Source package vs binary installer; CPackArchive vs other generators

Usage
1

While actively working through the docs, things are slowly getting clearer to me … and new questions arise:

  • Is CPackArchive the only generator for source packages?
  • All other CPack generators generate installers?

CPackArchive is normally run from CPackSourceConfig.cmake or from target package_source. When I run it from CPackConfig.cmake or from package it generates an empty archive.

  • Is this my fault? How to install files so that they make it into the archive?
  • Or does it make no sense to run CPackArchive from CPackConfig.cmake, and should be forbidden?
2

You can also create source RPMs.

The External generator doesn’t.

Regarding the archive generator type, it can be used to create either binary or source packages. I’m not sure what you mean by “run CPackArchive”, but if you choose an archive generator like TGZ or ZIP, it should create binary archives.