Custom Rule

After the 2.2.1 release, xmake not only natively supports the construction of multi-language files, but also allows users to implement complex unknown file builds by custom building rules.

Custom build rules can have a set of file extensions associated to them using set_extensions. Once these extensions are associated to the rule a later call to add_files will automatically use this custom rule. Here is an example rule that will use Pandoc to convert markdown files added to a build target in to HTML files:

-- Define a build rule for a markdown file
rule("markdown")
    set_extensions(".md", ".markdown")
    on_build_file(function (target, sourcefile, opt)
        import("core.project.depend")
        import("utils.progress") -- it only for v2.5.9, we need use print to show progress below v2.5.8

        -- make sure build directory exists
        os.mkdir(target:targetdir())

        -- replace .md with .html
        local targetfile = path.join(target:targetdir(), path.basename(sourcefile) .. ".html")

        -- only rebuild the file if its changed since last run
        depend.on_changed(function ()
            -- call pandoc to make a standalone html file from a markdown file
            os.vrunv('pandoc', {"-s", "-f", "markdown", "-t", "html", "-o", targetfile, sourcefile})
            progress.show(opt.progress, "${color.build.object}markdown %s", sourcefile)
        end, {files = sourcefile})
    end)

target("test")
    set_kind("object")

    -- make the test target support the construction rules of the markdown file
    add_rules("markdown")

    -- adding a markdown file to build
    add_files("src/*.md")
    add_files("src/*.markdown")

NOTE

Note that in xmake a rule is responsible for checking when targets are out of date and informing the user of ongoing progress.

There is also an alternative to on_build_file in the form of on_build_files which allows you to process the entire set of files in one function call.

A second form called on_buildcmd_file and on_buildcmd_files is instead declarative; rather than running arbitrary Lua to build a target it runs Lua to learn how those targets are built. The advantage to buildcmd is that those rules can be exported to makefiles which do not require xmake at all in order to run.

We can use buildcmd to simplify it further, like this:

-- Define a build rule for a markdown file
rule("markdown")
    set_extensions(".md", ".markdown")
    on_buildcmd_file(function (target, batchcmds, sourcefile, opt)

        -- make sure build directory exists
        batchcmds:mkdir(target:targetdir())

        -- replace .md with .html
        local targetfile = path.join(target:targetdir(), path.basename(sourcefile) .. ".html")

        -- call pandoc to make a standalone html file from a markdown file
        batchcmds:vrunv('pandoc', {"-s", "-f", "markdown", "-t", "html", "-o", targetfile, sourcefile})
        batchcmds:show_progress(opt.progress, "${color.build.object}markdown %s", sourcefile)

        -- only rebuild the file if its changed since last run
        batchcmds:add_depfiles(sourcefile)
    end)

target("test")
    set_kind("object")

    -- make the test target support the construction rules of the markdown file
    add_rules("markdown")

    -- adding a markdown file to build
    add_files("src/*.md")
    add_files("src/*.markdown")

Files can be assigned to a specific rule regardless of their file extension. You do this by setting the rule custom property when adding the file like in the following example:

target("test")
    add_files("src/test/*.md.in", {rules = "markdown"})

A target can be superimposed to apply multiple rules to more customize its own build behavior, and even support different build environments.

NOTE

Rules specified by add_files("*.md", {rules = "markdown"}), with a higher priority than the rule set by add_rules("markdown").

rule

• Defining rules

Function Prototype

API

rule(name: <string>)

Parameter Description

Parameter	Description
name	Rule name string

Usage

rule("markdown")
    set_extensions(".md", ".markdown")
    on_build_file(function (target, sourcefile, opt)
        os.cp(sourcefile, path.join(target:targetdir(), path.basename(sourcefile) .. ".html"))
    end)

add_deps

• Adding rule dependencies

Function Prototype

API

add_deps(deps: <string|array>, ..., {
    order = <boolean>
})

Parameter Description

Parameter	Description
deps	Dependency rule name string or array
...	Variable parameters, can pass multiple dependency names
order	Whether to execute dependencies in order

Usage

Associated dependencies can bind a batch of rules, i.e. instead of adding rules one by one to a target using add_rules(), just apply a rule that will take effect for it and all its dependencies.

For example

rule("foo")
    add_deps("bar")

rule("bar")
   ...

We only need add_rules("foo") to apply both foo and bar rules.

However, by default there is no order of execution between dependencies, and scripts such as on_build_file for foo and bar are executed in parallel, in an undefined order.

