CMake is a cross-platform build system that is widely used for building C and C++ projects. The cmake clean command is used to remove CMake-generated files from a build tree. This can be useful if you want to start a fresh build from scratch, or if you want to switch to a different build configuration (e.g., release versus debug).
To use cmake clean, navigate to the root directory of your project and run the following command:
cmake clean
This will remove the following files and directories, if they exist:
CMakeCache.txtcmake_install.cmakeMakefile- Any files in the
CMakeFilesdirectory
Note that cmake clean will not remove the files and directories that you have created during the build process, such as the files in the bin or lib directories. If you want to remove these as well, you can use the make clean command or delete the directories manually.
It is also possible to use the cmake --build command to build and clean your project in a single step. For example:
cmake --build . --target clean
This will remove the files and directories generated by the build process, but not the CMake-generated files.
I hope this helps! Let me know if you have any other questions.
Common Issues and Question&Answers About Cmake Clean
Here are some common questions and issues related to the cmake clean command:
Q: What does cmake clean do?
A: cmake clean removes CMake-generated files from a build tree, such as CMakeCache.txt, cmake_install.cmake, and Makefile. It does not remove files and directories that you have created during the build process, such as the bin and lib directories.
Q: How do I use cmake clean?
A: To use cmake clean, navigate to the root directory of your project and run the following command:
cmake clean
Q: What if cmake clean doesn't remove all of the CMake-generated files?
A: If cmake clean doesn't remove all of the CMake-generated files, it may be because some of the files are in use by other processes or are write-protected. In this case, you may need to manually delete the remaining files.
Q: Can I use cmake clean to remove files and directories generated by the build process?
A: No, cmake clean will not remove files and directories generated by the build process. To remove these, you can use the make clean command or delete the directories manually.
Q: Can I use cmake --build to build and clean my project in a single step?
A: Yes, you can use the cmake --build command to build and clean your project in a single step. For example:
cmake --build . --target clean
This will remove the files and directories generated by the build process, but not the CMake-generated files.