Why is USE_FOLDERS not ON by default?

Usage
1

Every single project I have the same line of code.

set_property(GLOBAL PROPERTY USE_FOLDERS ON)

Why is this not just on by default for users?
I’ll admit the 2 generators I primarily use are Visual Studio / Ninja.

So I might just not know the situation which necessitates this.

But I do know that some users are also confused as to why this isn’t the default as well.

2 Likes
2

It’s probably not the default due to backwards compatibility guarantees.

Cc: @brad.king

3

Due to backwards compatibility with older visual studio versions? Or just in general not trying to introduce new behavior clients didn’t ask for?

4

Backwards compatibility guarantees in CMake’s behaviors.

5

Perhaps having this on by default for 2017 or 2019 and onward is reasonable?

6

@brad.king

7

I think it is only for compatibility that USE_FOLDERS is not default. We could make it the default using a policy. I’ve opened CMake Issue 21695 for this.

8

In 3.26 USE_FOLDERS will be treated as ON by default via a policy.

CMP0143: USE_FOLDERS global property is treated as ON by default
1 Like