# FetchContent / CMAKE\_MAKE\_PROGRAM error

**URL:** https://discourse.cmake.org/t/fetchcontent-cmake-make-program-error/2468
**Category:** Usage
**Tags:** gen:ninja
**Created:** [January 4, 2021, 7:46pm UTC](https://discourse.cmake.org/t/fetchcontent-cmake-make-program-error/2468 "2021-01-04T19:46:02Z")
**Posts on this page:** 10
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

### Author: ![YMba9g8j9CJp0wLoQf5y](https://discourse.cmake.org/user_avatar/discourse.cmake.org/ymba9g8j9cjp0wloqf5y/32/1244_2.png) [@YMba9g8j9CJp0wLoQf5y](https://discourse.cmake.org/u/YMba9g8j9CJp0wLoQf5y)
#### Post date: [January 4, 2021, 7:46pm UTC](https://discourse.cmake.org/t/fetchcontent-cmake-make-program-error/2468/1 "2021-01-04T19:46:02Z")

</div>

I’m having an issue with Ninja and FetchContent.  
I’m trying to create a shared cmake code repository at my company.

And I would like to use FetchContent to grab this shared cmake code.

So I have the following

```cmake
 FetchContent_Declare(generic_cmake_modules
     GIT_REPOSITORY "...." 
     GIT_TAG "main" 
 ) 

 FetchContent_MakeAvailable(generic_cmake_modules)

```

However this results in this error message:

“CMake Error: CMake was unable to find a build program corresponding to “Ninja”. CMAKE\_MAKE\_PROGRAM is not set. You probably need to select a different build tool.”

This is because I set CMAKE\_MAKE\_PROGRAM (IE Ninja) in a toolchain which is inside the generic\_cmake\_modules repo.

Which results in this workaround where I set CMAKE\_MAKE\_PROGRAM before the FetchContent\_Declare call.

```cmake
 # Explanation of why this is necessary and what is happening. 
 # FetchContent tries to configure the cmake modules and fails as a result of CMAKE_MAKE_PROGRAM not being defined. 
 # Because we define CMAKE_MAKE_PROGRAM in our toolchain, which is inside the content we are fetching. Catch22. 
 # 
 # This works around the issue 
 if ( CMAKE_GENERATOR MATCHES "Ninja" ) 
     # This will get overriden by a later toolchain 
     set(CMAKE_MAKE_PROGRAM "C:/......./ninja/1.10.0/ninja.exe" CACHE FILEPATH "") 
 endif() 

```

However this isn’t optimal since I need to be in control of the version of Ninja the client uses.  
The clients shouldn’t care about the Ninja version.

What should I do?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

### Author: ![ben.boeckel](https://discourse.cmake.org/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/b/ea5d25/32.png) [@ben.boeckel](https://discourse.cmake.org/u/ben.boeckel)
#### Post date: [January 4, 2021, 8:04pm UTC](https://discourse.cmake.org/t/fetchcontent-cmake-make-program-error/2468/2 "2021-01-04T20:04:56Z")

</div>

During the `project()` call at the top-level of the project, CMake runs some initial compilations using `try_compile` machinery to inspect the compiler. This requires the build tool (here, `ninja`) to be available at that point. You might be able to try initializing `generic_cmake_modules` before that point, but it’s not going to be easy as if that project does a `project()` call, you’ll have the same problem there.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

### Author: ![YMba9g8j9CJp0wLoQf5y](https://discourse.cmake.org/user_avatar/discourse.cmake.org/ymba9g8j9cjp0wloqf5y/32/1244_2.png) [@YMba9g8j9CJp0wLoQf5y](https://discourse.cmake.org/u/YMba9g8j9CJp0wLoQf5y)
#### Post date: [January 4, 2021, 8:08pm UTC](https://discourse.cmake.org/t/fetchcontent-cmake-make-program-error/2468/3 "2021-01-04T20:08:35Z")

</div>

This is all happening before the project() call takes place.

The goal of this module is to set the toolchain. Which contains CMAKE\_MAKE\_PROGRAM.

