LETARTARE: /* Compiler */

2013-02-08T08:25:11Z

Compiler

LETARTARE: /* Compiler */

2013-02-08T08:24:34Z

Compiler

Mariocup: /* Compiler */

2007-09-15T21:14:01Z

Compiler

Mandrav at 13:19, 2 March 2007

2007-03-02T13:19:33Z

Mandrav: Mostly done

2007-03-02T13:19:12Z

Mostly done

Show changes

Mandrav: Added TBC message

2007-03-01T14:06:18Z

Added TBC message

Mandrav: Initial text

2007-03-01T13:53:11Z

Initial text

New page

[[Category:Code::Blocks Documentation]]
[[Category:Developer Documentation]]
The project file is the most important file in Code::Blocks. It's what defines a project and rules how to build it.
So, without further ado, let's see how it is formatted. The following is a simple console project. Don't be overwhelmed by its size...
It just contains all possible elements for illustration purposes.
Normally, when a project is saved by Code::Blocks, it only contains the elements whose values are different than the default values.
The following XML text contains the default values for each element/attribute.

= Sample project file =

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" standalone="yes" ?>
<CodeBlocks_project_file>
<FileVersion major="1" minor="6" />
<Project>
<Option title="TestConsole" />
<Option platforms="All" />
<Option makefile="Makefile" />
<Option makefile_is_custom="0" />
<Option pch_mode="2" />
<Option default_target="" />
<Option compiler="gcc" />
<Option virtualFolders="" />
<Option extended_obj_names="0" />
<Option show_notes="0">
<notes>
<![CDATA[]]>
</notes>
</Option>
<MakeCommands>
<Build command="$make -f $makefile $target" />
<CompileFile command="$make -f $makefile $file" />
<Clean command="$make -f $makefile clean$target" />
<DistClean command="$make -f $makefile distclean$target" />
</MakeCommands>
<Build>
<Script file="" />
<Target title="Debug">
<Option platforms="All" />
<Option output="Debug/TestConsole" prefix_auto="1" extension_auto="1" />
<Option working_dir="." />
<Option object_output="Debug/obj/" />
<Option deps_output=".deps" />
<Option external_deps="../TestLib/Debug/libTestLib.a;" />
<Option additional_output="" />
<Option type="1" />
<Option compiler="gcc" />
<Option use_console_runner="0" />
<Option parameters="" />
<Option host_application="" />
<Option createDefFile="1" />
<Option createStaticLib="1" />
<Option projectCompilerOptionsRelation="3" />
<Option projectLinkerOptionsRelation="3" />
<Option projectIncludeDirsRelation="3" />
<Option projectResourceIncludeDirsRelation="3" />
<Option projectLibDirsRelation="3" />
<Script file="../BuildScripts/debug.script" />
<Script file="../BuildScripts/base.script" />
<Compiler>
<Add option="-g" />
</Compiler>
<ResourceCompiler />
<Linker />
<ExtraCommands>
<Mode after="always" />
</ExtraCommands>
<MakeCommands>
<Build command="$make -f $makefile $target" />
<CompileFile command="$make -f $makefile $file" />
<Clean command="$make -f $makefile clean$target" />
<DistClean command="$make -f $makefile distclean$target" />
</MakeCommands>
</Target>
</Build>
<VirtualTargets>
<Add alias="All" targets="Debug;" />
</VirtualTargets>
<Compiler>
<Add option="-Wall" />
<Add option="-fexceptions" />
</Compiler>
<ResourceCompiler />
<Linker />
<ExtraCommands>
<Mode after="always" />
</ExtraCommands>
<Unit filename="BuildScripts/config.script">
<Option compilerVar="CPP" />
<Option compile="0" />
<Option link="0" />
<Option weight="50" />
<Option virtualFolder="" />
<Option target="Debug" />
</Unit>
<Unit filename="main.cpp">
<Option compilerVar="CPP" />
<Option compile="1" />
<Option link="1" />
<Option weight="50" />
<Option virtualFolder="" />
<Option target="Debug" />
</Unit>
<Extensions>
<code_completion />
</Extensions>
</Project>
</CodeBlocks_project_file>

Let's see the XML elements one by one.

