Conan: [question] Creating recipe for library that doesn't use build system

[bugproof]

• [x] I've read the CONTRIBUTING guide.

What should I do if the library doesn't use any build system? Should I add cmake/premake configuration to it along with the recipe? What is the preferred way? Is there any example I could learn from? How can I make the recipe work with all generators?

[memsharded]

Hi @bugproof

I am not sure what you mean. Probably use the conan export-pkg command to package binaries?

Check https://docs.conan.io/en/latest/creating_packages/existing_binaries.html#packaging-pre-built-binaries

Is this what you are looking for?

Generators work independently of the build system used to build the package. As long as you fill the recipe package_info() method correctly, all different generators should work.

[bugproof]

e.g. library has #ifdef STATIC but doesn't use cmake nor anything. Can I define it with conan so it will be included in generated cmake? or do I need to write my own cmake for it first and somehow put it alongside recipe?

[memsharded]

yes, you want to do something like (in your package, that needs to be consumed with it:

def package_info(self):
    # Information about this package for the consumers, will be put into generated files
    self.cpp_info.defines = ["STATIC"]

Then you will see this definition in your generated files, adapted for every different generator syntax. Please try this and let me know if it works.