Roughly the logic goes

- FetchContent generic\_cmake\_modules
- include(Generic)
- generic\_set\_toolchain() \<- This sets CMAKE\_TOOLCHAIN\_FILE which sets CMAKE\_MAKE\_PROGRAM
- project(foobar)

---

<div class="post-metadata">

### Author: ![ben.boeckel](https://discourse.cmake.org/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/b/ea5d25/32.png) [@ben.boeckel](https://discourse.cmake.org/u/ben.boeckel)
#### Post date: [January 4, 2021, 8:41pm UTC](https://discourse.cmake.org/t/fetchcontent-cmake-make-program-error/2468/4 "2021-01-04T20:41:33Z")

</div>

Hmm. What’s the backtrace on the code that expects `CMAKE_MAKE_PROGRAM` to be set then within that rough outline?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

### Author: ![YMba9g8j9CJp0wLoQf5y](https://discourse.cmake.org/user_avatar/discourse.cmake.org/ymba9g8j9cjp0wloqf5y/32/1244_2.png) [@YMba9g8j9CJp0wLoQf5y](https://discourse.cmake.org/u/YMba9g8j9CJp0wLoQf5y)
#### Post date: [January 4, 2021, 8:58pm UTC](https://discourse.cmake.org/t/fetchcontent-cmake-make-program-error/2468/5 "2021-01-04T20:58:17Z")

</div>

Cmake version 3.15

D:…\cmake-3.15.1-win64-x64\share\cmake-3.15\Modules\FetchContent.cmake

```auto
  execute_process(
    COMMAND ${CMAKE_COMMAND} ${generatorOpts} .
    RESULT_VARIABLE result
    ${outputOptions}
    WORKING_DIRECTORY "${ARG_SUBBUILD_DIR}"
  )
  if(result)
    if(capturedOutput)
      message("${capturedOutput}")
    endif()
    message(FATAL_ERROR "CMake step for ${contentName} failed: ${result}") # <- Fails here
  endif()

```

---

<div class="post-metadata">

### Author: ![YMba9g8j9CJp0wLoQf5y](https://discourse.cmake.org/user_avatar/discourse.cmake.org/ymba9g8j9cjp0wloqf5y/32/1244_2.png) [@YMba9g8j9CJp0wLoQf5y](https://discourse.cmake.org/u/YMba9g8j9CJp0wLoQf5y)
#### Post date: [January 4, 2021, 9:02pm UTC](https://discourse.cmake.org/t/fetchcontent-cmake-make-program-error/2468/6 "2021-01-04T21:02:32Z")

