# CMAKE\_SKIP\_TEST\_ALL\_DEPENDENCY has the wrong default
**URL:** https://discourse.cmake.org/t/cmake-skip-test-all-dependency-has-the-wrong-default/13144
**Category:** Development
**Created:** [December 6, 2024, 10:42pm UTC](https://discourse.cmake.org/t/cmake-skip-test-all-dependency-has-the-wrong-default/13144 "2024-12-06T22:42:06Z")
**Posts on this page:** 11
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@camio](https://discourse.cmake.org/u/camio)
#### Post date: [December 6, 2024, 10:42pm UTC](https://discourse.cmake.org/t/cmake-skip-test-all-dependency-has-the-wrong-default/13144/1 "2024-12-06T22:42:06Z")
By default CMake’s `test` target doesn’t depend on `all` which leaves many users scratching their heads when ‘make test’ fails because the project isn’t built yet.
We can use `set(CMAKE_SKIP_TEST_ALL_DEPENDENCY FALSE)` to fix this, but we need to paste this set in every top-level `CMakeLists.txt` that’s attempting to follow best practices.
Is there appetite to switch the default behavior to have `test` depend on `all` via a policy change?
---
### Author:  [@brad.king](https://discourse.cmake.org/u/brad.king)
#### Post date: [December 6, 2024, 11:03pm UTC](https://discourse.cmake.org/t/cmake-skip-test-all-dependency-has-the-wrong-default/13144/2 "2024-12-06T23:03:08Z")
`test` not depending on `all` has been the convention since CMake started. It is considered a convenience for running `ctest`, and running `ctest` directly would not build `all`.
`CMAKE_SKIP_TEST_ALL_DEPENDENCY` was added in CMake 3.29 as an option.
As maintainer, I’m not particularly interested in changing the default that has been established for over 20 years.
---
### Author:  [@craig.scott](https://discourse.cmake.org/u/craig.scott)
#### Post date: [December 6, 2024, 11:48pm UTC](https://discourse.cmake.org/t/cmake-skip-test-all-dependency-has-the-wrong-default/13144/3 "2024-12-06T23:48:58Z")
To pick up on another aspect of this, I’d recommend moving away from using the `test` build target at all and instead execute `ctest` directly. Most mainstream IDEs are doing so these days, and it offers a far richer and more flexible set of capabilities, especially for developers working directly from a command line. The days of `make test` stem from an era that lacked much of today’s testing features (I’m not just talking about CMake projects in that statement).
---
### Author:  [@ClausKlein](https://discourse.cmake.org/u/ClausKlein)
#### Post date: [December 7, 2024, 7:42pm UTC](https://discourse.cmake.org/t/cmake-skip-test-all-dependency-has-the-wrong-default/13144/4 "2024-12-07T19:42:06Z")
[CMAKE\_SKIP\_INSTALL\_ALL\_DEPENDENCY](https://cmake.org/cmake/help/latest/variable/CMAKE_SKIP_INSTALL_ALL_DEPENDENCY.html#variable:CMAKE_SKIP_INSTALL_ALL_DEPENDENCY) exist too, but I miss the information when it was added.
P.S: I use both options to create more complex `cmake workflow presets`.
And `ctest` has the option [–build-and-test](https://cmake.org/cmake/help/latest/manual/ctest.1.html#build-and-test-mode)…
---
### Author:  [@brad.king](https://discourse.cmake.org/u/brad.king)
#### Post date: [December 9, 2024, 1:35pm UTC](https://discourse.cmake.org/t/cmake-skip-test-all-dependency-has-the-wrong-default/13144/5 "2024-12-09T13:35:52Z")
> [@ClausKlein](#):
>
> `CMAKE_SKIP_INSTALL_ALL_DEPENDENCY` exist too, but I miss the information when it was added.
That option has existed since 2005.
---
### Author:  [@camio](https://discourse.cmake.org/u/camio)
#### Post date: [December 9, 2024, 4:32pm UTC](https://discourse.cmake.org/t/cmake-skip-test-all-dependency-has-the-wrong-default/13144/6 "2024-12-09T16:32:49Z")
> [@brad.king](#):
>
> [The test target] is considered a convenience for running `ctest`, and running `ctest` directly would not build `all`.
Thanks for that context.
> [@craig.scott](#):
>
> I’d recommend moving away from using the `test` build target at all and instead execute `ctest` directly.
