WIP CMake Improvements #598

gojimmypi · 2025-10-06T16:55:51Z

This is a static, idea-sharing-only PR proposing improvements to wolfBoot Cmake. See also my active dev branch.

Test Drive

Work remains on CMake files, but the initial VS Code build should be working:

https://github.com/gojimmypi/wolfBoot.git
cd wolfboot
git checkout pr-cmake-improvements
git pull --recurse-submodules
git submodule update --init --recursive

#launch VS Code and open  wolfBoot.code-workspace  
code wolfBoot.code-workspace

# or your favorite cmake-aware editor such as Visual Studio 2022, etc.

Select STM32L4 wait for Cmake to finish, then click build. The output pane might be not visible. Grab frame to expand up:

I'm not sure yet which extensions are required, but at least the Microsoft ms-vscode.cmake-tools.

Here's a list of what I have installed:

code --list-extensions

davidanson.vscode-markdownlint
github.vscode-github-actions
marus25.cortex-debug
mcu-debug.debug-tracker-vscode
mcu-debug.memory-view
mcu-debug.peripheral-viewer
mcu-debug.rtos-views
ms-dotnettools.csdevkit
ms-dotnettools.csharp
ms-dotnettools.vscode-dotnet-runtime
ms-vscode-remote.remote-containers
ms-vscode-remote.remote-wsl
ms-vscode.cmake-tools
ms-vscode.cpptools
ms-vscode.cpptools-extension-pack
ms-vscode.cpptools-themes
ms-vscode.makefile-tools
nordic-semiconductor.nrf-kconfig
platformio.platformio-ide
trond-snekvik.gnu-mapfiles
twxs.cmake

Development

I use Visual Studio for CMake development but the objective is for an IDE-agnostic CMake build experience.

I use VisualGDB for embedded development; this will be a good exercise for flexible HAL file positioning and config.

I'm using an STM32L4, specifically the B-L475E-IOT01A Discovery kit IoT node that I happened to have on hand related to #585.

Some of the changes are specifically hard-code to the above. My objective is to make everything a configuration setting.

Included so far:

New CMakePresets.json
New .config cmake reader load_dot_config(path)
New .config to cmake presets conversion script.
New CMake wolfbuild script to build, clean, flash test-app (working on L4)
More ... as enclosed

VS Code Presets

Was previously OS-specific, and needed to be launched from VS2022 command prompt. The stm32l4 tested (see above).

Visual Studio 2022

There's currently no VS2022 project file. Simply open the directory.

Select a device from the ribbon bar, shown here for the stm32l4

From Solution Explorer, right-click CmakeLists.txt and then select Configure wolfBoot.

To build, follow the same steps to right click, and select Build.

View the CMake and Build messages in the Output Window. Noter the dropdown to select view:

CMake Dev Status:

Status	Environment	Test With
✅	VS 2022	Right-Click on CMakeLists.txt, Build
✅	WSL	./my_test.sh
⚠️	Mac	test-build-cmake-mac.yml
✅	VS Code, Dev Prompt	Click "build" on bottom toolbar ribbon
✅	DOS Prompt, Dev Prompt	my_test.bat
✅	PowerShell, Dev Prompt	.\my_test.bat
❌	DOS Prompt, direct launch	my_test.bat (cmake missing from path)
❌	PowerShell, direct launch	my_test.bat (cmake missing from path)
✅	VS Code, direct launch	Needs CMake Tools. Click "build" after launching: `code wolfBoot.code-workspace`

Make Dev Status:

Status	Environment	Test With
?	VS 2022	N/A (?)
✅	WSL	`./wolfbuild.sh --target stm32l4`
⚠️	Mac	test-build-cmake-mac.yml
?	VS Code, Dev Prompt	N/A (?)
❌	DOS Prompt, Dev Prompt
❌	PowerShell, Dev Prompt
❌	DOS Prompt, direct launch
❌	PowerShell, direct launch
?	VS Code, direct launch	N/A (?)

…cmake-improvements

danielinux

Thanks for the PR Jim.

I did not test but I've spotted a bit too much pollution of the / directory. Please move .sh and .bat files under tools/scripts/. There are also some cmake-specific json files that could go under cmake/

The documentation for cmake builds (including existing one) should probably be moved in a new file under docs/ and referred to from /README.md

Let's not put platform-specific (stm32?) information in the main README.md either. This will confuse users on all other targets. Anything target-specific should be in docs/Targets.md.