= Version =
<FileVersion major="1" minor="6" />
This defines the project file's version. Code::Blocks can open previous versions of project files but always saves in the latest version format.

= Project =

<Project>
Starts defining the project.

== Project options ==

=== Title ===
<Option title="TestConsole" />
Sets the project's title.

=== Platforms ===
<Option platforms="All" />
Defines which platforms this project is valid on. This setting can be redefined in target settings. But note that
this setting here must be a superset of any platform specification per-target. Meaning that if we define
here that the project is valid for Windows and Unix platforms only, we can't set the Mac platform in a target
because that platform is not marked as supported in the project level.
{| border="1" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="0" style="border: 1px solid gray; border-collapse: collapse;"
|- style="background: #ececec; border: 0px solid gray"
!Value
!Platform
|-

|-
| Windows || Microsoft Windows (tm)
|-

|-
| Unix || Any Unix/Linux
|-

|-
| Mac || Any Mac platform
|-

|-
| All || Any platform
|-

|}
The value can either be "All" or a semi-colon separated list of the supported platforms' values in the table above

=== Makefile ===
<Option makefile="Makefile" />
Sets the makefile filename to use when building the project. This is only used when the project is set up to use
an external makefile to build (see next element). It is not used when building using Code::Blocks' build system.

<Option makefile_is_custom="0" />
If this option's value is set to "1", the internal build system is effectively disabled and an external makefile
is used to build the project.

=== PCH mode ===
<Option pch_mode="2" />
Sets the PCH (precompiled headers) mode. This can have one of the following values:
{| border="1" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="0" style="border: 1px solid gray; border-collapse: collapse;"
|- style="background: #ececec; border: 0px solid gray"
!Value
!Description
|-

|-
| 0 || Generate PCH in a directory alongside original header.
|-

|-
| 1 || Generate PCH in the object output dir.
|-

|-
| 2 || Generate PCH alongside original header (default).
|-

|}

=== Default target ===
<Option default_target="" />
Sets the default target to "Run". When clicking on the "Build->Run" menu item, Code::Blocks "runs" the
default target of the project. This entry defines which is this target.

=== Compiler ===
<Option compiler="gcc" />
The compiler used to build this project (can be overridden by targets).
The internal compiler names used by Code::Blocks are the following:
{| border="1" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="0" style="border: 1px solid gray; border-collapse: collapse;"
|- style="background: #ececec; border: 0px solid gray"
!Compiler
!Internal name
|-

|-
| GNU GCC || gcc
|-

|-
| Cygwin GCC || cygwin
|-

|-
| Borland C++ Compiler 5.5 || bcc
|-

|-
| Digital Mars Compiler || dmc
|-

|-
| Digital Mars D Compiler || dmd
|-

|-
| GDC D Compiler || gdc
|-

|-
| GNU ARM GCC Compiler || arm-elf-gcc
|-

|-
| Intel C/C++ Compiler || icc
|-

|-
| Microsoft Visual C++ Toolkit 2003 || msvctk
|-

|-
| Microsoft Visual C++ 2005 || msvc8
|-

|-
| OpenWatcom (W32) Compiler || ow
|-

|-
| SDCC Compiler || sdcc
|-

|-
| Tiny C Compiler || tcc
|-

|}
Note that not all of the above are present in all platforms.

=== Virtual folders ===
<Option virtualFolders="" />
Defines virtual folders for the project tree display. If present, it contains a semi-colon separated list of virtual
relative paths, e.g. "Sources/C++;Sources/Python". If virtual folders are used, each project file contains info on
what virtual folder it appears in.

