GoldPKG

Did you pay the Iron Price for CMake and VCPKg Integration or the Gold?
Yes. I watch GoT. Non-GoT can ignore this lame joke

GoldPKG simplifies VCPKG and CMake Integration by

Make VCPKG into the NPM of the C++ World (at least npm install and uninstall :-P)
Making it easier to integrate CMake and VCPKG Manifests
Making it easier to install and remove packages from Manifests
Extend VCPKG with more tighter CMake Integration

How To Install

You will need

NodeJS/NPM
CMake
A Good C++ Compiler
Ninja-Build(Not Required but we recommend)

> npm install -g goldpkg
> goldpkg --init Project

This will create a CMake Project with GoldPKG Support

Starting

Using an Existing Project

You need - To possess a top level CMakeLists.txt

An Initialized Git Repository - With a commit - As we will add vcpkg as a submodule for you Run goldpkg install
GoldPKG will add .vcpkg submodule etc for you
We will also generate a VCPKG Manifest for you
We will also generate a GoldPKG Configuration for you

Handhold Me. Generate Samples for Me

Run goldpkg --init Samples
This generates a CMake Project in the Samples Folder
The Code generated is Modular
We provide a Sample Library in Lib Folder
And Application in src
We also provide Unit Tests for Library

Next run goldpkg install

How to use?

goldpkg install pkg-names
Overloads vcpkg install Installs the packages provided in Non-Manifest Mode
Adds packages to the manifest
Displays Find and Target to CMake for all packages in Manifest
If --cmake option is specified with path to CMake Directory, adds Find and Target to all CMakeLists.txt that match the glob

Will add

# AUTOGEN FIND COMMANDS GENERATED BY goldpkg
# AUTOGEN FIND PLEASE DO NOT MODIFY
find_path(BOOST_ARRAY_INCLUDE_DIRS "boost/array.hpp")
# AUTOGEN FIND LIBRARY WILL LOOK FOR PACKAGES HERE ONLY
# AUTOGEN FIND ENDS HERE

...

# AUTOGEN TARGET GENERATED BY goldpkg
# AUTOGEN TARGET PLEASE DO NOT MODIFY
target_include_directories(${PROJECT_NAME} PRIVATE ${BOOST_ARRAY_INCLUDE_DIRS})
target_link_libraries(${PROJECT_NAME} PRIVATE libs::SAMPLE-LIB)
# AUTOGEN TARGET LIBRARY WILL LOOK FOR PACKAGES HERE ONLY
# AUTOGEN TARGET ENDS HERE

goldpkg install
Overloads vcpkg install
Displays Find and Target to CMake for all packages in Manifest
goldpkg remove pkg-names
Replaces vcpkg remove which does not work in Manifest mode
Removes pkg-names from Manifest
DEFAULT:- Removes the package from all CMakeLists.txt found
If --cmake option is specified, removes Packages from CMakeLists provided in command line

This option here can be used as a glob also (provide src to remove from all CMakeLists.txt in src directory)

Remove is a goldpkg only operation as VCPKG as of Now does not Support Remove
goldpkg update
Updates the vcpkg submodule
Runs bootstrap to rebuild vcpkg executable
Then runs vcpkg update
goldpkg --versupgrade

Absent in VCPKG
One of our own commands.
Upgrades the Semver version specified in the manifest (choices: "major", "premajor", "minor", "preminor", "patch", "prepatch", "prerelease")

We use the same library as NPM
Rest of the commands
Directly passed to vcpkg

What next?