To strictly control the order of execution, you can configure add_deps("bar", {order = true}) to tell xmake that we need to execute scripts at the same level according to the order of dependencies.

Example.

rule("foo")
    add_deps("bar", {order = true})
    on_build_file(function (target, sourcefile)
    end)

rule("bar")
    on_build_file(function (target, sourcefile)
    end)

bar's on_build_file will be executed first.

NOTE

To control the order of dependencies, we need xmake 2.7.2 or above to support this.

However, this way of controlling dependencies only works if both foo and bar rules are custom rules, and this does not work if you want to insert your own rules to be executed before xmake's built-in rules.

In this case, we need to use a more flexible dynamic rule creation and injection approach to modify the built-in rules.

For example, if we want to execute the on_build_file script for a custom cppfront rule before the built-in c++.build rule, we can do this in the following way.

rule("cppfront")
    set_extensions(".cpp2")
    on_load(function (target)
        local rule = target:rule("c++.build"):clone()
        rule:add("deps", "cppfront", {order = true})
        target:rule_add(rule)
    end)
    on_build_file(function (target, sourcefile, opt)
        print("build cppfront file")
    end)

target("test")
    set_kind("binary")
    add_rules("cppfront")
    add_files("src/*.cpp")
    add_files("src/*.cpp2")

add_imports

• Add imported modules for all custom scripts

Function Prototype

API

add_imports(modules: <string|array>, ...)

Parameter Description

Parameter	Description
modules	Module name string or array
...	Variable parameters, can pass multiple module names

Usage

For usage and description, please see: target:add_imports, the usage is the same.

set_extensions

• Setting the file extension type supported by the rule

Function Prototype

API

set_extensions(extensions: <string|array>, ...)

Parameter Description

Parameter	Description
extensions	File extension string or array
...	Variable parameters, can pass multiple extensions

Usage

Apply rules to files with these suffixes by setting the supported extension file types, for example:

-- Define a build rule for a markdown file
rule("markdown")
    set_extensions(".md", ".markdown")
    on_build_file(function (target, sourcefile, opt)
        os.cp(sourcefile, path.join(target:targetdir(), path.basename(sourcefile) .. ".html"))
    end)

target("test")
    set_kind("binary")

    -- Make the test target support the construction rules of the markdown file
    add_rules("markdown")

    -- Adding a markdown file to build
    add_files("src/*.md")
    add_files("src/*.markdown")

on_load

• Custom load script

Function Prototype

API

on_load(script: <function (target)>)

Parameter Description

Parameter	Description
script	Load script function with target parameter

Usage

The load script used to implement the custom rules will be executed when the target is loaded. You can customize some target configurations in it, for example:

rule("test")
    on_load(function (target)
        target:add("defines", "TEST")
    end)

on_config

• custom configuration script

Function Prototype

API

on_config(script: <function (target)>)

Parameter Description

Parameter	Description
script	Configuration script function with target parameter

Usage

After xmake config is executed, this script is executed before Build, which is usually used for configuration work before compilation. It differs from on_load in that on_load is executed as soon as the target is loaded, and the execution timing is earlier.

If some configuration cannot be configured prematurely in on_load, it can be configured in on_config.

In addition, its execution time is earlier than before_build, and the approximate execution flow is as follows:

on_load -> after_load -> on_config -> before_build -> on_build -> after_build

on_link

• Custom link script

Function Prototype

API

on_link(script: <function (target)>)

Parameter Description

Parameter	Description
script	Link script function with target parameter

Usage

The link script used to implement the custom rules overrides the default link behavior of the applied target, for example:

rule("test")
    on_link(function (target)
    end)

on_build

• Custom compilation script

Function Prototype

API

on_build(script: <function (target)>)

Parameter Description

Parameter	Description
script	Build script function with target parameter

Usage

The build script used to implement the custom rules overrides the default build behavior of the target being applied, for example:

rule("markdown")
    on_build(function (target)
    end)

on_clean

• Custom cleanup script

Function Prototype

API

on_clean(script: <function (target)>)

Parameter Description

Parameter	Description
script	Clean script function with target parameter

Usage

The cleanup script used to implement the custom rules will override the default cleanup behavior of the applied target, for example:

rule("markdown")
    on_clean(function (target)
        -- remove sourcefile.html
    end)

on_package

• Custom packaging script

Function Prototype

API

on_package(script: <function (target)>)

