cmake syntax_error ai_generated true

CMake Error: Error evaluating generator expression

ID: cmake/generator-expression-syntax

Also available as: JSON · Markdown
82%Fix Rate
84%Confidence
3Evidence
2023-01-01First Seen

Version Compatibility

VersionStatusIntroducedDeprecatedNotes
3 active — — —

Root Cause

CMake generator expression syntax error. Common with nested expressions or incorrect parameter counts.

generic

Workarounds

  1. 85% success Check generator expression syntax: ensure balanced angle brackets and correct parameters 
    Validate with cmake --trace-expand to see expanded expressions
  2. 78% success Use cmake_language(DEFER) for complex conditional logic 
    Simpler than deeply nested generator expressions

Dead Ends

Common approaches that don't work:

  1. Use regular CMake variables inside generator expressions 75% fail

    Generator expressions are evaluated at generate time, not configure time; regular variables may not exist yet.

  2. Quote generator expressions in target_link_libraries 60% fail

    Quoting can break nested expressions in some contexts.