Import CMAKE Project on NetBeans

In the previous post, I discussed how to import a CMAKE project for Eclipse, and it wasn't that easy. Today, I will discuss how to import a CMAKE project on NetBeans. Again, I will use cmake-exmaple as an example project.

Clone and download the CMAKE project on your computer.
$ git clone https://github.com/bast/cmake-example.git ~/cmake-example

First, open up NetBeans C++ IDE. If you are running it on Mac OS X, I recommend running it from Terminal
$ /Applications/NetBeans/NetBeans\ 8.2.app/Contents/MacOS/netbeans 

The reason is that if you simply run NetBeans from GUI, your environment variables might not sync.

Next, select File --> New Project --> C/C++ Project with Existing Sources --> Next. Choose Browse the folder which contains your CMAKE project, in this example ~/cmake-example folder. Select Custom under Select Configuration Mode and select Next. Check-box Pre-Build Step is Required. Specify Run in Folder as the project root directory, i.e., ~/cmake-example. Enter the following for Command
cmake -H. -Bbuild

Continue with remaining options and adjust what is necessary. Usually, the default setting should work.

Once the project has been imported, you will need to verify the settings. Right-click the project name cmake-example on the project pane on the left, and select Properties. Make sure in the Build --> Pre-Build option, you have the Command Line is set as cmake -H. -Bbuild and Pre-Build First box is checked.

In the Build --> Make option, the Working Directory should be set as build, since this is where the build will take place. Select Apply and Close. 

Press <F11> key to build the project. It should build successfully. Before we debug this, we have to make sure to set debug flag in the CMakeLists.txt file by setting CMAKE_CXX_FLAGS.

Open up CMakeLists.txt file in the project root directory, that is ~/cmake-example/CMakeLists.txt and not the file in the src directory. Modify line 35 to look as below:

# project version
set(VERSION_MAJOR 1)
set(VERSION_MINOR 0)
set(VERSION_PATCH 0)
set(CMAKE_CXX_FLAGS '-g')

Now, we are ready to run or debug. Re-build the project, and set breakpoint on src/main.cpp file. You should be able to debug it successfully.

Happy coding!