That’s reasonable for the rationale you cited.
I’m concluding that it is _not_ a best practice to include a `set(CMAKE_SKIP_TEST_ALL_DEPENDENCY FALSE)` line in every top-level `CMakeLists.txt` because:
1. It adds clutter
2. running `ctest` directly is preferred over usage of the `test` build target anyway, and
3. the test target is intended to be a shorthand for running `ctest` directly which is contradicted by `set(CMAKE_SKIP_TEST_ALL_DEPENDENCY FALSE)` semantics.
---
### Author:  [@ClausKlein](https://discourse.cmake.org/u/ClausKlein)
#### Post date: [December 9, 2024, 5:39pm UTC](https://discourse.cmake.org/t/cmake-skip-test-all-dependency-has-the-wrong-default/13144/7 "2024-12-09T17:39:13Z")
But how will you handle it `test` depends an `install`, and `install` depends an `all`?
---
### Author:  [@camio](https://discourse.cmake.org/u/camio)
#### Post date: [December 9, 2024, 6:11pm UTC](https://discourse.cmake.org/t/cmake-skip-test-all-dependency-has-the-wrong-default/13144/8 "2024-12-09T18:11:13Z")
There’s a way to make a ctest test that depends on the install target having been executed? Interesting, that’s the first I’ve heard of that.
---
### Author:  [@ClausKlein](https://discourse.cmake.org/u/ClausKlein)
#### Post date: [December 9, 2024, 6:40pm UTC](https://discourse.cmake.org/t/cmake-skip-test-all-dependency-has-the-wrong-default/13144/9 "2024-12-09T18:40:16Z")
… but the error messages are note really helpfully:
```auto
bash-5.2$ ctest --preset dev
Test project /Users/clausklein/Workspace/cpp/cxx20/fmt-module/build/dev
Start 1: find-package-test
Start 2: header-only-test
Could not find executable /Users/clausklein/Workspace/cpp/cxx20/fmt-module/build/dev/tests/header-only-test
Looked in the following places:
/Users/clausklein/Workspace/cpp/cxx20/fmt-module/build/dev/tests/header-only-test
/Users/clausklein/Workspace/cpp/cxx20/fmt-module/build/dev/tests/header-only-test
/Users/clausklein/Workspace/cpp/cxx20/fmt-module/build/dev/tests/Debug/header-only-test
/Users/clausklein/Workspace/cpp/cxx20/fmt-module/build/dev/tests/Debug/header-only-test
Debug//Users/clausklein/Workspace/cpp/cxx20/fmt-module/build/dev/tests/header-only-test
Debug//Users/clausklein/Workspace/cpp/cxx20/fmt-module/build/dev/tests/header-only-test
Users/clausklein/Workspace/cpp/cxx20/fmt-module/build/dev/tests/header-only-test
Users/clausklein/Workspace/cpp/cxx20/fmt-module/build/dev/tests/header-only-test
Users/clausklein/Workspace/cpp/cxx20/fmt-module/build/dev/tests/Debug/header-only-test
Users/clausklein/Workspace/cpp/cxx20/fmt-module/build/dev/tests/Debug/header-only-test
Debug/Users/clausklein/Workspace/cpp/cxx20/fmt-module/build/dev/tests/header-only-test
Debug/Users/clausklein/Workspace/cpp/cxx20/fmt-module/build/dev/tests/header-only-test
Unable to find executable: /Users/clausklein/Workspace/cpp/cxx20/fmt-module/build/dev/tests/header-only-test
1/3 Test #2: header-only-test .................***Not Run 0.00 sec
Start 3: module_header-only-test
2/3 Test #3: module_header-only-test .......... Passed 0.03 sec
3/3 Test #1: find-package-test ................***Failed 1.00 sec
Internal cmake changing into directory: /Users/clausklein/Workspace/cpp/cxx20/fmt-module/build/dev/tests/find-package-test
Error: cmake execution failed
The CXX compiler identification is Clang 19.1.4
Detecting CXX compiler ABI info
Detecting CXX compiler ABI info - done
Check for working CXX compiler: /usr/local/opt/llvm/bin/clang++ - skipped
Detecting CXX compile features
Detecting CXX compile features - done
CMake Error at CMakeLists.txt:9 (find_package):
By not providing "Findfmt.cmake" in CMAKE_MODULE_PATH this project has
asked CMake to find a package configuration file provided by "fmt", but
CMake did not find one.