Parameter Description

Parameter	Description
script	Package script function with target parameter

Usage

A packaging script for implementing custom rules that overrides the default packaging behavior of the target being applied, for example:

rule("markdown")
    on_package(function (target)
        -- package sourcefile.html
    end)

on_install

• Custom installation script

Function Prototype

API

on_install(script: <function (target)>)

Parameter Description

Parameter	Description
script	Install script function with target parameter

Usage

An installation script for implementing custom rules that overrides the default installation behavior of the target being applied, for example:

rule("markdown")
    on_install(function (target)
    end)

on_uninstall

• Custom Uninstall Script

Function Prototype

API

on_uninstall(script: <function (target)>)

Parameter Description

Parameter	Description
script	Uninstall script function with target parameter

Usage

An uninstall script for implementing custom rules that overrides the default uninstall behavior of the target being applied, for example:

rule("markdown")
    on_uninstall(function (target)
    end)

on_build_file

• Customizing the build script to process one source file at a time

Function Prototype

API

on_build_file(script: <function (target, sourcefile, opt)>)

Parameter Description

Parameter	Description
script	Build file script function with target, sourcefile and opt parameters

Usage

rule("markdown")
    on_build_file(function (target, sourcefile, opt)
        print("%%%d: %s", opt.progress, sourcefile)
    end)

The third parameter opt is an optional parameter, which is used to obtain some information state during the compilation process. For example, opt.progress is the compilation progress of the current period.

on_buildcmd_file

• Custom batch compile script, process one source file at a time

Function Prototype

API

on_buildcmd_file(script: <function (target, batchcmds, sourcefile, opt)>)

Parameter Description

Parameter	Description
script	Build command file script function with target, batchcmds, sourcefile and opt parameters

Usage

This is a new interface added in version 2.5.2. The script inside will not directly construct the source file, but will construct a batch command line task through the batchcmds object. When xmake actually executes the build, it executes these commands once.

This is very useful for project generator plugins such as xmake project, because third-party project files generated by the generator do not support the execution of built-in scripts such as on_build_files.

But the final result of on_buildcmd_files construction is a batch of original cmd command lines, which can be directly executed as custom commands for other project files.

In addition, compared to on_build_files, it also simplifies the implementation of compiling extension files, is more readable and easy to configure, and is more user-friendly.

rule("foo")
    set_extensions(".xxx")
    on_buildcmd_file(function (target, batchcmds, sourcefile, opt)
        batchcmds:vrunv("gcc", {"-o", objectfile, "-c", sourcefile})
        batchcmds:add_depfiles("/xxxxx/dependfile.h", ...)
        -- batchcmds:add_depvalues(...)
        -- batchcmds:set_depmtime(os.mtime(...))
        -- batchcmds:set_depcache("xxxx.d")
    end)

In addition to batchcmds:vrunv, we also support some other batch commands, such as:

batchcmds:show("hello %s", "xmake")
batchcmds:vrunv("gcc", {"-o", objectfile, "-c", sourcefile}, {envs = {LD_LIBRARY_PATH="/xxx"}})
batchcmds:mkdir("/xxx") - and cp, mv, rm, ln ..
batchcmds:compile(sourcefile_cx, objectfile, {configs = {includedirs = sourcefile_dir, languages = (sourcekind == "cxx" and "c++11")}})
batchcmds:link(objectfiles, targetfile, {configs = {linkdirs = ""}})

At the same time, we also simplify the configuration of dependency execution in it. The following is a complete example:

rule("lex")
    set_extensions(".l", ".ll")
    on_buildcmd_file(function (target, batchcmds, sourcefile_lex, opt)

        - imports
        import("lib.detect.find_tool")

        - get lex
        local lex = assert(find_tool("flex") or find_tool("lex"), "lex not found!")

        - get c/c++ source file for lex
        local extension = path.extension(sourcefile_lex)
        local sourcefile_cx = path.join(target:autogendir(), "rules", "lex_yacc", path.basename(sourcefile_lex) .. (extension == ".ll" and ".cpp" or ".c"))

        - add objectfile
        local objectfile = target:objectfile(sourcefile_cx)
        table.insert(target:objectfiles(), objectfile)

        - add commands
        batchcmds:show_progress(opt.progress, "${color.build.object}compiling.lex %s", sourcefile_lex)
        batchcmds:mkdir(path.directory(sourcefile_cx))
        batchcmds:vrunv(lex.program, {"-o", sourcefile_cx, sourcefile_lex})
        batchcmds:compile(sourcefile_cx, objectfile)

