In CMake, assuming one is just setting one property, is there any difference between
set_target_properties(target PROPERTIES prop value)
and
set_property(TARGET target PROPERTY prop value)
?
Cf documentation at:
which imply there is no difference but aren't that clear.
Consider set_target_properties() as a specialized form of set_property().
set_target_properties(...) is a convenience function because it allows to set multiple properties of multiple targets.
For example:
add_executable(a ...)
add_executable(b ...)
set_target_properties(
a
b
PROPERTIES
LINKER_LANGUAGE CXX
FOLDER "Executable"
)
set_property(TARGET ...) can APPEND to a list- or APPEND_STRING to a string-based property of targets.
For example:
add_executable(a ...)
set_property(
TARGET a
APPEND PROPERTY
INCLUDE_DIRECTORIES "${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}"
)
The difference is that with set_property, you get to define the scope. You actually have more options with the set_property other than just specifying a target, such as specifying source files in a list to have a certain property.
For example:
set_property(SOURCE src1.cpp src2.cpp PROPERTY SKIP_AUTOMOC ...)
This will add the SKIP_AUTOMOC property to source files listed. (This is for Qt, where Moc'ing of objects occurs automatically and sometimes you don't want that).
Contrast with set_target_properties where you must specify a Target and the property and it's value.
set_target_properties(target PROPERTIES CXX_STANDARD 11 ...)
Hopefully this helps!
Note that you also have respective set_*_properties functions for some of the other types of properties: set_source_files_properties, set_directory_properties and set_tests_properties. Notably absent are setters for install and global properties.
The reason for that is that these functions predate the general set_property call, which was only introduced with CMake 2.6, together with a general overhaul of the property system to what it is today.
These days, people tend to prefer the generic set_property, as it is the more modern function and provides a few additional features. It also offers a more consistent syntax than the old functions (eg. set_directory_properties not allowing to specify the directory as a parameter, set_source_files vs set_directory, etc.).
There is not a strong technical reason for preferring set_property, but I would consider it slightly better style than using the old, specific functions.