Could not find a package configuration file provided by "fmt" (requested
version 11.0.2.1) with any of the following names:
fmtConfig.cmake
fmt-config.cmake
Add the installation prefix of "fmt" to CMAKE_PREFIX_PATH or set "fmt_DIR"
to a directory containing one of the above files. If "fmt" provides a
separate development package or SDK, be sure it has been installed.
Configuring incomplete, errors occurred!
33% tests passed, 2 tests failed out of 3
Total Test time (real) = 1.00 sec
The following tests FAILED:
1 - find-package-test (Failed)
2 - header-only-test (Not Run)
Errors while running CTest
bash-5.2$
```
---
### Author:  [@ClausKlein](https://discourse.cmake.org/u/ClausKlein)
#### Post date: [December 9, 2024, 6:43pm UTC](https://discourse.cmake.org/t/cmake-skip-test-all-dependency-has-the-wrong-default/13144/10 "2024-12-09T18:43:58Z")
> [@camio](#):
>
> `set(CMAKE_SKIP_TEST_ALL_DEPENDENCY FALSE)`
does not help if you call `ctest` without previous `cmake --build ...`
---
### Author:  [@ClausKlein](https://discourse.cmake.org/u/ClausKlein)
#### Post date: [December 9, 2024, 6:46pm UTC](https://discourse.cmake.org/t/cmake-skip-test-all-dependency-has-the-wrong-default/13144/11 "2024-12-09T18:46:28Z")
But the `cmake workflow preset` helps:
```bash
bash-5.2$ cmake --workflow dev
Executing workflow step 1 of 4: configure preset "dev"
Preset CMake variables:
CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE="Debug"
CMAKE_CXX_EXTENSIONS="ON"
CMAKE_CXX_FLAGS="-fstack-protector-strong -Wall -Wextra -Wpedantic -Wno-conversion -Wno-sign-conversion -Wcast-qual -Wformat=2 -Wundef -Werror=float-equal -Wshadow -Wcast-align -Wunused -Wnull-dereference -Wdouble-promotion -Wno-implicit-fallthrough -Wextra-semi -Woverloaded-virtual -Wnon-virtual-dtor -Wno-old-style-cast"
CMAKE_CXX_STANDARD="23"
CMAKE_CXX_STANDARD_REQUIRED="ON"
CMAKE_EXPORT_COMPILE_COMMANDS="ON"
CMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX:PATH="/Users/clausklein/Workspace/cpp/cxx20/fmt-module/stagedir"
CMAKE_PREFIX_PATH:STRING="/Users/clausklein/Workspace/cpp/cxx20/fmt-module/stagedir"
FMT_DEVELOPER_MODE="ON"
-- use ccache
-- CPPdefinitions=FMT_MODULE
-- CPM: Adding package fmt@11.0.2 (11.0.2 at /Users/clausklein/.cache/CPM/fmt/cccb77ae9609d2768ed80dd42cec54f77b1f1455)
-- CPM: Adding package googletest@1.15.2 (v1.15.2 at /Users/clausklein/.cache/CPM/googletest/63d366a111d035db343a038884a22e44986dcf4d)
-- Module tests to be built: header-only-test
-- Configuring done (0.1s)
-- Generating done (0.0s)
-- Build files have been written to: /Users/clausklein/Workspace/cpp/cxx20/fmt-module/build/dev
Executing workflow step 2 of 4: build preset "dev"
[9/13] Building CXX object CMakeFiles/fmt.dir/module/fmt.cppm.o
In file included from /Users/clausklein/Workspace/cpp/cxx20/fmt-module/module/fmt.cppm:129:
/Users/clausklein/.cache/CPM/fmt/cccb77ae9609d2768ed80dd42cec54f77b1f1455/include/fmt/os.h:33:14: warning: '#include ' attaches the declarations to the named module 'fmt', which is not usually intended; consider moving that directive before the module declaration [-Winclude-angled-in-module-purview]
33 | # include // for O_RDONLY
| ^
1 warning generated.
[12/13] Install the project...
