents of ``INTERFACE_COMPILE_OPTIONS`` may use "generator expressions"
-with the syntax ``$<...>``.  See the :manual:`cmake-generator-expressions(7)`
-manual for available expressions.  See the :manual:`cmake-buildsystem(7)`
-manual for more on defining buildsystem properties.

Help/prop_tgt/INTERFACE_INCLUDE_DIRECTORIES.rst

@@ -1,22 +1,12 @@
 INTERFACE_INCLUDE_DIRECTORIES
 -----------------------------
 
-List of public include directories for a library.
+.. |property_name| replace:: include directories
-
+.. |command_name| replace:: :command:`target_include_directories`
-The :command:`target_include_directories` command populates this property
+.. |PROPERTY_INTERFACE_NAME| replace:: ``INTERFACE_INCLUDE_DIRECTORIES``
-with values given to the ``PUBLIC`` and ``INTERFACE`` keywords.  Projects
+.. |PROPERTY_LINK| replace:: :prop_tgt:`INCLUDE_DIRECTORIES`
-may also get and set the property directly.
+.. |PROPERTY_GENEX| replace:: ``$<TARGET_PROPERTY:foo,INTERFACE_INCLUDE_DIRECTORIES>``
-
+.. include:: INTERFACE_BUILD_PROPERTY.txt
-Targets may populate this property to publish the include directories
-required to compile against the headers for the target.  Consuming
-targets can add entries to their own :prop_tgt:`INCLUDE_DIRECTORIES`
-property such as ``$<TARGET_PROPERTY:foo,INTERFACE_INCLUDE_DIRECTORIES>``
-to use the include directories specified in the interface of ``foo``.
-
-Contents of ``INTERFACE_INCLUDE_DIRECTORIES`` may use "generator expressions"
-with the syntax ``$<...>``.  See the :manual:`cmake-generator-expressions(7)`
-manual for available expressions.  See the :manual:`cmake-buildsystem(7)`
-manual for more on defining buildsystem properties.
 
 Include directories usage requirements commonly differ between the build-tree
 and the install-tree.  The ``BUILD_INTERFACE`` and ``INSTALL_INTERFACE``
@@ -27,7 +17,10 @@ installation prefix.  For example:
 
 .. code-block:: cmake
 
-  set_property(TARGET mylib APPEND PROPERTY INTERFACE_INCLUDE_DIRECTORIES
+  target_include_directories(mylib INTERFACE
     $<BUILD_INTERFACE:${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/include/mylib>
     $<INSTALL_INTERFACE:include/mylib>  # <prefix>/include/mylib
   )
+
+.. |INTERFACE_PROPERTY_LINK| replace:: ``INTERFACE_INCLUDE_DIRECTORIES``
+.. include:: /include/INTERFACE_INCLUDE_DIRECTORIES_WARNING.txt

Help/prop_tgt/INTERFACE_LINK_LIBRARIES.rst

@@ -4,7 +4,8 @@ INTERFACE_LINK_LIBRARIES
 List public interface libraries for a library.
 
 This property contains the list of transitive link dependencies.  When
-the target is linked into another target the libraries listed (and
+the target is linked into another target using the
+:command:`target_link_libraries` command, the libraries listed (and
 recursively their link interface libraries) will be provided to the
 other target also.  This property is overridden by the
 :prop_tgt:`LINK_INTERFACE_LIBRARIES` or
@@ -15,3 +16,6 @@ Contents of ``INTERFACE_LINK_LIBRARIES`` may use "generator expressions"
 with the syntax ``$<...>``.  See the :manual:`cmake-generator-expressions(7)`
 manual for available expressions.  See the :manual:`cmake-buildsystem(7)`
 manual for more on defining buildsystem properties.
+
+.. |INTERFACE_PROPERTY_LINK| replace:: ``INTERFACE_LINK_LIBRARIES``
+.. include:: /include/INTERFACE_LINK_LIBRARIES_WARNING.txt

Help/prop_tgt/INTERFACE_SOURCES.rst

@@ -1,13 +1,16 @@
 INTERFACE_SOURCES
 -----------------
 
-List of interface sources to pass to the compiler.
+List of interface sources to compile into consuming targets.
 
 Targets may populate this property to publish the sources
-for consuming targets to compile.  Consuming
+for consuming targets to compile.  The :command:`target_sources` command
-targets can add entries to their own :prop_tgt:`SOURCES` property
+populates this property with values given to the ``PUBLIC`` and
-such as ``$<TARGET_PROPERTY:foo,INTERFACE_SOURCES>`` to use the
+``INTERFACE`` keywords.  Projects may also get and set the property directly.
-sources specified in the interface of ``foo``.
+
+When target dependencies are specified using :command:`target_link_libraries`,
+CMake will read this property from all target dependencies to determine the
+sources of the consumer.
 