</div>

Running --trace-expand on the above execute\_process gives me this:

```auto
Running with expanded trace output on.
D:/foobar_github/foobar_cmake_modules/tests/build/0/Debug/_deps/foobar_cmake_modules-subbuild/CMakeLists.txt(4): cmake_minimum_required(VERSION 3.15.1 )     
D:/foobar_github/foobar_cmake_modules/tests/build/0/Debug/_deps/foobar_cmake_modules-subbuild/CMakeLists.txt(10): project(foobar_cmake_modules-populate NONE )  
D:/.../cmake-3.15.1-win64-x64/share/cmake-3.15/Modules/CMakeDetermineSystem.cmake(34): if(CMAKE_HOST_UNIX )
D:/.../cmake-3.15.1-win64-x64/share/cmake-3.15/Modules/CMakeDetermineSystem.cmake(74): else()
D:/.../cmake-3.15.1-win64-x64/share/cmake-3.15/Modules/CMakeDetermineSystem.cmake(75): if(CMAKE_HOST_WIN32 )
D:/.../cmake-3.15.1-win64-x64/share/cmake-3.15/Modules/CMakeDetermineSystem.cmake(76): if(DEFINED ENV{PROCESSOR_ARCHITEW6432} )
D:/.../cmake-3.15.1-win64-x64/share/cmake-3.15/Modules/CMakeDetermineSystem.cmake(78): else()
D:/.../cmake-3.15.1-win64-x64/share/cmake-3.15/Modules/CMakeDetermineSystem.cmake(79): set(CMAKE_HOST_SYSTEM_PROCESSOR foobar64 ) 
D:/.../cmake-3.15.1-win64-x64/share/cmake-3.15/Modules/CMakeDetermineSystem.cmake(88): if(CMAKE_TOOLCHAIN_FILE )
D:/.../cmake-3.15.1-win64-x64/share/cmake-3.15/Modules/CMakeDetermineSystem.cmake(108): if(CMAKE_SYSTEM_NAME )
D:/.../cmake-3.15.1-win64-x64/share/cmake-3.15/Modules/CMakeDetermineSystem.cmake(113): elseif(CMAKE_VS_WINCE_VERSION )
D:/.../cmake-3.15.1-win64-x64/share/cmake-3.15/Modules/CMakeDetermineSystem.cmake(119): else()
D:/.../cmake-3.15.1-win64-x64/share/cmake-3.15/Modules/CMakeDetermineSystem.cmake(120): set(CMAKE_SYSTEM_NAME Windows )
D:/.../cmake-3.15.1-win64-x64/share/cmake-3.15/Modules/CMakeDetermineSystem.cmake(121): if(NOT DEFINED CMAKE_SYSTEM_VERSION )
D:/.../cmake-3.15.1-win64-x64/share/cmake-3.15/Modules/CMakeDetermineSystem.cmake(122): set(CMAKE_SYSTEM_VERSION 10.0.18363 )
D:/.../cmake-3.15.1-win64-x64/share/cmake-3.15/Modules/CMakeDetermineSystem.cmake(124): set(CMAKE_SYSTEM_PROCESSOR foobar64 )
D:/.../cmake-3.15.1-win64-x64/share/cmake-3.15/Modules/CMakeDetermineSystem.cmake(125): set(CMAKE_CROSSCOMPILING FALSE )
D:/.../cmake-3.15.1-win64-x64/share/cmake-3.15/Modules/CMakeDetermineSystem.cmake(126): set(PRESET_CMAKE_SYSTEM_NAME FALSE )
D:/.../cmake-3.15.1-win64-x64/share/cmake-3.15/Modules/CMakeDetermineSystem.cmake(129): include(Platform/Windows-Determine OPTIONAL )
D:/.../cmake-3.15.1-win64-x64/share/cmake-3.15/Modules/CMakeDetermineSystem.cmake(131): macro(ADJUST_CMAKE_SYSTEM_VARIABLES _PREFIX )
D:/.../cmake-3.15.1-win64-x64/share/cmake-3.15/Modules/CMakeDetermineSystem.cmake(160): ADJUST_CMAKE_SYSTEM_VARIABLES(CMAKE_SYSTEM )
D:/.../cmake-3.15.1-win64-x64/share/cmake-3.15/Modules/CMakeDetermineSystem.cmake(132): if(NOT CMAKE_SYSTEM_NAME )
D:/.../cmake-3.15.1-win64-x64/share/cmake-3.15/Modules/CMakeDetermineSystem.cmake(137): if(CMAKE_SYSTEM_NAME MATCHES BSD.OS )
D:/.../cmake-3.15.1-win64-x64/share/cmake-3.15/Modules/CMakeDetermineSystem.cmake(142): if(CMAKE_SYSTEM_NAME MATCHES kFreeBSD )
D:/.../cmake-3.15.1-win64-x64/share/cmake-3.15/Modules/CMakeDetermineSystem.cmake(147): if(CMAKE_SYSTEM_NAME MATCHES CYGWIN )
D:/.../cmake-3.15.1-win64-x64/share/cmake-3.15/Modules/CMakeDetermineSystem.cmake(152): set(CMAKE_SYSTEM Windows )
D:/.../cmake-3.15.1-win64-x64/share/cmake-3.15/Modules/CMakeDetermineSystem.cmake(154): if(CMAKE_SYSTEM_VERSION )
D:/.../cmake-3.15.1-win64-x64/share/cmake-3.15/Modules/CMakeDetermineSystem.cmake(155): set(CMAKE_SYSTEM Windows-10.0.18363 )
D:/.../cmake-3.15.1-win64-x64/share/cmake-3.15/Modules/CMakeDetermineSystem.cmake(161): ADJUST_CMAKE_SYSTEM_VARIABLES(CMAKE_HOST_SYSTEM )
D:/.../cmake-3.15.1-win64-x64/share/cmake-3.15/Modules/CMakeDetermineSystem.cmake(132): if(NOT CMAKE_HOST_SYSTEM_NAME )
D:/.../cmake-3.15.1-win64-x64/share/cmake-3.15/Modules/CMakeDetermineSystem.cmake(137): if(CMAKE_HOST_SYSTEM_NAME MATCHES BSD.OS )
D:/.../cmake-3.15.1-win64-x64/share/cmake-3.15/Modules/CMakeDetermineSystem.cmake(142): if(CMAKE_HOST_SYSTEM_NAME MATCHES kFreeBSD )
