Project with Native & Cross-compile Targets

Code
1

My C++ VS Code project has multiple native executables & multiple cross-compiled executables. Some of the executables are compiled native and cross-compiled. All executables use the same library.

Is it possible to do this with one project? I would like to do it in one project because I don’t want the same source code in two places. Also, all of the executables are part of the same physical product.

I’d like to end up with something like:

  • foo - compiled with native compiler
  • foo - compiled with PowerPC compiler
  • bar - native
  • baz - PowerPC

I’d like to be able to edit a cpp file and just compile the specified target and then run it, for a quick debug cycle.

I’m using Ubuntu 20.04, Visual Studio Code, make. I would consider using Ninja if that would help.

Is this possible??? Can you give me any pointers?

Thanks!

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CMake doesn’t support targeting multiple platforms in the same build (with the exception of the Xcode generator for Apple platforms). You can however use ExternalProject to coordinate sub-builds where you compile for the native platform in one sub-build and the PowerPC platform in another. Each sub-build will effectively act like its own isolated sub-build, unaware of the other. The top level project would just be a relatively lean co-ordination layer. This is typically referred to as a superbuild and is generally the recommended approach for your scenario.