CMake/Help/prop_tgt/AUTOMOC.rst

AUTOMOC
-------

Should the target be processed with automoc (for Qt projects).

AUTOMOC is a boolean specifying whether CMake will handle the Qt ``moc``
preprocessor automatically, i.e.  without having to use the
:module:`QT4_WRAP_CPP() <FindQt4>` or QT5_WRAP_CPP() macro.  Currently Qt4 and Qt5 are
supported.  When this property is set ``ON``, CMake will scan the
source files at build time and invoke moc accordingly.  If an ``#include``
statement like ``#include "moc_foo.cpp"`` is found, the ``Q_OBJECT`` class
declaration is expected in the header, and ``moc`` is run on the header
file.  If an ``#include`` statement like ``#include "foo.moc"`` is found, then
a ``Q_OBJECT`` is expected in the current source file and ``moc`` is run on
the file itself.  Additionally, header files with the same base name (like
``foo.h``) or ``_p`` appended to the base name (like ``foo_p.h``) are parsed
for ``Q_OBJECT`` macros, and if found, ``moc`` is also executed on those files.
``AUTOMOC`` checks multiple header alternative extensions, such as
``hpp``, ``hxx`` etc when searching for headers.
The resulting moc files, which are not included as shown above in any
of the source files are included in a generated
``<targetname>_automoc.cpp`` file, which is compiled as part of the
target.  This property is initialized by the value of the
:variable:`CMAKE_AUTOMOC` variable if it is set when a target is created.

Additional command line options for moc can be set via the
:prop_tgt:`AUTOMOC_MOC_OPTIONS` property.

By enabling the :variable:`CMAKE_AUTOMOC_RELAXED_MODE` variable the
rules for searching the files which will be processed by moc can be relaxed.
See the documentation for this variable for more details.

The global property :prop_gbl:`AUTOGEN_TARGETS_FOLDER` can be used to group the
automoc targets together in an IDE, e.g.  in MSVS.

See the :manual:`cmake-qt(7)` manual for more information on using CMake
with Qt.