=== Extended object names ===
<Option extended_obj_names="0" />
If this option's value equals to "1", then the generated object filenames contain the source file's extension too.
{| border="1" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="0" style="border: 1px solid gray; border-collapse: collapse;"
|- style="background: #ececec; border: 0px solid gray"
!Source filename
!Object filename
(extended_obj_names="0")
!Object filename
(extended_obj_names="1")
|-

|-
| foo.cpp || foo.o || foo.cpp.o
|-

|}
This is especially useful in source trees where there are more than one files with the same basename (i.e. without extension) exist in the same directory.

=== Notes ===
<Option show_notes="0">
<notes>
<![CDATA[]]>
</notes>
</Option>
Project specific notes. If "show_notes" equals "1", then the notes contained in the "notes" element are automatically displayed
by Code::Blocks when it opens the project. If, on the other hand, "show_notes" equals "0", then the notes are not displayed automatically
by Code::Blocks but can be read by the user in the project properties dialog.

== "Make" commands ==
<MakeCommands>
<Build command="$make -f $makefile $target" />
<CompileFile command="$make -f $makefile $file" />
<Clean command="$make -f $makefile clean$target" />
<DistClean command="$make -f $makefile distclean$target" />
</MakeCommands>
Define how to invoke "make" when using an external makefile for the build.

== Build ==

<Build>
Starts defining the build properties.

=== Scripts ===
<Script file="" />
Adds a build script file in the project level (e.g. "BuildScripts/config.script").

=== Target ===

<Target title="Debug">
Starts defining a new target. It also sets the target's name.

==== Target options ====

===== Platforms =====
<Option platforms="All" />
Defines which platforms this target is valid on. This setting further refines the relevant project setting. But note that
this setting here must be a subset of any platform specification in the project level. Meaning that if we define
that the project is valid for Windows and Unix platforms only, we can't set the Mac platform here
because that platform is not marked as supported in the project level.
{| border="1" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="0" style="border: 1px solid gray; border-collapse: collapse;"
|- style="background: #ececec; border: 0px solid gray"
!Value
!Platform
|-

|-
| Windows || Microsoft Windows (tm)
|-

|-
| Unix || Any Unix/Linux
|-

|-
| Mac || Any Mac platform
|-

|-
| All || Any platform
|-

|}
The value can either be "All" or a semi-colon separated list of the supported platforms' values in the table above

===== Output =====
<Option output="Debug/TestConsole" prefix_auto="1" extension_auto="1" />
Defines the output filename for this target. The attributes "prefix_auto" and "extension_auto" need only be present if there value equals "1".
They tell Code::Blocks that the filename should be automatically adjusted for the platform Code::Blocks is running on.
For example, if the target generates the static library "libfoo.a" for gcc, the "output" would be "Debug/foo". The "lib" prefix and ".a" extension
would automatically be added by Code::Blocks, if required by the current platform.

===== Working directory =====
<Option working_dir="." />
Defines the working directory when "running" this target.

===== Objects output =====
<Option object_output="Debug/obj/" />
Defines the directory where all the object files will be generated under, when building this target,

===== Dependencies output =====
<Option deps_output=".deps" />
Defines the directory where all the dependency files will be generated under, when building this target,
'''This setting is obsolete and not used anymore. It will be removed in a future version of the project file's format.'''

===== External dependencies =====
<Option external_deps="../TestLib/Debug/libTestLib.a;" />
Sets an external dependency that will force a re-link of the target's output file whenever that dependency changes.
For example, we could force a target to re-link if it uses a static library and that static library is updated: "../TestLib/Debug/libTestLib.a;".
The value entered here is a semi-colon separated list of external filenames whose modification time will be monitored by Code::Blocks'
build system.

===== Additional outputs =====
<Option additional_output="" />
This is a semi-colon separated list of filenames that their modification times are also checked against the target's output modification time.
If any of these is updated, the target's output is forced to re-link. Useful for generated files which Code::Blocks doesn't otherwise
know about.

