Build configuration

swift uses qmake as its build system. The build can be configured with JSON files, and the qmake files can interrogate the configuration with custom qmake functions. C++ code can interrogate its configuration using BlackConfig::CBuildConfig.

Vanilla build

By default, the build will parse a JSON file named default.json in the root of the source tree. This file can be edited, but for changing your local build configuration we recommend creating a new JSON file and adding its filename to the SWIFT_CONFIG_JSON variable on your qmake command line. This avoids git conflicts in default.json, as you can add your own JSON file to your .gitignore.

Command line variables

The following variables can be set on the command line when invoking qmake and have meaning when building swift:

"SWIFT_CONFIG_JSON+=filename.json" Loads an additional JSON file into the configuration. The file must be in the root directory of the source tree. The path is relative to the source tree root, and the filename may not contain any special characters. Files are loaded in the order in which they are added to the variable, and default.json is loaded first. If a JSON file contains a key that was already set in a previously loaded JSON file, the value is overwritten with the last one to be loaded. "CONFIG+=swiftNoDefaultJson" By default, default.json is loaded before any JSON files specified in the SWIFT_CONFIG_JSON variable. Adding this option prevents this behaviour. This should not really be needed, as each loaded JSON file can overwrite values from a previously loaded one, but the option is provided for completeness. "CONFIG+=swiftNoCacheConfig" By default, JSON files are parsed only when processing the root SUBDIRS project, and saved in the cache, and the sub-projects use the cached values. This option disables this behaviour, so JSON files are reparsed for each sub-project. "SWIFT_CONFIG.key=value" Specifies a configuration value as if it had been loaded from a JSON file after all other JSON files have been loaded. For example, "SWIFT_CONFIG.sims.xplane=false" to disable X-Plane support regardless what is set in any JSON file.

Accessing the configuration when writing qmake files

There is a custom function swiftConfig for inspecting the values loaded from JSON within our qmake project files. It is provided both as a test function and a replace function.

swiftConfig test function

Create a scope with the swiftConfig function to conditionally evaluate some qmake directives if and only if a specified key is set to true in the JSON configuration. The function returns false if the key has any other value, of if the key is not present.

example:

swiftConfig(sims.p3d) {
    # directives to evaluate only if P3D is enabled
}

swiftConfig replace function

Use the swiftConfig replace function with the $$ sigil to retrieve the value of a specified key from the JSON.

example:

DEFINES += "BLACK_EOL=$$swiftConfig(endOfLife)"

Modifying the configuration when writing qmake files

Sometimes in a qmake file you want to override the setting of the JSON file for some reason. Some test functions are provided for this purpose.

setSwiftConfig test function

Use this to set the value of a specified key.

example:

setSwiftConfig(endOfLife, 19970829)

enableSwiftConfig test function

This is a convenience to set the value of some key(s) to true.

example:

# enable all Microsoft-based simulators
enableSwiftConfig(sims.fs9, sims.fsx, sims.p3d)

disableSwiftConfig test function

The reverse of enableSwiftConfig, this sets the value of some key(s) to false.