How to Use CMake to Get Binaries from Source Code

Last Updated: December 9, 2022

CMake is useful in compiling source code for get binaries. Compiling a library from the source code guarantees that the resulting library is perfectly tailored for your CPU/OS, a luxury pre-compiled binaries don't always provide. It is also important that binaries you get target x64 platform. In this guide you learn how to install CMake, process source code, build a solution, get binaries, and test them. It is assumed your platform is Windows 10 or 11, and IDE Visual Studio 2022. Check the Desktop development with C++ workload box as you download it, also click Language pack" and check "English" box.

Part 1

Part 1 of 6:

Configuring Visual Studio

1
Highlight what you expect to do. Highlight step or sub-step you expect to do and then do it. See as example picture above.
2
Download Visual Studio 2022. If you have not done so you can download it from https://www.visualstudio.com/downloads.
- Check the Desktop development with C++ workload box as you download. If necessary scroll down the page.
- Click "Language pack" and check "English" box.

Part 2

Part 2 of 6:

Installing CMake

1
Compiling a library from the source code guarantees that the resulting library is perfectly tailored for your CPU/OS, a luxury pre-compiled binaries don't always provide. It is also important that binaries you get target x64 platform.
2
Create folders GL and GLP. Open Windows's File Explorer > Navigate to disk (directory) C.
- If folders GL and GLP exist it's okay.
- If they do not, right click in empty area > select New > Folder > type GL > hit ↵ Enter. By same way create folder GLP.
3
Download CMake. Right-click on following address and select Open Link in New Window https://cmake.org/download/. Scroll down the page and find "Latest Release (3.25.1)", (or latest). In second "Platform" list, find (see image above) "Windows x64 ZIP" and click the beside entry cmake-3.25.1-windows-x86_64.zip (or latest) > in opening wizard select Save file.
4
Copy and unzip the zip folder.
- If the downloaded folder doesn't contain line with stripes (unzipped folder) click it > right click > Copy.
- If downloaded folder's icon contains vertical line with stripes (zipped folder), double click it for get unzipped folder, (or alternatively, click folder > right click > in drop-down menu select Extract all).
  - When unzipping (extracting files) is finished, click unzip folder cmake-3.25.1-windows-x86_64.zip (or latest) > right click > Copy.
- Go to drive (directory) C: > GL > right click > Paste.
- (Alternatively click folder "cmake-3.25.1-windows-x86_64" and drag into folder "GL").
- When copying is finished click folder "cmake-3.25.1-windows-x86_64" > right click > select "Rename" > type CMake > hit ↵ Enter > double click it > double click folder bin > inside you should see CMake's logo next to file name cmake-gui > double click this file. If wizard "Windows protect your PC" appears, click More information > Run anyway. Now on your screen you have CMake GUI.
- Each time you need CMake, navigate to C:\ > GL > double click folder CMake > double click "bin" > double click file cmake-gui (the one with CMake's logo).

Part 3

Part 3 of 6:

Processing Source Code

1
Download source code. As an example we use GLFW. Right-click on following address and select Open Link in New Window https://www.glfw.org/download.html. Select "Source package". In opened wizard select Save File.
2
Unzip and copy folder.
- In downloading window click zip folder glfw-3.3.8 (or latest) > if you get no stripped (unzipped) icon, it's okay. If not, right click > select Extract all.
- Copy unzip folder and paste in C:\GL.
- (Alternatively click downloaded folder and drag into folder C:\GL).
- Now in directory C:\GL, you have unzip folder glfw-3.3.8 (or latest). Click on its name > delete name > type: GLFWsrc > hit ↵ Enter > close downloading window.
3
Compile source code. See above image.
- Where is the source code. Copy (attention: do not copy any space)C:\GL\GLFWsrc and paste in CMake GUI first text field.
- Where to build the binaries. Copy (attention: do not copy any space)C:\GL\GLFWsrc\build an paste in second text field.
- Configure and generate. In CMake GUI, click Configure > in wizard Create Directory click Yes. Be sure you have downloaded Visual Studio 2022 > in wizard "Specify the generator for this project" , check whether visual studio version is 17 2022 > click Finish.
- When, in CMake GUI, you read: "Configuring done", click Generate. You should read: "Generating done".
  - If, instead, wizard "Error" is thrown, click OK > check whether you have downloaded visual studio 2022. If you have, in CMake GUI click "File" > click "Delete Cache" > in thrown wizard "Delete Cache", click Yes > close CMake GUI > open it again > repeat this step.
4
Build your solution.
- Copy C:\GL\GLFWsrc\build and paste in File Explorer Address Bar > hit ↵ Enter > Double click "GLFW.sln", or "GLFW", or "ALL_BUILD.vcxproj". An instance of Visual Studio appears. Wait until in main menu Build entry appears. Click it > "Build Solution".
- Wait till you read the last line in "Output" window: ========== Build: 32 succeeded, 0 failed, 0 up-to-date, 3 skipped" ==========
  - Numbers of "succeeded" and "skipped" change in glfw versions. Today (12-Nov-2022) is 32 and 3 respectively.
- Copy C:\GL\GLFWsrc\build\src\Debug and paste in File Explorer Address Bar > hit ↵ Enter. You should see file glfw3.lib.
- Close cmake GUI.

