### Author:  [@SherlockInSpace](https://discourse.cmake.org/u/SherlockInSpace)
#### Post date: [February 8, 2024, 12:13am UTC](https://discourse.cmake.org/t/using-public-file-set-headers-with-dependent-targets/10031/1 "2024-02-08T00:13:21Z")
Hey folks, I’m in a bit of bind trying to understand `target_sources( PUBLIC FILE_SET HEADERS ...` and how a target dependent on a library that uses this works.
Here’s my situation, setup, and issue.
I’ve got a third party library which we’ve introduced CMake to and has a directory structure as follows:
- library/
- **CMakeLists.txt** - has the following:
`add_library(...)` and `target_sources(library PUBLIC FILE_SET HEADER BASE_DIRS ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR})`
- inc/
- **CMakeLists.txt** (includes a bunch of subdirectories)
- Framework
- `Framework.hpp`
- `Framework.cpp`
- **CMakeLists.txt** - has the following:
`target_sources(library PUBLIC FILE_SET HEADERS FILES ${HXX_FILES} PRIVATE ${OUT_CXX_FILES})`
`target_include_directories(${MAX_LIB_TARGET} PRIVATE ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR})`
- Utility/
- **CMakeLists.txt** - has a similar layout to Framework with source files, but also has subdirectories which follow the same structure
- Math/
- **CMakeLists.txt** - …
So, this library builds correctly, and it installs properly into the `/usr/local/...` directories.
Now, the application that depends on this library uses CPM for a couple reasons, but one of them is that if the version cannot be found locally then CPM is a nice wrapper to go pull the correct one.
As it stands, if the available version is locally installed, then the application builds and links correctly.
However, if I try to use an upstream version, or local source, I end up with issues where the application cannot find the header files. In fact, the path to the header files is not even on the command line for `gcc` (neither `-I` or `-isystem`).
Here is what the application looks like
- app/
- **CMakeLists.txt**
`add_executable(app app.cpp)`
`target_include_directories(app PRIVATE ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR})`
`target_link_libraries(app PRIVATE library)`
That’s it. There’s not a whole lot else.
Can someone help me determine if what I’m trying to do is possible with CMake. I believe it is, but I’m lost in terms of setting up the **CMakeLists.txt** correctly.
Cheers
---
### Author:  [@SherlockInSpace](https://discourse.cmake.org/u/SherlockInSpace)
#### Post date: [February 13, 2024, 2:04pm UTC](https://discourse.cmake.org/t/using-public-file-set-headers-with-dependent-targets/10031/2 "2024-02-13T14:04:44Z")
Just bumping to see if anyone has feedback or ideas on this?
---
### Author:  [@Ryanf55](https://discourse.cmake.org/u/Ryanf55)
#### Post date: [February 15, 2024, 12:45am UTC](https://discourse.cmake.org/t/using-public-file-set-headers-with-dependent-targets/10031/3 "2024-02-15T00:45:18Z")
Can you print out the include directory properties of your `library` like so, in `app/CMakeLists.txt`:
```auto
cmake_print_properties(TARGETS library PROPERTIES
INTERFACE_INCLUDE_DIRECTORIES INCLUDE_DIRECTORIES)
```
That may give you an idea
---
### Author:  [@ben.boeckel](https://discourse.cmake.org/u/ben.boeckel)
#### Post date: [February 17, 2024, 5:44am UTC](https://discourse.cmake.org/t/using-public-file-set-headers-with-dependent-targets/10031/4 "2024-02-17T05:44:55Z")
> [@SherlockInSpace](#):
>
> target\_include\_directories(${MAX\_LIB\_TARGET} PRIVATE ${CMAKE\_CURRENT\_SOURCE\_DIR})
This does not give the right path to consumers. Since you are using `FILE_SET HEADERS`, I think you just want to set `BASE_DIRS` and install the `FILE_SET`. That will set up the include directory usage requirements automatically.
If that doesn’t work, please provide an example that can be executed directly to aid in figuring out what’s up.
---
### Author:  [@ClausKlein](https://discourse.cmake.org/u/ClausKlein)
#### Post date: [February 17, 2024, 1:00pm UTC](https://discourse.cmake.org/t/using-public-file-set-headers-with-dependent-targets/10031/5 "2024-02-17T13:00:03Z")
You may try it like this snippet:
```cmake
# ...
# Write spglib_export.h to the current binary directory
include(GenerateExportHeader)
generate_export_header(Spglib_symspg
EXPORT_FILE_NAME spglib_export.h
EXPORT_MACRO_NAME API_SPGLIB
)
configure_file(spglib.h spglib.h COPYONLY)
target_sources(Spglib_symspg
PUBLIC
FILE_SET HEADERS
BASE_DIRS ${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}
FILES
${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/spglib_export.h
${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/spglib.h
)
target_include_directories(Spglib_symspg
PRIVATE "$"
PUBLIC
"$"
"$"
)
# ...
```
---
### Author:  [@ben.boeckel](https://discourse.cmake.org/u/ben.boeckel)
#### Post date: [February 17, 2024, 6:55pm UTC](https://discourse.cmake.org/t/using-public-file-set-headers-with-dependent-targets/10031/6 "2024-02-17T18:55:53Z")
> [@ClausKlein](#):
>
> ```auto
> target_include_directories(Spglib_symspg
> PRIVATE "$"
> PUBLIC
> "$"
> "$"
> )
>
> ```
This is what `FILE_SET TYPE HEADERS` should do automatically (with a `PRIVATE` fileset for the source tree at least).
---
### Author:  [@ClausKlein](https://discourse.cmake.org/u/ClausKlein)
#### Post date: [February 17, 2024, 11:22pm UTC](https://discourse.cmake.org/t/using-public-file-set-headers-with-dependent-targets/10031/7 "2024-02-17T23:22:55Z")
Yes, it works.