The `CMakeLists.txt` File

The CMake tool is used to generate projects for your plug-ins and applications.

The CMakeLists.txt file in the plug-in or application directory contains information about the libraries, source files, and build functions needed to generated a project. It must be located at the top level of your plug-in or application directory, along with your source code and any mel scripts that will be packaged with your plug-in.

This page will walk you through the different parts of a CMakeLists.txt file.

Note:

You can use the CMakeLists.txt files in the devkit samples as starting points for creating your own.

The CMakeLists.txt file has the following elements:

The minimum version of CMake required
```
 cmake_minimum_required(VERSION 2.8)
```

The path to the pluginEntry.cmake file. This path will be identical for all CMakeLists.txt files you use with the Maya devkit

 include($ENV{DEVKIT_LOCATION}/cmake/pluginEntry.cmake)

For example:

 cmake_minimum_required(VERSION 2.8)

  include($ENV{DEVKIT_LOCATION}/cmake/pluginEntry.cmake)

The project name

 set(PROJECT_NAME <projectName>)

For example:

 cmake_minimum_required(VERSION 2.8)

  include($ENV{DEVKIT_LOCATION}/cmake/pluginEntry.cmake)

 set(PROJECT_NAME exampleNode)

A list of required resource files, if needed. If your project uses more than one resource file, separate each file with a space

 cmake_minimum_required(VERSION 2.8)

 include($ENV{DEVKIT_LOCATION}/cmake/pluginEntry.cmake)

 set(PROJECT_NAME exampleNode)

set(RESOURCES_FILES myResource.xpm)

A list of mel files, if needed. If your project uses more than one mel file, separate each file with a space

 set(MEL_FILES 
     <melFileName1> <melFileName2> <melFileName3>)

For example:

 cmake_minimum_required(VERSION 2.8)

 include($ENV{DEVKIT_LOCATION}/cmake/pluginEntry.cmake)

 set(PROJECT_NAME exampleNode)

 set(RESOURCES_FILES myResource.xpm)

 set(MEL_FILES 
     exampleNode.mel)

A list of source files, including the mel and resource files, if used. If your project uses more than one source file, separate each file with a space

 set(SOURCE_FILES
     <sourceFileName1> <sourceFileName2> <sourceFileName3>
         ${MEL_FILES}
         ${RESOURCE_FILES})

For example:

 cmake_minimum_required(VERSION 2.8)

 include($ENV{DEVKIT_LOCATION}/cmake/pluginEntry.cmake)

 set(PROJECT_NAME exampleNode)

 set(RESOURCES_FILES myResource.xpm)

 set(MEL_FILES 
     exampleNode.mel)

 set(SOURCE_FILES
         exampleNode.cpp
         ${MEL_FILES}
     )

A list of required devkit libraries. Separate the list of libraries with a space

Important:

All plug-ins and applications must include the OpenMaya and Foundation libraries.

 set(LIBRARIES
     OpenMaya Foundation <additionalLibrary1> <additionalLibrary2>
     )

For example:

 cmake_minimum_required(VERSION 2.8)

 include($ENV{DEVKIT_LOCATION}/cmake/pluginEntry.cmake)

 set(PROJECT_NAME exampleNode)

 set(RESOURCES_FILES myResource.xpm)

 set(MEL_FILES 
     exampleNode.mel)

 set(SOURCE_FILES
         exampleNode.cpp
         ${MEL_FILES}
     )

 set(LIBRARIES
     OpenMaya Foundation
     )

A list of required 3rd party packages added using the find_<package_name> macros or the find_package() call.

 find_package(MtoA)
 find_alembic()

For example:

   cmake_minimum_required(VERSION 2.8)

  include($ENV{DEVKIT_LOCATION}/cmake/pluginEntry.cmake)

 set(PROJECT_NAME exampleNode)

 set(RESOURCES_FILES myResource.xpm)

 set(MEL_FILES 
     exampleNode.mel)

 set(SOURCE_FILES
         exampleNode.cpp
         ${MEL_FILES}
     )

 set(LIBRARIES
     OpenMaya Foundation
     )

 find_package(MtoA)
 find_alembic()

Finally, the build function.

If you are creating a plug-in, add build_plugin(). If you are creating a standalone application, add build_application().

 cmake_minimum_required(VERSION 2.8)

 include($ENV{DEVKIT_LOCATION}/cmake/pluginEntry.cmake)

 set(PROJECT_NAME exampleNode)

 set(RESOURCES_FILES myResource.xpm)

 set(MEL_FILES 
     exampleNode.mel)

 set(SOURCE_FILES
         exampleNode.cpp
         ${MEL_FILES}
     )

 set(LIBRARIES
     OpenMaya Foundation
     )

 find_package(MtoA)
 find_alembic()
 build_plugin()

The CMakeLists.txt File

The `CMakeLists.txt` File