# Problem with FetchContent dependencies when using XYZ\_DIR (XYZ\_ROOT works)

**URL:** https://discourse.cmake.org/t/problem-with-fetchcontent-dependencies-when-using-xyz-dir-xyz-root-works/12987
**Category:** Code
**Created:** [November 18, 2024, 10:37pm UTC](https://discourse.cmake.org/t/problem-with-fetchcontent-dependencies-when-using-xyz-dir-xyz-root-works/12987 "2024-11-18T22:37:19Z")
**Posts on this page:** 2
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

### Author: ![eXpl0it3r](https://discourse.cmake.org/user_avatar/discourse.cmake.org/expl0it3r/32/5133_2.png) [@eXpl0it3r](https://discourse.cmake.org/u/eXpl0it3r)
#### Post date: [November 18, 2024, 10:37pm UTC](https://discourse.cmake.org/t/problem-with-fetchcontent-dependencies-when-using-xyz-dir-xyz-root-works/12987/1 "2024-11-18T22:37:19Z")

</div>

For SFML we’re attempting to move away from checked-in binaries to using `FetchContent` and building the dependencies on-the-fly.

This seems to work pretty well, expect in the case when consuming SFML via `find_package` while using `SFML_DIR`. For some reason, CMake fails to find the dependency targets and fails to configure.  
However, when you use `SFML_ROOT` everything works as expected.

Looking at the output for `--debug-find` it for some reason does check the correct place with `SFML_ROOT` (i.e. `C:/Temp/SFML/lib/cmake/Vorbis/`), but doesn’t do so for `SFML_DIR`. Even though when looking at the log (posted below), it’s not obvious why CMake suddenly decides to _do_ a search in `lib/cmake/*` and/or why it doesn’t do so for `SFML_DIR`.

While we can certainly try to get everyone to use `SFML_ROOT`, I’d still like to understand the underlying problem and see if there’s a way to fix this on our end.

I’m willing to try and reproduce it at a smaller scope, but since it’s a bit of work, I wanted to first check, if this is already a well understood problem and see if anyone is willing to look at the full implementation (any additional comments are welcome as well!).

SFML PR: [https://github.com/SFML/SFML/pull/3141](https://github.com/SFML/SFML/pull/3141)

## Steps to Reproduce

1. Build & install SFML to some directory:
  - `cmake -S . -B build -DCMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX=C:/Temp/SFML`
  - `cmake --build build --target install`

2. Create the two files from below
3. Run CMake for the project:
  - `cmake -S . -B build -DSFML_DIR=C:/Temp/SFML/lib/cmake/SFML`

```cmake
cmake_minimum_required(VERSION 3.28)
project(CMakeSFMLProject LANGUAGES CXX)

set(SFML_STATIC_LIBRARIES ON)
find_package(SFML REQUIRED COMPONENTS Graphics Audio)

add_executable(main main.cpp)
target_link_libraries(main PRIVATE SFML::Graphics SFML::Audio)

```

```cpp
#include <SFML/Graphics.hpp>

int main()
{
    auto window = sf::RenderWindow({1920u, 1080u}, "CMake SFML Project");
    window.setFramerateLimit(144);

    while (window.isOpen())
    {
        for (auto event = sf::Event(); window.pollEvent(event);)
        {
            if (event.type == sf::Event::Closed)
            {
                window.close();
            }
        }

        window.clear();
        window.display();
    }
}

```

## Actual Behavior

The build fails to configure:

```plaintext
Call Stack (most recent call first):
  CMakeLists.txt:28 (find_package)

CMake Error at CMakeLists.txt:28 (find_package):
  Found package configuration file:

    C:/Temp/SFML/lib/cmake/SFML/SFMLConfig.cmake

  but it set SFML_FOUND to FALSE so package "SFML" is considered to be NOT
  FOUND. Reason given by package:

  The following imported targets are referenced, but are missing:
  Vorbis::vorbis Vorbis::vorbisfile Vorbis::vorbisenc FLAC::FLAC

```

Output of using `--debug-find` for the vorbis dependency:

> **Details**
>
> ```plaintext
> -- Could NOT find Vorbis (missing: Vorbis_DIR)
> CMake Debug Log at C:/Temp/SFML/lib/cmake/SFML/SFMLConfigDependencies.cmake:45 (find_package):
> The internally managed CMAKE_FIND_PACKAGE_REDIRECTS_DIR.
> 
> C:/Temp/CMakeSFML/build/CMakeFiles/pkgRedirects
> 
> <PackageName>_ROOT CMake variable [CMAKE_FIND_USE_PACKAGE_ROOT_PATH].
> 
> none
> 
> CMAKE_PREFIX_PATH variable [CMAKE_FIND_USE_CMAKE_PATH].
> 
> none
> 
> CMAKE_FRAMEWORK_PATH and CMAKE_APPBUNDLE_PATH variables
> [CMAKE_FIND_USE_CMAKE_PATH].
> 
> none
> 
> Env variable Vorbis_DIR [CMAKE_FIND_USE_CMAKE_ENVIRONMENT_PATH].
> 
> none
> 
> CMAKE_PREFIX_PATH env variable [CMAKE_FIND_USE_CMAKE_ENVIRONMENT_PATH].
> 
> none
> 
> CMAKE_FRAMEWORK_PATH and CMAKE_APPBUNDLE_PATH env variables
> [CMAKE_FIND_USE_CMAKE_ENVIRONMENT_PATH].
> 
> none
> 
> Paths specified by the find_package HINTS option.
> 
> none
> 
> Standard system environment variables
> [CMAKE_FIND_USE_SYSTEM_ENVIRONMENT_PATH].
> 
> C:/Program Files/PowerShell/7
> C:/VulkanSDK/1.3.250.1/Bin
> C:/Windows/System32
> C:/Windows
> C:/Windows/System32/wbem
> C:/Windows/System32/WindowsPowerShell/v1.0
> C:/Windows/System32/OpenSSH
> C:/tools
> C:/Program Files/dotnet
> C:/Temp/CMakeSFML/C
> C:/Program Files/doxygen
> C:/Program Files/Git/cmd
> C:/Program Files/CMake
> C:/Program Files/OpenCppCoverage
> 
> CMake User Package Registry [CMAKE_FIND_USE_PACKAGE_REGISTRY].
> 
> none
> 
> CMake variables defined in the Platform file
> [CMAKE_FIND_USE_CMAKE_SYSTEM_PATH].
> 
> C:/Program Files
> C:/Program Files (x86)
> C:/Program Files (x86)/CMakeSFMLProject
> 
> CMake System Package Registry
> [CMAKE_FIND_PACKAGE_NO_SYSTEM_PACKAGE_REGISTRY].
> 
> none
> 
> Paths specified by the find_package PATHS option.
> 
> none
> 
> find_package considered the following locations for Vorbis's Config module:
> 
> C:/Temp/CMakeSFML/build/CMakeFiles/pkgRedirects/VorbisConfig.cmake
> C:/Temp/CMakeSFML/build/CMakeFiles/pkgRedirects/vorbis-config.cmake
> C:/Program Files/PowerShell/7/VorbisConfig.cmake
> C:/Program Files/PowerShell/7/vorbis-config.cmake
> C:/VulkanSDK/1.3.250.1/Bin/VorbisConfig.cmake
> C:/VulkanSDK/1.3.250.1/Bin/vorbis-config.cmake
> C:/Windows/System32/VorbisConfig.cmake
> C:/Windows/System32/vorbis-config.cmake
> C:/Windows/VorbisConfig.cmake
> C:/Windows/vorbis-config.cmake
> C:/Windows/System32/wbem/VorbisConfig.cmake
> C:/Windows/System32/wbem/vorbis-config.cmake
> C:/Windows/System32/WindowsPowerShell/v1.0/VorbisConfig.cmake
> C:/Windows/System32/WindowsPowerShell/v1.0/vorbis-config.cmake
> C:/Windows/System32/OpenSSH/VorbisConfig.cmake
> C:/Windows/System32/OpenSSH/vorbis-config.cmake
> C:/Program Files/nodejs/VorbisConfig.cmake
> C:/Program Files/nodejs/vorbis-config.cmake
> C:/tools/VorbisConfig.cmake
> C:/tools/vorbis-config.cmake
> C:/Program Files/dotnet/VorbisConfig.cmake
> C:/Program Files/dotnet/vorbis-config.cmake
> C:/Program Files/doxygen/VorbisConfig.cmake
> C:/Program Files/doxygen/vorbis-config.cmake
> C:/Program Files/Git/cmd/VorbisConfig.cmake
> C:/Program Files/Git/cmd/vorbis-config.cmake
> C:/Program Files/CMake/VorbisConfig.cmake
> C:/Program Files/CMake/vorbis-config.cmake
> C:/Program Files/OpenCppCoverage/VorbisConfig.cmake
> C:/Program Files/OpenCppCoverage/vorbis-config.cmake
> C:/Program Files/VorbisConfig.cmake
> C:/Program Files/vorbis-config.cmake
> C:/Program Files/CMake/VorbisConfig.cmake
> C:/Program Files/CMake/vorbis-config.cmake
> C:/Program Files (x86)/VorbisConfig.cmake
> C:/Program Files (x86)/vorbis-config.cmake
> 
> The file was not found.
> 
> Call Stack (most recent call first):
> C:/Temp/SFML/lib/cmake/SFML/SFMLConfig.cmake:124 (include)
> CMakeLists.txt:5 (find_package)
> 
> ```

## Expected Behavior

CMake configures successfully

## Workaround

Running the following command will succeed with no issues:

`cmake -S . -B build -DSFML_ROOT=C:/Temp/SFML`

> **Details for --debug-find**
>
> ```plaintext
> Call Stack (most recent call first):
> C:/Temp/SFML/lib/cmake/Vorbis/VorbisConfig.cmake:28 (find_dependency)
> C:/Temp/SFML/lib/cmake/SFML/SFMLConfigDependencies.cmake:45 (find_package)
> C:/Temp/SFML/lib/cmake/SFML/SFMLConfig.cmake:124 (include)
> CMakeLists.txt:5 (find_package)
> 
> CMake Debug Log at C:/Temp/SFML/lib/cmake/SFML/SFMLConfigDependencies.cmake:45 (find_package):
> The internally managed CMAKE_FIND_PACKAGE_REDIRECTS_DIR.
> 
> C:/Temp/CMakeSFML/build/CMakeFiles/pkgRedirects
> 
> <PackageName>_ROOT CMake variable [CMAKE_FIND_USE_PACKAGE_ROOT_PATH].
> 
> C:/Temp/SFML
> 
> CMAKE_PREFIX_PATH variable [CMAKE_FIND_USE_CMAKE_PATH].
> 
> none
> 
> CMAKE_FRAMEWORK_PATH and CMAKE_APPBUNDLE_PATH variables
> [CMAKE_FIND_USE_CMAKE_PATH].
> 
> none
> 
> Env variable Vorbis_DIR [CMAKE_FIND_USE_CMAKE_ENVIRONMENT_PATH].
> 
> none
> 
> CMAKE_PREFIX_PATH env variable [CMAKE_FIND_USE_CMAKE_ENVIRONMENT_PATH].
> 
> none
> 
> CMAKE_FRAMEWORK_PATH and CMAKE_APPBUNDLE_PATH env variables
> [CMAKE_FIND_USE_CMAKE_ENVIRONMENT_PATH].
> 
> none
> 
> Paths specified by the find_package HINTS option.
> 
> none
> 
> Standard system environment variables
> [CMAKE_FIND_USE_SYSTEM_ENVIRONMENT_PATH].
> 
> C:/Program Files/PowerShell/7
> C:/VulkanSDK/1.3.250.1/Bin
> C:/Windows/System32
> C:/Windows
> C:/Windows/System32/wbem
> C:/Windows/System32/WindowsPowerShell/v1.0
> C:/Windows/System32/OpenSSH
> C:/tools
> C:/Program Files/dotnet
> C:/Temp/CMakeSFML/C
> C:/Program Files/doxygen
> C:/Program Files/Git/cmd
> C:/Program Files/CMake
> C:/Program Files/OpenCppCoverage
> 
> CMake User Package Registry [CMAKE_FIND_USE_PACKAGE_REGISTRY].
> 
> none
> 
> CMake variables defined in the Platform file
> [CMAKE_FIND_USE_CMAKE_SYSTEM_PATH].
> 
> C:/Program Files
> C:/Program Files (x86)
> C:/Program Files (x86)/CMakeSFMLProject
> 
> CMake System Package Registry
> [CMAKE_FIND_PACKAGE_NO_SYSTEM_PACKAGE_REGISTRY].
> 
> none
> 
> Paths specified by the find_package PATHS option.
> 
> none
> 
> find_package considered the following locations for Vorbis's Config module:
> 
> C:/Temp/CMakeSFML/build/CMakeFiles/pkgRedirects/VorbisConfig.cmake
> C:/Temp/CMakeSFML/build/CMakeFiles/pkgRedirects/vorbis-config.cmake
> C:/Temp/SFML/VorbisConfig.cmake
> C:/Temp/SFML/vorbis-config.cmake
> C:/Temp/SFML/lib/cmake/Vorbis/VorbisConfig.cmake
> 
> The file was found at
> 
> C:/Temp/SFML/lib/cmake/Vorbis/VorbisConfig.cmake
> 
> ```

---

<div class="post-metadata">

### Author: ![retif](https://discourse.cmake.org/user_avatar/discourse.cmake.org/retif/32/1776_2.png) [@retif](https://discourse.cmake.org/u/retif)
#### Post date: [November 19, 2024, 7:31pm UTC](https://discourse.cmake.org/t/problem-with-fetchcontent-dependencies-when-using-xyz-dir-xyz-root-works/12987/2 "2024-11-19T19:31:31Z")

</div>

> does check the correct place with `SFML_ROOT`, but doesn’t do so for `SFML_DIR`

Apparently, that is because SFML maintainers chose to rely on `SFML_ROOT` and simply aren’t using `SFML_DIR` for anything, or at least that is what I see in their [CMake config](https://github.com/SFML/SFML/blob/55ecc6498af5114411c5e0ddeba34bc0036abcea/cmake/SFMLConfig.cmake.in#L74-L85). On top of that, [in the comments](https://github.com/SFML/SFML/blob/55ecc6498af5114411c5e0ddeba34bc0036abcea/cmake/SFMLConfig.cmake.in#L10) they are proposing to use `find_package()` without `CONFIG` option, which is somewhat confusing, since their package seems to provide a CMake config (_although an “unusual” one_).

In general, `the *_DIR` variables are what is used for packages discovery in `CONFIG` mode (_aside from `CMAKE_PREFIX_PATH`, of course_), so it might be that SFML maintainers intended to do it the way they did, but to me their package “config” looks more like a `Find` module, and so it should have been named accordingly (_starting with `Find` and not ending with `Config`_).