Part 4

Part 4 of 6:

Creating Project with compiled Binaries

1
Create empty project. See above image. Title "Visual Studio 2019" doesn't matter. .
- In Visual Studio main menu click File > New > Project… .
- In Create a new project wizard, select Empty Project> click Next.
- In Configure your new project wizard,
  - In Project name text box type (or copy and paste): GLFWsrc-0
  - Copy C:\GLP and paste in Location text box .
  - Check box Place solution and project in the same directory.
  - Click Create.
2
Add your source file to the Project. See above image. Project's name in it is "SDLproject", but it doesn't matter.
- In Solution Explorer wizard, right click the Source Files folder (the last one) > click Add > New Item…
- In the Add New Item - GLFWsrc-0 wizard, click C++ File (.cpp) (the first one) from the middle of the window. In the Name text box, type Main.cpp.
- The Location should be C:\GLP\GLFWsrc-0. If it's not, copy C:\GLP\GLFWsrc-0 and paste.
- Click the Add button. The file will open in the text editor but leave it blank for now.

Part 5

Part 5 of 6:

Setting Up GLFWsrc In Project

1
Configure project's Properties. See above image. Project's name in it is "SDLproject", but it doesn't matter. In Solution Explorer wizard, right click Project's name that is GLFWsrc-0 > select Properties. In GLFWsrc-0 Property Pages wizard,
- 1. "Main menu". In "Configuration" entry, select "Active(Debug)" > in Platform entry, select x64 > click Configuration Manager....
  - In Active solution platform: select x64.
  - In Platform entry, x64 is automatically selected.
  - Click Close.
- 2. "Include". In below image as well in the following, "Platform:" setting is wrong but it doesn't matter.
  
  Open the C/C++ drop-down menu. Click General > Additional Include Directories > down arrow at the right of the field > click <Edit...>
  - Copy C:/GL/GLFWsrc/include click first icon in Additional Include Directories wizard and paste.
  - Click OK on Additional Include Directories wizard.
- 3. "Library". Double click Linker > click General > Additional Library Directories > click the down arrow at the end of the field > click Edit....
  - Copy C:/GL/GLFWsrc/build/src/Debug click first icon in Additional Library Directories wizard, and paste.
  - Click OK on Additional Library Directories wizard.
- 4. "Dependencies". In Linker drop-down menu select Input > in beside menu select the first one, Additional Dependencies > click the down arrow at the end of the field > Edit...
  - Copy opengl32.lib; glfw3.lib and paste in Additional Dependencies wizard's upper-most text box.
  - Click OK on Additional Dependencies wizard.
- 5. "System". In Linker drop-down menu select System > in beside menu select the first one, SubSystem > click the down arrow at the end of the field > select Console (/SUBSYSTEM:CONSOLE).
- Click Apply and OK on GLFWsrc-0 Property Pages wizard.

Part 6

Part 6 of 6:

Testing project GLFWsrc-0 and Correcting errors

1
Test code. Right-click on following address and select Open Link in New Window https://www.glfw.org/docs/3.0/quick.html#quick_example > copy code > go to Visual Studio GUI and paste in Main.cpp code area. Hit Ctrl+F5. If everything gone well two windows appear: one black and other with a rotating colored triangle in black background. Good job.
2
Correct errors if any. Files are missing. Copy C:\GLP\GLFWsrc-0 and paste in File Explorer Address Bar. You should see file you added Main.cpp, and 4 other files added by Visual Studio. If they are missing you missed add file Main.cpp. Go to Part 3, step 2, and add it now.
- In "Error List" if you see error about
  - file with extension .h go to Part 3, step 3, sub-steps 1 and 2 and follow instructions.
  - file with extension .lib go Part 3, step 3, sub-step 3, and follow instructions. Also to sub-step 4.
  - "entry point must be defined" go to Part 3, step 3, sub-step 5.
- For other errors, if you can't correct them, close Visual Studio > delete project folder GLFWsrc-0 which lives in C:\GLP\ > open Visual Studio > repeat set up from Part 3.