Install the Dependencies using (goldpkg install)
Modify the Code and add libraries to your liking
Run cmake -S . -B build -G Ninja
This will generate Ninja-Build files for you
I recommend using Ninja-Build because it's pretty nice
Run cmake --build build to build the code
cd build
Run ctest to start testing

OPTIONS

Option	Definition	Type
--version	Show version number	`[boolean]`
--help	Show help	`[boolean]`
--bootstrap	Bootstrap VCPKG	`[array]`
--config-json	Provide Path to Configuration File. By Default, Looks in Current Directory	`[string]` [default: Current Directory]
*--cmake*	Provide Path to `CMakeLists.txt`.	`[string]`
--vcpkg-json	Provide Path to vcpkg Manifest	`[string]` [default: Current Directory]
--vcpkg-root	Provide Path to VCPkg.	`[string]` [default: Current Directory]
--save-dev, --dev	Save New Package to Dev Environment
--cmake-toolchain	Get the Path to VCPKG ToolChain File
--triplet	Set the VCPKG Triplet	`[string]`
--versupgrade	Semver updates of Manifest	[`choices`: "major", premajor", "minor", "preminor", "patch", "prepatch", "prerelease"]
--init	Name the Directory to Initialize the Project	`[string]`
--vcpkg	Pass Commands directly to VCPKG instead of using our Overloads	`[array]`

ADDITIONAL CONFIGURATIONS

We provide a .goldpkg.json file by default

{
    "Bootstrap": ["-disableMetrics"],
    "VCPkg": []
}

Currently supports configuring Bootstrap and VCPKG with additional commands

FAQ

Why do we need another package manager after the 100s we already have?

Spoiler Alert
We don't Let's stop making new package managers and start supporting existing ones

Our package extends VCPKG to add support for CMake
VCPKG manages the packages
VCPKG performs the downloads
VCPKG performs the installations All we do is Integrate VCPKG and CMake

Do I need to add Toolchain File when running CMake?
No. We add the Toolchain to the Root CMake File we provide
No need to configure anything. The Process is Automatic
All you need to do is run at least one command in the Root directory

Do I need to install something for your Library to Work?
Yes you will need to install Node.JS/NPM.
And then run the Command mentioned above

Does your App work on Windows & Linux?
You bet it does

Do you plan to add support for these to VCPKG?
That's the Aim.
See TypeScript allows us to develop the code very quickly
So this is a prototyping model
Based on the responses of the userbase, I will try to add new features

Do you work for Microsoft? Is this package officially backed by Microsoft or VCPKG Team?
The max I have done is created issues and used VCPKG since 2018
I do not and have not yet had the pleasure of working for them
So no, this package enjoys no official support from VCPKG or Microsoft

I have ideas to share and features to add. Can I help?
GoldPKG needs you!
It's sort of a meme I realise but there are a lot of features we can add here
And I cannot do it alone

I just learnt how to use VCPKG. Now I have to learn how to use this. Why?
This is a genuine question.
The thing is though, the way GoldPKG is designed, you do not have to learn a new anything.
GoldPKG overloads VCPKG commands
It uses absolutely the same commands so knowledge of one, transfers to another

What do you provide in the Generated Repo?
We provide
1. Clang-Format file. (To use Clang-Format with Support for globs as Input params install clang-format-ex. Another of my libraries)
2. A Sample CMake Project with
  - Boost Array
  - Catch2 for Unit Testing
  - VCPKG Manifest with both installed
  - Why were these packages chosen?
    - To be honest, I have no idea why I chose Boost-Array
    - Catch2 is one of the most popular Unit Tests solutions though
3. VCPKG installed as a Submodule
4. An NPM Package.json
  - You can choose not to use it
  - I provided it because I sometimes use
    - Husky
    - Lint-Staged
  - for Git Hooks
5. GitHub Actions for Unit Testing CMake on
  - Windows
  - Linux
  - macOS

I want to run VCPKG Commands Directly. I don't want to use your overloads
We allow that
Use

> goldpkg --vcpkg <-commands->

Why create GoldPKG?
I wanted something like Node_Modules and NPM for C++
However, I found nothing that works well
VCPKG working as submodules was begging to be used as the Node_Modules of the C++ World
Begging I tell you. Begging!
Can this be used for production?
I am not sure. I don't think it should be used in production till we reach our first major release

Samples Repo Location

Not to put to fine a point on it, you could find it here

We might need a lot of help optimising this repo to make it better for most of our userbase here as well

More comments and to make the CMake less CMake-y and more Tutorial like

(I have not written a lot of CMake code in my life and it shows)

Reserved Sections in `CMakeLists.txt`

The idea is no..., we are not here to overrwrite your packages We reserve our zones, you reserve yours

Now what if you have your own find_package commands?