        - add deps
        batchcmds:add_depfiles(sourcefile_lex)
        batchcmds:set_depmtime(os.mtime(objectfile))
        batchcmds:set_depcache(target:dependfile(objectfile))
    end)

For a detailed description and background of this, see: issue 1246

on_build_files

• Customizing the build script to process multiple source files at once

Function Prototype

API

on_build_files(script: <function (target, sourcebatch, opt)>)

Parameter Description

Parameter	Description
script	Build files script function with target, sourcebatch and opt parameters

Usage

Most of the custom build rules, each time processing a single file, output a target file, for example: a.c => a.o

However, in some cases, we need to enter multiple source files together to build an object file, for example: a.c b.c d.c => x.o

For this situation, we can achieve this by customizing this script:

rule("markdown")
    on_build_files(function (target, sourcebatch, opt)
        -- build some source files
        for _, sourcefile in ipairs(sourcebatch.sourcefiles) do
            -- ...
        end
    end)

on_buildcmd_files

• Customize batch compiling script, process multiple source files at once

Function Prototype

API

on_buildcmd_files(script: <function (target, batchcmds, sourcebatch, opt)>)

Parameter Description

Parameter	Description
script	Build command files script function with target, batchcmds, sourcebatch and opt parameters

Usage

For a detailed description of this, see: on_buildcmd_file

rule("foo")
     set_extensions(".xxx")
     on_buildcmd_files(function (target, batchcmds, sourcebatch, opt)
         for _, sourcefile in ipairs(sourcebatch.sourcefiles) do
             batchcmds:vrunv("gcc", {"-o", objectfile, "-c", sourcefile})
         end
     end)

before_config

• Custom pre-configuration script

Function Prototype

API

before_config(script: <function (target)>)

Parameter Description

Parameter	Description
script	Before config script function with target parameter

Usage

Used to implement the execution script before custom target configuration, for example:

rule("test")
before_config(function (target)
end)

It will be executed before on_config.

before_link

• Custom pre-link script

Function Prototype

API

before_link(script: <function (target)>)

Parameter Description

Parameter	Description
script	Before link script function with target parameter

Usage

Execution scripts used to implement custom target links, for example:

rule("test")
    before_link(function (target)
    end)

before_build

• Custom pre-compilation script

Function Prototype

API

before_build(script: <function (target)>)

Parameter Description

Parameter	Description
script	Before build script function with target parameter

Usage

Used to implement the execution script before the custom target is built, for example:

rule("markdown")
    before_build(function (target)
    end)

before_clean

• Custom pre-cleanup script

Function Prototype

API

before_clean(script: <function (target)>)

Parameter Description

Parameter	Description
script	Before clean script function with target parameter

Usage

Used to implement the execution script before the custom target cleanup, for example:

rule("markdown")
    before_clean(function (target)
    end)

before_package

• Custom the pre-package script

Function Prototype

API

before_package(script: <function (target)>)

Parameter Description

Parameter	Description
script	Before package script function with target parameter

Usage

Used to implement the execution script before the custom target is packaged, for example:

rule("markdown")
    before_package(function (target)
    end)

before_install

• Custom pre-installation script

Function Prototype

API

before_install(script: <function (target)>)

Parameter Description

Parameter	Description
script	Before install script function with target parameter

Usage

Used to implement the execution script before the custom target installation, for example:

rule("markdown")
    before_install(function (target)
    end)

before_uninstall

• Custom pre-uninstall script

Function Prototype

API

before_uninstall(script: <function (target)>)

Parameter Description

Parameter	Description
script	Before uninstall script function with target parameter

Usage

Used to implement the execution script before the custom target is uninstalled, for example:

rule("markdown")
    before_uninstall(function (target)
    end)

before_build_file

• Custom pre-compilation script to process one source file at a time

Function Prototype

API

before_build_file(script: <function (target, sourcefile, opt)>)

Parameter Description

Parameter	Description
script	Before build file script function with target, sourcefile and opt parameters

Usage

Similar to on_build_file, but the timing of this interface is called before compiling a source file. Generally used to preprocess some source files before compiling.

before_buildcmd_file

• Customize the pre-compilation batch script, process one source file at a time

Function Prototype

API

before_buildcmd_file(script: <function (target, batchcmds, sourcefile, opt)>)

Parameter Description

Parameter	Description
script	Before build command file script function with target, batchcmds, sourcefile and opt parameters

Usage

Similar to the usage of on_buildcmd_file, but the time when this interface is called is before compiling a certain source file. It is generally used to pre-process certain source files before compilation.

