Re: [cdt-dev] Is there interest in a rewritten managed build?

[Alessandro Fardin <alef75@xxxxxxxxx>]

I'm a long term CDT USER, me and my team are developing an embedded Iot Gateway. Our code base is largely C/C++ that are cross builded for arm processor

we use Linux Ubuntu as HOST developer workstation and minly CDT as our IDE.

We have a big C/C++ project, our  build system consists of our hand made Makefiles that automates the build, test and of the entire solution.

We use the same build system in our CI/CD pipeline.

So using a non IDE dependent build system is a must have for us, and I think as said by Erwin is a trend for our industry.

Currently we are using the CDT Managed Build project / Makefile Project / Tool Chain Cross GCC.

This way CDT invokes our Makefiles and different configurations call different Makefile Targets and includes PATH so that CDT builds up its index and we can navigate easily through the code.

The problem is that configuring the project in CDT is not very easy and a bit confusing for a new people

The project files could not be saved on the repository because they are changed locally by CDT.

I remediate, by committing them in a relevant folder, then a developer checkout the project , then calls a make target that copies the eclipse/cdt project files to the root folder before opening the project with CDT.

Another problem is that almost every time we close and reopen the project in CDT, the CDT cross tool settings are lost, and so we need to reconfigure them (fortunately by invoking the target that copy the project files )

Another problem is that it is difficult to integrate some very useful tools like c-lang formatter, C-lang tidy, and other static analysis tools, in order to have a  development cycle not IDE dependent.

I love CDT, but I confess that it needs some cleaning and simplification.

Il giorno ven 13 gen 2023 alle ore 09:55 Waterlander, Erwin <erwin.waterlander@xxxxxxxxx> ha scritto:

Hi,

The Managed Build project is like the traditional IDE where you have full GUI support for setting compiler and linker flags and so on. The traditional IDE can generate a Make file or another build script for you.

If you look at the top trending C/C++ projects at github you see that the trend is to move away from this. People manage a (C)Make file by hand. There is no need for GUI help.
The main reason for using an 'IDE' is the code navigation, smart editing, and a debugger GUI. Visual Studio Code satisfies these needs and became very popular.

A big advantage of the new way of working is that it seamlessly fits working on the command line and continuous integration flows. For teams this is a big plus. One user can use IDE, the other CLI. And the regressions use the same (C)Make files.

CDT's answer to this trend is the Core Build flow. I think it is better to invest in Core Build flow than in Managed Build. Core Build flow should *not* be turned into a new Managed Build. It has to stay lean and mean. We need to get the Core Build Makefile Project out of the 'experimental' state. I think that is the best replacement for the current Managed Build.

Regards,

--
Erwin Waterlander                                                 Intel
erwin.waterlander@intel
http://www.intel.com/                                   The Netherlands

> -----Original Message-----
> From: cdt-dev <cdt-dev-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxx> On Behalf Of Christian
> Walther
> Sent: Thursday, January 12, 2023 18:08
> To: CDT General developers list. <cdt-dev@xxxxxxxxxxx>
> Subject: Re: [cdt-dev] Is there interest in a rewritten managed build?
>
> jan <jan@xxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>
> > Therefore I would like to know whether there is interest in this?
>
> Speaking as a downstream integrator who is using managed build, my
> tentative answer is: Probably not, from us.
>
> While managed build is complicated and quirky, it mostly does what we
> need, and where it doesn’t, we have patches and workarounds in place. It‘s
> all a big, organically grown mess (some of our early decisions turned out
> questionable in hindsight), but it works. I am skeptical whether transplanting
> that mess onto a rewritten base would be worth the effort. What you design
> to address your gripes will not necessarily also address our gripes, at the
> same time I do not have time to contribute to designing a system that
> addresses everyone’s gripes.
>
> What happened to the efforts to build a new managed build system based
> on core build anyway? (Where I confess I never contributed either.)
>
>  -Christian
>
>
> --
> Indel AG
> Christian Walther - Software
> Tuefiwis 26
> CH-8332 Russikon
> Switzerland
>
> Tel.: +41 44 956 20 00
> www.indel.ch
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> New product GIN-MAX4x4: The compact 4-axis motion board now also
> available as PRO version!
> https://www.indel.ch/en/products/drives/compact-motion-drives
>
> _______________________________________________
> cdt-dev mailing list
> cdt-dev@xxxxxxxxxxx
> To unsubscribe from this list, visit
> https://www.eclipse.org/mailman/listinfo/cdt-dev
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Intel Benelux B.V.
Registered in The Netherlands under number 24134020
Statutory seat: Rotterdam
Registered address: Capronilaan 37, 1119NG Schiphol-Rijk

This e-mail and any attachments may contain confidential material for
the sole use of the intended recipient(s). Any review or distribution
by others is strictly prohibited. If you are not the intended
recipient, please contact the sender and delete all copies.
_______________________________________________
cdt-dev mailing list
cdt-dev@xxxxxxxxxxx
To unsubscribe from this list, visit https://www.eclipse.org/mailman/listinfo/cdt-dev