D:/.../cmake-3.15.1-win64-x64/share/cmake-3.15/Modules/CMakeDetermineSystem.cmake(147): if(CMAKE_HOST_SYSTEM_NAME MATCHES CYGWIN )
D:/.../cmake-3.15.1-win64-x64/share/cmake-3.15/Modules/CMakeDetermineSystem.cmake(152): set(CMAKE_HOST_SYSTEM Windows )
D:/.../cmake-3.15.1-win64-x64/share/cmake-3.15/Modules/CMakeDetermineSystem.cmake(154): if(CMAKE_HOST_SYSTEM_VERSION )
D:/.../cmake-3.15.1-win64-x64/share/cmake-3.15/Modules/CMakeDetermineSystem.cmake(155): set(CMAKE_HOST_SYSTEM Windows-10.0.18363 )
D:/.../cmake-3.15.1-win64-x64/share/cmake-3.15/Modules/CMakeDetermineSystem.cmake(165): if(CMAKE_BINARY_DIR )
D:/.../cmake-3.15.1-win64-x64/share/cmake-3.15/Modules/CMakeDetermineSystem.cmake(167): if(PRESET_CMAKE_SYSTEM_NAME )
D:/.../cmake-3.15.1-win64-x64/share/cmake-3.15/Modules/CMakeDetermineSystem.cmake(172): else()
D:/.../cmake-3.15.1-win64-x64/share/cmake-3.15/Modules/CMakeDetermineSystem.cmake(173): file(APPEND D:/foobar_github/foobar_cmake_modules/tests/build/0/Debug/_deps/foobar_cmake_modules-subbuild/CMakeFiles/CMakeOutput.log The system is: Windows - 10.0.18363 - foobar64
 )
D:/.../cmake-3.15.1-win64-x64/share/cmake-3.15/Modules/CMakeDetermineSystem.cmake(179): set(INCLUDE_CMAKE_TOOLCHAIN_FILE_IF_REQUIRED )
D:/.../cmake-3.15.1-win64-x64/share/cmake-3.15/Modules/CMakeDetermineSystem.cmake(180): if(CMAKE_TOOLCHAIN_FILE )
D:/.../cmake-3.15.1-win64-x64/share/cmake-3.15/Modules/CMakeDetermineSystem.cmake(185): configure_file(D:/.../cmake-3.15.1-win64-x64/share/cmake-3.15/Modules/CMakeSystem.cmake.in D:/foobar_github/foobar_cmake_modules/tests/build/0/Debug/_deps/foobar_cmake_modules-subbuild/CMakeFiles/3.15.1/CMakeSystem.cmake @ONLY )
D:/foobar_github/foobar_cmake_modules/tests/build/0/Debug/_deps/foobar_cmake_modules-subbuild/CMakeFiles/3.15.1/CMakeSystem.cmake(1): set(CMAKE_HOST_SYSTEM Windows-10.0.18363 )
D:/foobar_github/foobar_cmake_modules/tests/build/0/Debug/_deps/foobar_cmake_modules-subbuild/CMakeFiles/3.15.1/CMakeSystem.cmake(2): set(CMAKE_HOST_SYSTEM_NAME Windows )
D:/foobar_github/foobar_cmake_modules/tests/build/0/Debug/_deps/foobar_cmake_modules-subbuild/CMakeFiles/3.15.1/CMakeSystem.cmake(3): set(CMAKE_HOST_SYSTEM_VERSION 10.0.18363 )
D:/foobar_github/foobar_cmake_modules/tests/build/0/Debug/_deps/foobar_cmake_modules-subbuild/CMakeFiles/3.15.1/CMakeSystem.cmake(4): set(CMAKE_HOST_SYSTEM_PROCESSOR foobar64 )
D:/foobar_github/foobar_cmake_modules/tests/build/0/Debug/_deps/foobar_cmake_modules-subbuild/CMakeFiles/3.15.1/CMakeSystem.cmake(8): set(CMAKE_SYSTEM Windows-10.0.18363 )
D:/foobar_github/foobar_cmake_modules/tests/build/0/Debug/_deps/foobar_cmake_modules-subbuild/CMakeFiles/3.15.1/CMakeSystem.cmake(9): set(CMAKE_SYSTEM_NAME Windows )
D:/foobar_github/foobar_cmake_modules/tests/build/0/Debug/_deps/foobar_cmake_modules-subbuild/CMakeFiles/3.15.1/CMakeSystem.cmake(10): set(CMAKE_SYSTEM_VERSION 10.0.18363 )
D:/foobar_github/foobar_cmake_modules/tests/build/0/Debug/_deps/foobar_cmake_modules-subbuild/CMakeFiles/3.15.1/CMakeSystem.cmake(11): set(CMAKE_SYSTEM_PROCESSOR foobar64 )
D:/foobar_github/foobar_cmake_modules/tests/build/0/Debug/_deps/foobar_cmake_modules-subbuild/CMakeFiles/3.15.1/CMakeSystem.cmake(13): set(CMAKE_CROSSCOMPILING FALSE )
D:/foobar_github/foobar_cmake_modules/tests/build/0/Debug/_deps/foobar_cmake_modules-subbuild/CMakeFiles/3.15.1/CMakeSystem.cmake(15): set(CMAKE_SYSTEM_LOADED 1 )
D:/.../cmake-3.15.1-win64-x64/share/cmake-3.15/Modules/CMakeNinjaFindMake.cmake(5): find_program(CMAKE_MAKE_PROGRAM NAMES ninja-build ninja samu DOC Program used to build from build.ninja files. )
D:/.../cmake-3.15.1-win64-x64/share/cmake-3.15/Modules/CMakeNinjaFindMake.cmake(8): mark_as_advanced(CMAKE_MAKE_PROGRAM )
CMake Error: CMake was unable to find a build program corresponding to "Ninja". CMAKE_MAKE_PROGRAM is not set. You probably need to select a different build tool.
-- Configuring incomplete, errors occurred!
See also "D:/foobar_github/foobar_cmake_modules/tests/build/0/Debug/_deps/foobar_cmake_modules-subbuild/CMakeFiles/CMakeOutput.log".

CMake Error at D:/.../cmake-3.15.1-win64-x64/share/cmake-3.15/Modules/FetchContent.cmake:903 (message):
  CMake step for foobar_cmake_modules failed: 1