===== Output type =====
<Option type="1" />
Defines what kind of output this target produces. Possible values are:
{| border="1" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="0" style="border: 1px solid gray; border-collapse: collapse;"
|- style="background: #ececec; border: 0px solid gray"
!Value
!Kind of output
|-

|-
| 0 || GUI application (no console)
|-

|-
| 1 || Console application
|-

|-
| 2 || Static library
|-

|-
| 3 || Dynamic library (dll/so)
|-

|-
| 4 || Commands only (doesn't generate any output, just executes pre/post build steps)
|-

|-
| 5 || Native executable (valid only under windows where it produces a .sys file)
|-

|}

===== Compiler =====
<Option compiler="gcc" />
The compiler used to build this target (overrides the project-level compiler).
The internal compiler names used by Code::Blocks are the following:
{| border="1" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="0" style="border: 1px solid gray; border-collapse: collapse;"
|- style="background: #ececec; border: 0px solid gray"
!Compiler
!Internal name
|-

|-
| GNU GCC || gcc
|-

|-
| Cygwin GCC || cygwin
|-

|-
| Borland C++ Compiler 5.5 || bcc
|-

|-
| Digital Mars Compiler || dmc
|-

|-
| Digital Mars D Compiler || dmd
|-

|-
| GDC D Compiler || gdc
|-

|-
| GNU ARM GCC Compiler || arm-elf-gcc
|-

|-
| Intel C/C++ Compiler || icc
|-

|-
| Microsoft Visual C++ Toolkit 2003 || msvctk
|-

|-
| Microsoft Visual C++ 2005 || msvc8
|-

|-
| OpenWatcom (W32) Compiler || ow
|-

|-
| SDCC Compiler || sdcc
|-

|-
| Tiny C Compiler || tcc
|-

|}
Note that not all of the above are present in all platforms.

===== Console runner =====
<Option use_console_runner="0" />
Valid for targets producing console applications. If value equals "1", the console executable runs through another Code::Blocks
utility program which, when the console executable ends, displays a "Press any key to continue" message.
This option is useful if the user wants the console to stay open so he/she can examine his/hers program's output.

===== Execution parameters =====
<Option parameters="" />
Any command-line parameters that should be passed to the executable when executing it from inside Code::Blocks.

===== Host application =====
<Option host_application="" />
If the target's output is not an executable, this element defines which executable to launch when "running" this target.
Useful for dynamic library targets (dll/so) where we can set the host application to launch.

===== Create DEF file =====
<Option createDefFile="1" />
If value equals "1", a DEF file will be generated. Valid only for Windows DLLs compiled with GCC (ignored in other configurations).

===== Create import library =====
<Option createStaticLib="1" />
If value equals "1", an import library will be generated. Valid only for Windows DLLs compiled with GCC (ignored in other configurations).

@@ Line 798: / Line 798: @@
 If this file should appear inside a virtual folder, this is where it is defined. The "virtualFolder" attribute must contain a relative "virtual" path, already present in the global virtual folders setting (described earlier).
-<Option target="" />
+ <Option target="" />
 The name of the target this file belongs in. The file can be part of more than one targets by using multiple such XML elements.
 If the file belongs to all the targets in the project, this element is not needed.

@@ Line 487: / Line 487: @@
 |-
 | GNU ARM GCC Compiler || arm-elf-gcc
 |-

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
 [[Category:Code::Blocks Documentation]]
 [[Category:Developer Documentation]]
 The project file is the most important file in Code::Blocks. It's what defines a project and rules how to build it.
 So, without further ado, let's see how it is formatted. The following is a simple console project. Don't be overwhelmed by its size...
@@ Line 507: / Line 509: @@
   <Option createStaticLib="1" />
 If value equals "1", an import library will be generated. Valid only for Windows DLLs compiled with GCC (ignored in other configurations).

Project file - Revision history

LETARTARE: /* Compiler */

LETARTARE: /* Compiler */

Mariocup: /* Compiler */

Mandrav at 13:19, 2 March 2007

Mandrav: Mostly done

Mandrav: Added TBC message

Mandrav: Initial text