before_build_files

• Customize pre-compilation scripts to process multiple source files at once

Function Prototype

API

before_build_files(script: <function (target, sourcebatch, opt)>)

Parameter Description

Parameter	Description
script	Before build files script function with target, sourcebatch and opt parameters

Usage

Similar to the usage of on_build_files, but the time when this interface is called is before compiling some source files, It is generally used to pre-process certain source files before compilation.

before_buildcmd_files

• Customize the pre-compilation batch script to process multiple source files at once

Function Prototype

API

before_buildcmd_files(script: <function (target, batchcmds, sourcebatch, opt)>)

Parameter Description

Parameter	Description
script	Before build command files script function with target, batchcmds, sourcebatch and opt parameters

Usage

Similar to the usage of on_buildcmd_files, but the time when this interface is called is before compiling some source files, It is generally used to pre-process certain source files before compilation.

after_config

• Custom post-configuration script

Function Prototype

API

after_config(script: <function (target)>)

Parameter Description

Parameter	Description
script	After config script function with target parameter

Usage

Used to implement the execution script after custom target configuration, for example:

rule("test")
after_config(function (target)
end)

It will be executed after on_config.

after_link

• Custom post-linking script

Function Prototype

API

after_link(script: <function (target)>)

Parameter Description

Parameter	Description
script	After link script function with target parameter

Usage

The execution script used to implement the custom target link is similar to after_link.

after_build

• Custom post-compilation script

Function Prototype

API

after_build(script: <function (target)>)

Parameter Description

Parameter	Description
script	After build script function with target parameter

Usage

The execution script used to implement the custom target build is similar to before_build.

after_clean

• Custom post-cleaning script

Function Prototype

API

after_clean(script: <function (target)>)

Parameter Description

Parameter	Description
script	After clean script function with target parameter

Usage

The execution script used to implement the custom target cleanup is similar to before_clean.

after_package

• Custom post-packaging script

Function Prototype

API

after_package(script: <function (target)>)

Parameter Description

Parameter	Description
script	After package script function with target parameter

Usage

The execution script used to implement the custom target package is similar to before_package.

after_install

• Custom post-installation script

Function Prototype

API

after_install(script: <function (target)>)

Parameter Description

Parameter	Description
script	After install script function with target parameter

Usage

The execution script used to implement the custom target installation is similar to before_install.

after_uninstall

• Custom post-uninstallation Script

Function Prototype

API

after_uninstall(script: <function (target)>)

Parameter Description

Parameter	Description
script	After uninstall script function with target parameter

Usage

The execution script used to implement the custom target uninstallation is similar to before_uninstall.

after_build_file

• Custom post-compilation scripts to process one source file at a time

Function Prototype

API

after_build_file(script: <function (target, sourcefile, opt)>)

Parameter Description

Parameter	Description
script	After build file script function with target, sourcefile and opt parameters

Usage

Similar to on_build_file, but the timing of this interface is called after compiling a source file. Generally used to post-process some compiled object files.

after_buildcmd_file

• Customize the compiled batch script, process one source file at a time

Function Prototype

API

after_buildcmd_file(script: <function (target, batchcmds, sourcefile, opt)>)

Parameter Description

Parameter	Description
script	After build command file script function with target, batchcmds, sourcefile and opt parameters

Usage

Similar to the usage of on_buildcmd_file, but the time when this interface is called is after compiling a certain source file, Generally used for post-processing some compiled object files.

after_build_files

• Customize the compiled script to process multiple source files at once

Function Prototype

API

after_build_files(script: <function (target, sourcebatch, opt)>)

Parameter Description

Parameter	Description
script	After build files script function with target, sourcebatch and opt parameters

Usage

The usage is similar to on_build_files, but the time when this interface is called is after some source files are compiled, Generally used for post-processing some compiled object files.

after_buildcmd_files

• Customize the compiled batch script to process multiple source files at once

Function Prototype

API

after_buildcmd_files(script: <function (target, batchcmds, sourcebatch, opt)>)

Parameter Description

Parameter	Description
script	After build command files script function with target, batchcmds, sourcebatch and opt parameters

Usage

The usage is similar to on_buildcmd_files, but the time when this interface is called is after compiling some source files, Generally used for post-processing some compiled object files.

rule_end

• End definition rules

Function Prototype

API

rule_end()

Parameter Description

Parameter	Description
-	No parameters

Usage

This is optional. If you want to manually end the rule definition, you can call it:

rule("test")
    -- ..
rule_end()