Clion error: executable is not specified

Question

I have recently installed Clion student version and I get the error executable not found whenever I try to run my code. I installed cygwin with it as specified on their website and also, respective packages as required. Here's how my tool chains window looks

Here is my cmakelists.txt file

cmake_minimum_required(VERSION 3.8)
project(coding)

set(CMAKE_CXX_STANDARD 11)

set(SOURCE_FILES library.cpp library.h)
add_library(coding ${SOURCE_FILES})

Here is the error that I get:

I do not see any options in the executables list.I am using Windows 10.

What do I do?

Your CMake project builds only a library, which cannot be run by definition. So, what do you want from CLion to do on "Run"? — Tsyvarev, Aug 15 '17 at 21:23
I am just trying to run the hello world program. All those files were auto generated. — krishna, Aug 15 '17 at 21:31

Austin Yates · Answer 1 · 2017-08-15T21:25:45.027

0

Check out this answer.

SHORT ANSWER (should be similar for MinGW too but I haven't tried it):

Install Cygwin with GCC, G++, GDB and CMake (the required versions)

Add full path to Cygwin 'bin' directory to Windows Environment variables

Restart CLion and check 'Settings' -> 'Build, Execution, Deployment' to make sure CLion has picked up the right versions of Cygwin, make and gdb

Check the project configuration ('Run' -> 'Edit configuration') to make sure your project name appears there and you can select options in 'Target', 'Configuration' and 'Executable' fields.

Build and then Run

Enjoy

EDIT:

Looking more closely at the screenshot, it looks like you are actually making a C++ library in which case you wouldn't have an executable and it can not be run - a library is compiled and then used in another application.

edited Aug 15 '17 at 21:25

answered Aug 15 '17 at 20:20

Austin Yates

108
9

Step 4 is the problem. I don't see any options in the executable field – krishna Aug 15 '17 at 20:35
@krishna I think I answered your question better in my edit, this was also pointed out by Tsyvarez on your question – Austin Yates Aug 15 '17 at 21:26
But I am not trying to make a library. I am trying to run the hello world program. – krishna Aug 15 '17 at 21:30
1

@krishna When you create a new project in CLion you should be able to select C++ Executable instead of C++ Library then – Austin Yates Aug 15 '17 at 21:43

score 0 · Answer 2 · answered Jan 21 '20 at 22:08

Note: As this is a very basic question which may confuse beginners coding in CLion IDE, I'm putting this thorough answer here to stay as a step by step guide.

It seems you've selected C++ Executable when first creating the project. As CLion heavily depends on CMake (& thus CMakeLists.txt), you can change the project type from a C++ Library to C++ Executable. To do this, replace the following line:

add_library(coding ${SOURCE_FILES})

with:

add_executable(coding ${SOURCE_FILES})

Afterwards, select the desired file to execute from the "Executable" combo-box in "Edit Configuration" dialogue.

Now you're done. But if you wanna make your project clean, you may follow these steps to make it a pure executable project (rather being a library one):

remove the library.h from set(SOURCE_FILES library.cpp library.h) in CMakeLists.txt file.
remove the #include "library.h" from the beginning of library.cpp file.

Now your project seems like it was first created as a C++ Executable project.

Clion error: executable is not specified

2 Answers2