 Contents of ``INTERFACE_SOURCES`` may use "generator expressions"
 with the syntax ``$<...>``.  See the :manual:`cmake-generator-expressions(7)`

Help/prop_tgt/INTERFACE_SYSTEM_INCLUDE_DIRECTORIES.rst

@@ -5,8 +5,14 @@ List of public system include directories for a library.
 
 Targets may populate this property to publish the include directories
 which contain system headers, and therefore should not result in
-compiler warnings.  Consuming targets will then mark the same include
+compiler warnings.  The :command:`target_include_directories(SYSTEM)`
-directories as system headers.
+command signature populates this property with values given to the
+``PUBLIC`` and ``INTERFACE`` keywords.  Projects may also get and set the
+property directly.
+
+When target dependencies are specified using :command:`target_link_libraries`,
+CMake will read this property from all target dependencies to mark the
+same include directories as containing system headers.
 
 Contents of ``INTERFACE_SYSTEM_INCLUDE_DIRECTORIES`` may use "generator
 expressions" with the syntax ``$<...>``.  See the

Help/prop_tgt/LINK_INTERFACE_LIBRARIES.rst

@@ -5,18 +5,24 @@ List public interface libraries for a shared library or executable.
 
 By default linking to a shared library target transitively links to
 targets with which the library itself was linked.  For an executable
-with exports (see the ENABLE_EXPORTS property) no default transitive
+with exports (see the :prop_tgt:`ENABLE_EXPORTS` target property) no
-link dependencies are used.  This property replaces the default
+default transitive link dependencies are used.  This property replaces the default
 transitive link dependencies with an explicit list.  When the target
-is linked into another target the libraries listed (and recursively
+is linked into another target using the :command:`target_link_libraries`
+command, the libraries listed (and recursively
 their link interface libraries) will be provided to the other target
 also.  If the list is empty then no transitive link dependencies will
 be incorporated when this target is linked into another target even if
 the default set is non-empty.  This property is initialized by the
-value of the variable CMAKE_LINK_INTERFACE_LIBRARIES if it is set when
+value of the :variable:`CMAKE_LINK_INTERFACE_LIBRARIES` variable if it is
-a target is created.  This property is ignored for STATIC libraries.
+set when a target is created.  This property is ignored for ``STATIC``
+libraries.
 
-This property is overridden by the INTERFACE_LINK_LIBRARIES property if
+This property is overridden by the :prop_tgt:`INTERFACE_LINK_LIBRARIES`
-policy CMP0022 is NEW.
+property if policy :policy:`CMP0022` is ``NEW``.
 
-This property is deprecated.  Use INTERFACE_LINK_LIBRARIES instead.
+This property is deprecated.  Use :prop_tgt:`INTERFACE_LINK_LIBRARIES`
+instead.
+
+.. |INTERFACE_PROPERTY_LINK| replace:: ``LINK_INTERFACE_LIBRARIES``
+.. include:: /include/INTERFACE_LINK_LIBRARIES_WARNING.txt

Help/prop_tgt/LINK_INTERFACE_LIBRARIES_CONFIG.rst

@@ -4,10 +4,14 @@ LINK_INTERFACE_LIBRARIES_<CONFIG>
 Per-configuration list of public interface libraries for a target.
 
 This is the configuration-specific version of
-LINK_INTERFACE_LIBRARIES.  If set, this property completely overrides
+:prop_tgt:`LINK_INTERFACE_LIBRARIES`.  If set, this property completely
-the generic property for the named configuration.
+overrides the generic property for the named configuration.
 
-This property is overridden by the INTERFACE_LINK_LIBRARIES property if
+This property is overridden by the :prop_tgt:`INTERFACE_LINK_LIBRARIES`
-policy CMP0022 is NEW.
+property if policy :policy:`CMP0022` is ``NEW``.
 
-This property is deprecated.  Use INTERFACE_LINK_LIBRARIES instead.
+This property is deprecated.  Use :prop_tgt:`INTERFACE_LINK_LIBRARIES`
+instead.
+
+.. |INTERFACE_PROPERTY_LINK| replace:: ``LINK_INTERFACE_LIBRARIES_<CONFIG>``
+.. include:: /include/INTERFACE_LINK_LIBRARIES_WARNING.txt