Some files have meaningless or confusing names (my_test, wolfbuild)

Some instructions point to your private repository

danielinux · 2025-10-15T08:53:09Z

README.md

+arm-none-eabi-gcc --version   # should print the version
+```
+
+The device manufacturer toolchain _also_ needs to be installed. For example without the [STM32CubeIDE Software](https://www.st.com/en/development-tools/stm32cubeide.html),


This documentation seems STM32 specific. Should it be in docs/Target.md or a separate docs/Cmake.md perhaps?

danielinux · 2025-10-15T08:53:48Z

README.md

+## Quick Start
+
+```bash
+git clone https://github.com/gojimmypi/wolfBoot.git


your branch?

danielinux · 2025-10-15T08:55:08Z

cmake/config_defaults.cmake

@@ -0,0 +1,63 @@
+# wolfboot/cmake/config_defaults.cmake
+#
+# Copyright (C) 2022 wolfSSL Inc.


fix copyright year

I'll fix those in my WIP / dev, also put up #609

danielinux · 2025-10-15T08:55:25Z

cmake/current_user.cmake

@@ -0,0 +1,94 @@
+# wolfboot/cmake/current_user.cmake 
+#
+# Copyright (C) 2022 wolfSSL Inc.


danielinux · 2025-10-15T08:56:11Z

config2presets.py

move ths to tools/scripts/ (create a new directory there if needed)

danielinux · 2025-10-15T08:58:04Z

my_test.sh

move under tools/scripts/... and rename to something meaninful

danielinux · 2025-10-15T08:58:26Z

wolfbuild.sh

move to tools/scripts and rename

Perhaps:
wolfboot_build.sh
wolfboot_cmake_build.sh

danielinux · 2025-10-15T09:00:08Z

CMakePresets.json

Can this be moved under cmake/ ?

No, it needs to be in the root with CMakeLists.txt. See docs. I'll add comments & README link.

danielinux · 2025-10-15T09:00:15Z

CMakeUserPresets.json.sample

Can this be moved under cmake/ ?

danielinux · 2025-10-15T09:00:37Z

CMakeSettings.json

Can this be moved under cmake/ ?

dgarske · 2025-10-15T14:41:10Z

CMakePresets.json

+      }
+    },
+    {
+      "name": "mac-stm32l4",


Preset was very nice and worked... it built. But There will be 100's of targets, so idealy the pre-set for each OS and have way for someone to customize that for their board.

Also warnings:

[cmake] CMake Warning: [cmake] Manually-specified variables were not used by the project: [cmake] [cmake] BOARD [cmake] CORTEX_M0 [cmake] DEBUG [cmake] DUALBANK_SWAP [cmake] STM32L4_PART [cmake] V [cmake] VTOR [cmake] WOLFTPM

Hi @dgarske - yay! That's just what I was looking for, as I don't have a Mac.

As you noted, there are hundreds of targets; I'm working on removing the OS target from the preselects.

For customizations, there are a variety of locations:

Primarily in CMakeSettings.json (and in there, common settings can be inherited from templates, for example:

{ "name": "stm32l4", "displayName": "STM32L4", "inherits": [ "base", "stm32" ],

Optionally in CMakeUserPresets.json (see CMakeUserPresets.json.sample)

Much work remains, including cleanup... but the end product will be quite nice.

CMake Improvements

1abf736

gojimmypi mentioned this pull request Oct 6, 2025

git ignore Visual Studio, VisualGDB, and backup files #599

Open

gojimmypi self-assigned this Oct 6, 2025

gojimmypi marked this pull request as draft October 6, 2025 17:17

gojimmypi added 2 commits October 6, 2025 10:34

Cleanup, revert some Makefile edits

c89b858

Do not assume .config or CMakePresets

b28fcb0

gojimmypi mentioned this pull request Oct 7, 2025

CMake: Use find_program instead of which to find gcc toolchain #602

Open

gojimmypi added 4 commits October 12, 2025 15:39

Merge branch 'master' of https://github.com/wolfSSL/wolfBoot into pr-…

e6595fa

…cmake-improvements

Latest WIP dev

84fbf0f

flag as executable

a1ca06c

update from dev

c35f117

gojimmypi requested review from danielinux and dgarske October 14, 2025 15:58

gojimmypi assigned dgarske and danielinux Oct 14, 2025

danielinux requested changes Oct 15, 2025

View reviewed changes

dgarske requested changes Oct 15, 2025

View reviewed changes

dgarske unassigned danielinux and dgarske Oct 15, 2025

gojimmypi mentioned this pull request Oct 15, 2025

Update Copyright year to 2025 #609

Open

WIP CMake Improvements #598

Are you sure you want to change the base?

WIP CMake Improvements #598

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gojimmypi commented Oct 6, 2025 • edited Loading Uh oh! There was an error while loading. Please reload this page.

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Test Drive

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VS Code Presets

Visual Studio 2022

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gojimmypi commented Oct 6, 2025 •

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