```

---

<div class="post-metadata">

### Author: ![ben.boeckel](https://discourse.cmake.org/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/b/ea5d25/32.png) [@ben.boeckel](https://discourse.cmake.org/u/ben.boeckel)
#### Post date: [January 4, 2021, 9:38pm UTC](https://discourse.cmake.org/t/fetchcontent-cmake-make-program-error/2468/7 "2021-01-04T21:38:35Z")

</div>

As I suspected, this is due to a `project()` call. You’ll need to do all of this before _any_ `project()` call within the CMake codepath.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

### Author: ![YMba9g8j9CJp0wLoQf5y](https://discourse.cmake.org/user_avatar/discourse.cmake.org/ymba9g8j9cjp0wloqf5y/32/1244_2.png) [@YMba9g8j9CJp0wLoQf5y](https://discourse.cmake.org/u/YMba9g8j9CJp0wLoQf5y)
#### Post date: [January 4, 2021, 9:40pm UTC](https://discourse.cmake.org/t/fetchcontent-cmake-make-program-error/2468/8 "2021-01-04T21:40:30Z")

</div>

So basically the cmake workflow I want to create is just illegal. Because I’m trying to define CMAKE\_MAKE\_PROGRAM far too late.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

### Author: ![ben.boeckel](https://discourse.cmake.org/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/b/ea5d25/32.png) [@ben.boeckel](https://discourse.cmake.org/u/ben.boeckel)
#### Post date: [January 4, 2021, 9:54pm UTC](https://discourse.cmake.org/t/fetchcontent-cmake-make-program-error/2468/9 "2021-01-04T21:54:52Z")

</div>

Yes. I would suggest possibly bootstrapping it with a script to download a ninja at least before launching your build. Users are going to need to make a Visual Studio (or other compiler) environment available beforehand anyways, so I don’t think adding a script execution is too much to add, but that’s me.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

### Author: ![YMba9g8j9CJp0wLoQf5y](https://discourse.cmake.org/user_avatar/discourse.cmake.org/ymba9g8j9cjp0wloqf5y/32/1244_2.png) [@YMba9g8j9CJp0wLoQf5y](https://discourse.cmake.org/u/YMba9g8j9CJp0wLoQf5y)
#### Post date: [January 4, 2021, 10:02pm UTC](https://discourse.cmake.org/t/fetchcontent-cmake-make-program-error/2468/10 "2021-01-04T22:02:58Z")

</div>

Gotcha. I kinda figured this was the case.