-- Install configuration: "Debug"
-- Installing: /Users/clausklein/Workspace/cpp/cxx20/fmt-module/stagedir/include/fmt/args.h
-- Installing: /Users/clausklein/Workspace/cpp/cxx20/fmt-module/stagedir/include/fmt/base.h
-- Installing: /Users/clausklein/Workspace/cpp/cxx20/fmt-module/stagedir/include/fmt/chrono.h
-- Installing: /Users/clausklein/Workspace/cpp/cxx20/fmt-module/stagedir/include/fmt/color.h
-- Installing: /Users/clausklein/Workspace/cpp/cxx20/fmt-module/stagedir/include/fmt/compile.h
-- Installing: /Users/clausklein/Workspace/cpp/cxx20/fmt-module/stagedir/include/fmt/core.h
-- Installing: /Users/clausklein/Workspace/cpp/cxx20/fmt-module/stagedir/include/fmt/format-inl.h
-- Installing: /Users/clausklein/Workspace/cpp/cxx20/fmt-module/stagedir/include/fmt/format.h
-- Installing: /Users/clausklein/Workspace/cpp/cxx20/fmt-module/stagedir/include/fmt/os.h
-- Installing: /Users/clausklein/Workspace/cpp/cxx20/fmt-module/stagedir/include/fmt/ostream.h
-- Installing: /Users/clausklein/Workspace/cpp/cxx20/fmt-module/stagedir/include/fmt/printf.h
-- Installing: /Users/clausklein/Workspace/cpp/cxx20/fmt-module/stagedir/include/fmt/ranges.h
-- Installing: /Users/clausklein/Workspace/cpp/cxx20/fmt-module/stagedir/include/fmt/std.h
-- Installing: /Users/clausklein/Workspace/cpp/cxx20/fmt-module/stagedir/include/fmt/xchar.h
-- Installing: /Users/clausklein/Workspace/cpp/cxx20/fmt-module/stagedir/lib/libfmtD.a
-- Installing: /Users/clausklein/Workspace/cpp/cxx20/fmt-module/stagedir/lib/cmake/fmt/module/fmt.cppm
-- Installing: /Users/clausklein/Workspace/cpp/cxx20/fmt-module/stagedir/lib/cmake/fmt/module/format.cc
-- Installing: /Users/clausklein/Workspace/cpp/cxx20/fmt-module/stagedir/lib/cmake/fmt/module/os.cc
-- Installing: /Users/clausklein/Workspace/cpp/cxx20/fmt-module/stagedir/lib/cmake/fmt/fmtConfig.cmake
-- Installing: /Users/clausklein/Workspace/cpp/cxx20/fmt-module/stagedir/lib/cmake/fmt/fmtConfigVersion.cmake
-- Installing: /Users/clausklein/Workspace/cpp/cxx20/fmt-module/stagedir/lib/cmake/fmt/fmtTargets.cmake
-- Installing: /Users/clausklein/Workspace/cpp/cxx20/fmt-module/stagedir/lib/cmake/fmt/fmtTargets-debug.cmake
-- Installing: /Users/clausklein/Workspace/cpp/cxx20/fmt-module/stagedir/lib/cmake/fmt/./cxx-modules-fmtTargets.cmake
-- Installing: /Users/clausklein/Workspace/cpp/cxx20/fmt-module/stagedir/lib/cmake/fmt/./cxx-modules-fmtTargets-Debug.cmake
-- Installing: /Users/clausklein/Workspace/cpp/cxx20/fmt-module/stagedir/lib/cmake/fmt/./target-fmt-Debug.cmake
Executing workflow step 3 of 4: test preset "dev"
Test project /Users/clausklein/Workspace/cpp/cxx20/fmt-module/build/dev
Start 1: find-package-test
Start 2: header-only-test
Start 3: module_header-only-test
1/3 Test #3: module_header-only-test .......... Passed 0.00 sec
2/3 Test #2: header-only-test ................. Passed 0.52 sec
3/3 Test #1: find-package-test ................ Passed 4.00 sec
100% tests passed, 0 tests failed out of 3
Total Test time (real) = 4.00 sec
Executing workflow step 4 of 4: package preset "dev"
CPack: Create package using TGZ
CPack: Install projects
CPack: - Install project: fmt []
CPack: Create package
CPack: - package: /Users/clausklein/Workspace/cpp/cxx20/fmt-module/build/dev/fmt-11.0.2-Darwin.tar.gz generated.
bash-5.2$
```