# No verbose output when building an external project with ninja
**URL:** https://discourse.cmake.org/t/no-verbose-output-when-building-an-external-project-with-ninja/1113
**Category:** Usage
**Tags:** os:linux, gen:ninja
**Created:** [April 28, 2020, 10:34am UTC](https://discourse.cmake.org/t/no-verbose-output-when-building-an-external-project-with-ninja/1113 "2020-04-28T10:34:21Z")
**Posts on this page:** 2
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Sunpip](https://discourse.cmake.org/u/Sunpip)
#### Post date: [April 28, 2020, 10:34am UTC](https://discourse.cmake.org/t/no-verbose-output-when-building-an-external-project-with-ninja/1113/1 "2020-04-28T10:34:21Z")
This is my example project:
`CMakeLists.txt a.cpp main.cpp`
And this is CMakeLists.txt file. It contains two local source files and an external project GTest from a git repository:
```
cmake_minimum_required(VERSION 3.16)
project(example)
add_executable(example main.cpp a.cpp)
include(ExternalProject)
ExternalProject_Add(gtest
GIT_REPOSITORY https://github.com/google/googletest.git
GIT_TAG release-1.10.0
INSTALL_COMMAND ""
)
```
CMake and ninja versions:
```
# cmake --version
cmake version 3.16.3
ninja --version
1.10.0
```
When there is used the Unix Makefiles generator and the project is being built with verbose output set, then all compilations commands for the external project (GTest) are being presented:
```
# cmake -G "Unix Makefiles" -S.. -B.
...
# make VERBOSE=1
...
[18%] Performing download step (git clone) for 'gtest'
cd /test/build/gtest-prefix/src && /usr/bin/cmake -P /test/build/gtest-prefix/tmp/gtest-gitclone.cmake
Cloning into 'gtest'...
...
[12%] Building CXX object googletest/CMakeFiles/gtest.dir/src/gtest-all.cc.o
cd /test/build/gtest-prefix/src/gtest-build/googletest && /usr/bin/c++ -I/test/build/gtest-prefix/src/gtest/googletest/include -I/test/build/gtest-prefix/src/gtest/googletest -Wall -Wshadow -Werror -Wno-error=dangling-else -DGTEST_HAS_PTHREAD=1 -fexceptions -Wextra -Wno-unused-parameter -Wno-missing-field-initializers -std=c++11 -o CMakeFiles/gtest.dir/src/gtest-all.cc.o -c /test/build/gtest-prefix/src/gtest/googletest/src/gtest-all.cc
...
```
However the same is not true for ninja. I can see that the compilation output is being shown for the files which are **not** in external project, but for the files inside the external project, the verbose output (compilation options) is not shown, just an information about the progress:
```
# cmake -GNinja -S.. -B.
...
# ninja -v
[1/11] /usr/bin/c++ -MD -MT CMakeFiles/example.dir/a.cpp.o -MF CMakeFiles/example.dir/a.cpp.o.d -o CMakeFiles/example.dir/a.cpp.o -c ../a.cpp
...
[9/11] cd /test/build/gtest-prefix/src/gtest-build && /usr/bin/cmake --build . && /usr/bin/cmake -E touch /test/build/gtest-prefix/src/gtest-stamp/gtest-build
[1/8] Building CXX object googletest/CMakeFiles/gtest_main.dir/src/gtest_main.cc.o
[2/8] Building CXX object googlemock/CMakeFiles/gmock_main.dir/src/gmock_main.cc.o
[3/8] Building CXX object googlemock/CMakeFiles/gmock.dir/src/gmock-all.cc.o
[4/8] Building CXX object googletest/CMakeFiles/gtest.dir/src/gtest-all.cc.o
[5/8] Linking CXX static library lib/libgtest.a
[6/8] Linking CXX static library lib/libgtest_main.a
[7/8] Linking CXX static library lib/libgmock.a
[8/8] Linking CXX static library lib/libgmock_main.a
```
However when I go inside the GTest directory and invoke ninja there, then I can see verbose output:
```
build/gtest-prefix/src/gtest-build# ninja clean
...
build/gtest-prefix/src/gtest-build# ninja -v
[1/8] /usr/bin/c++ -isystem /test/build/gtest-prefix/src/gtest/googletest/include -isystem /test/build/gtest-prefix/src/gtest/googletest -Wall -Wshadow -Werror -Wno-error=dangling-else -DGTEST_HAS_PTHREAD=1 -fexceptions -Wextra -Wno-unused-parameter -Wno-missing-field-initializers -std=c++11 -MD -MT googletest/CMakeFiles/gtest_main.dir/src/gtest_main.cc.o -MF googletest/CMakeFiles/gtest_main.dir/src/gtest_main.cc.o.d -o googletest/CMakeFiles/gtest_main.dir/src/gtest_main.cc.o -c /test/build/gtest-prefix/src/gtest/googletest/src/gtest_main.cc
[2/8] /usr/bin/c++ -isystem /test/build/gtest-prefix/src/gtest/googlemock/include -isystem /test/build/gtest-prefix/src/gtest/googlemock -isystem /test/build/gtest-prefix/src/gtest/googletest/include -isystem /test/build/gtest-prefix/src/gtest/googletest -Wall -Wshadow -Werror -Wno-error=dangling-else -DGTEST_HAS_PTHREAD=1 -fexceptions -Wextra -Wno-unused-parameter -Wno-missing-field-initializers -std=c++11 -MD -MT googlemock/CMakeFiles/gmock_main.dir/src/gmock_main.cc.o -MF googlemock/CMakeFiles/gmock_main.dir/src/gmock_main.cc.o.d -o googlemock/CMakeFiles/gmock_main.dir/src/gmock_main.cc.o -c /test/build/gtest-prefix/src/gtest/googlemock/src/gmock_main.cc
```
Is there any way to enable verbose output for an external project when using ninja, so the compilation options can be shown? This works for make.
---
### Author:  [@ben.boeckel](https://discourse.cmake.org/u/ben.boeckel)
#### Post date: [April 28, 2020, 1:11pm UTC](https://discourse.cmake.org/t/no-verbose-output-when-building-an-external-project-with-ninja/1113/2 "2020-04-28T13:11:59Z")
> [@Sunpip](#):
>
> Is there any way to enable verbose output for an external project when using ninja, so the compilation options can be shown?
You’ll have to pass `CMAKE_VERBOSE_BUILD` during configure to the subprojects or use the flag needed manually.
> [@Sunpip](#):
>
> This works for make.
This is because `$(MAKE)` passes the `VERBOSE=1` through for you. Ninja has no equivalent feature.