# configure\_file(): cmakedefine default value
**URL:** https://discourse.cmake.org/t/configure-file-cmakedefine-default-value/6427
**Category:** Usage
**Created:** [September 6, 2022, 8:15pm UTC](https://discourse.cmake.org/t/configure-file-cmakedefine-default-value/6427 "2022-09-06T20:15:51Z")
**Posts on this page:** 3
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Achpile](https://discourse.cmake.org/u/Achpile)
#### Post date: [September 6, 2022, 8:15pm UTC](https://discourse.cmake.org/t/configure-file-cmakedefine-default-value/6427/1 "2022-09-06T20:15:51Z")
Good day!
Could you help me please? Is there any way to use ‘default’ values in .in files or some other logic?
For example
#cmakedefine TIME\_FORMAT @TIME\_FORMAT@ “%b %e %T”
So if TIME\_FORMAT is set - it uses its value for #define, otherwise it uses “%b %e %T”
PS: I know, i can check it in CMakeLists.txt and set this default value in it. But looking for a solution, where this login will be inside .in file
Thanks!
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### Author:  [@ben.boeckel](https://discourse.cmake.org/u/ben.boeckel)
#### Post date: [September 6, 2022, 8:25pm UTC](https://discourse.cmake.org/t/configure-file-cmakedefine-default-value/6427/2 "2022-09-06T20:25:59Z")
No, there’s no functionality for this. I don’t think it should be done anyways because then there’s yet another “language” for logic available through CMake code. Just put the logic in the CMake code around the `configure_file` and it can be as complex as you want.
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### Author:  [@Achpile](https://discourse.cmake.org/u/Achpile)
#### Post date: [September 6, 2022, 8:40pm UTC](https://discourse.cmake.org/t/configure-file-cmakedefine-default-value/6427/3 "2022-09-06T20:40:50Z")
Thank you for a quick reply.