No issues, we stop searching the moment our comment at the top is not found

We reserve our zones.

We do not focus on the rest

1. Zone For `find_`

Right below project() command

project (SAMPLE-RUN)
# AUTOGEN FIND COMMANDS GENERATED BY goldpkg

2. Zone for `target_`

We add these at the very end
At the last line

target_link_libraries(${PROJECT_NAME} PRIVATE Catch2::Catch2)
# AUTOGEN TARGET LIBRARY WILL LOOK FOR PACKAGES HERE ONLY
# AUTOGEN TARGET ENDS HERE

3. Zone for `set (CMAKE_TOOLCHAIN_FILE`

We add this either to the first line or after cmake_minimum_required
And only in the Top Level Directory (same as one with VCPKG Manifest)

cmake_minimum_required(VERSION 3.14.0 FATAL_ERROR)

# AUTOGEN TOOLCHAIN Generated by goldpkg
# AUTOGEN TOOLCHAIN Links to LOCAL VCPKG ToolChain File
set(CMAKE_TOOLCHAIN_FILE ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/.vcpkg/scripts/buildsystems/vcpkg.cmake CACHE STRING "Vcpkg toolchain file")
# AUTOGEN TOOLCHAIN Generation ENDS

HOW DOES IT ALL WORK

You work with the deficiencies of VCPKG
VCPKG install in Manifest mode does not showcase CMake Information
So we run vcpkg install package-names in Non-Manifest Mode first
Get the package-names CMake Information
And append those to the CMake Files

While removing, we do the same Except we delete this time

TODO

1. EASILY ACHIEVABLE

One of my favourite parts of NPM is that using NPM version <-option->
- It not only updates the version like GoldPKG
- But creates a Commit
- And a Tag
- We could add that
Nicer Template Repo
- If you have seen our template, it must be
- Painfully obvious that I am not Mr CMake
- Painfully obvious I don't use CMake for a living
- Painfully obvious the Unit Tests to everything are Zero Effort
- If we could clean that up, it would be rather nice!

2. DIFFICULT TO ACHIEVE

Something similar to NPM PUBLISH
- Automatically commit the code and create a Pull Request in VCPKG Repo Manually
- This could be used via GitHub Actions or other such tools
- Or, we modify GoldPKG
Something simplar to NPM Scripts
- In NPM you can
- Provide script command where
- You can mention the commands you can run
- Say something like
- goldpkg run format
- Would format your entire Codebase

Contact the Developer

You can contact me via LinkedIn or create a GitHub Issue

Provide feedback

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README.md

README.md

GoldPKG

How To Install

Starting

Using an Existing Project

Handhold Me. Generate Samples for Me

How to use?

What next?

OPTIONS

ADDITIONAL CONFIGURATIONS

FAQ

Samples Repo Location

Reserved Sections in `CMakeLists.txt`

1. Zone For `find_`

2. Zone for `target_`

3. Zone for `set (CMAKE_TOOLCHAIN_FILE`

HOW DOES IT ALL WORK

TODO

1. EASILY ACHIEVABLE

2. DIFFICULT TO ACHIEVE

Contact the Developer

Files

README.md

Latest commit

History

README.md

File metadata and controls

GoldPKG

How To Install

Starting

Using an Existing Project

Handhold Me. Generate Samples for Me

How to use?

What next?

OPTIONS

ADDITIONAL CONFIGURATIONS

FAQ

Samples Repo Location

Reserved Sections in CMakeLists.txt

1. Zone For find_

2. Zone for target_

3. Zone for set (CMAKE_TOOLCHAIN_FILE

HOW DOES IT ALL WORK

TODO

1. EASILY ACHIEVABLE

2. DIFFICULT TO ACHIEVE

Contact the Developer

Reserved Sections in `CMakeLists.txt`

1. Zone For `find_`

2. Zone for `target_`

3. Zone for `set (CMAKE_TOOLCHAIN_FILE`