# don't show includes, whatever the generator
**URL:** https://discourse.cmake.org/t/dont-show-includes-whatever-the-generator/14476
**Category:** Usage
**Created:** [July 31, 2025, 8:38am UTC](https://discourse.cmake.org/t/dont-show-includes-whatever-the-generator/14476 "2025-07-31T08:38:29Z")
**Posts on this page:** 7
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@adaldev](https://discourse.cmake.org/u/adaldev)
#### Post date: [July 31, 2025, 8:38am UTC](https://discourse.cmake.org/t/dont-show-includes-whatever-the-generator/14476/1 "2025-07-31T08:38:29Z")
Hi,
So far, on windows, I was using `nmake` (using `NMake Makefiles` generator) with `cl` and `make` (using `MinGW Makefiles` generator) with `gcc`.
But experimenting on parallel build, I realized that using `make` achieved a better job than `nmake` (using `cmake --build . --parallel <#cpu>`).
Thus I wanted to use `MinGW Makefiles` generator instead of `NMake Makefiles` generator but I observed that `cmake` then adds `/showIncludes` which is undesired (at least for me).
How can I prevent that? Bonus: is there a way to inactivate `showIncludes`, independently of the compiler and build tool used?
Regards,
A.
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### Author:  [@vito.gamberini](https://discourse.cmake.org/u/vito.gamberini)
#### Post date: [July 31, 2025, 12:43pm UTC](https://discourse.cmake.org/t/dont-show-includes-whatever-the-generator/14476/2 "2025-07-31T12:43:00Z")
Show includes is necessary for dependency scanning. It’s how the build system learns what headers should trigger a rebuild. It cannot be turned off.
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### Author:  [@adaldev](https://discourse.cmake.org/u/adaldev)
#### Post date: [July 31, 2025, 1:02pm UTC](https://discourse.cmake.org/t/dont-show-includes-whatever-the-generator/14476/3 "2025-07-31T13:02:37Z")
Hi
I thought it was merely a logging option? It clutters my output with `Note: Included file: `
It’s this logging behavior that I want to suppress.
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### Author:  [@adaldev](https://discourse.cmake.org/u/adaldev)
#### Post date: [July 31, 2025, 3:08pm UTC](https://discourse.cmake.org/t/dont-show-includes-whatever-the-generator/14476/4 "2025-07-31T15:08:31Z")
OK
I read about dependency scanning…
And I feel I’m stuck with that: either I use nmake+cl but with poor parallel build capabilities or I’ve got hard to read output…
shame…
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### Author:  [@vito.gamberini](https://discourse.cmake.org/u/vito.gamberini)
#### Post date: [July 31, 2025, 3:20pm UTC](https://discourse.cmake.org/t/dont-show-includes-whatever-the-generator/14476/5 "2025-07-31T15:20:42Z")
I would consider using Ninja if you desire clarity of build output and fully parallel builds
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### Author:  [@adaldev](https://discourse.cmake.org/u/adaldev)
#### Post date: [August 4, 2025, 4:57pm UTC](https://discourse.cmake.org/t/dont-show-includes-whatever-the-generator/14476/6 "2025-08-04T16:57:51Z")
side-question: does this dependency-scanning works in environment without terminal/output (such as a CI in a runner)?
Regards
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### Author:  [@adaldev](https://discourse.cmake.org/u/adaldev)
#### Post date: [November 5, 2025, 2:20pm UTC](https://discourse.cmake.org/t/dont-show-includes-whatever-the-generator/14476/7 "2025-11-05T14:20:19Z")
Hi,
I’ve just observed a strange behavior that puzzles me with nmake generator for msvc.
I’ve got two projects that seems to have quite the same options but, in one, I’ve got inclusions showing while not in the other. But I can’t find what setting would explain the difference.
Looking at the generated build.make, both seems to use the same settings (noticeably using the /showIncludes option).
Any idea about what would explain the difference?
Regards