Building Release on macOS with separate debug symbols file

Usage
1

I’m trying to figure out how to build Release config that also include debug symbols in a separate file on macOS. How is that controlled via CMake?

2

There’s an issue tracking this request.

1 Like
3

What can one do with current CMake?

I tried to set these flags manually:

function(SetBuildDefaultSettings)
  if(WIN32)
    SetBuildDefaultSettingsWin32()
  endif()
endfunction()

function(SetBuildDefaultSettingsWin32)
  # CMake's Release configuration for Windows isn't ideal.
  # Ref: https://gitlab.kitware.com/cmake/cmake/-/issues/20812

  # Default optimizations,
  # disable assert,
  # generate PDB,
  # enable function-level linking.
  set(CMAKE_CXX_FLAGS_RELEASE "/O2 /DNDEBUG /Zi /Gy")

  # Generate PDB,
  # disable incremental linking,
  # remove unreferenced sections,
  # merge identical sections.
  set(LINKER_RELEASE_OPTIONS "/DEBUG /INCREMENTAL:NO /OPT:REF /OPT:ICF")
  set(CMAKE_EXE_LINKER_FLAGS_RELEASE ${LINKER_RELEASE_OPTIONS})
  set(CMAKE_MODULE_LINKER_FLAGS_RELEASE ${LINKER_RELEASE_OPTIONS})
  set(CMAKE_SHARED_LINKER_FLAGS_RELEASE ${LINKER_RELEASE_OPTIONS})
endfunction()

I have tried setting early in the root CMakeLists.txt file, and after project, but it appear that the variables is overridden…?

4

Functions make variable scopes, so the value is updated in the function and then dropped when the function returns.

5

Aaah! Duh!

Ok, I removed the functions and used only include and now I see the values change.

When should this be set though? Before or after project()? And if I want to use this with vcpkg, how would I ensure vcpkg also use the same settings?

I’ve not used build chain files before, but is this something that is appropriate (ideal?) for that?

6

I think the value only “really” matters at the end of the directory scope (which is what targets get when they query for it).