Re: RFC: post-installation checks on library headers & cmake config

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Hi Friedrich,

I am interested in contributing to KDE and would like to try
ECMInstalledLibraryCheck. I am still getting familiar with the KDE
contribution workflow.

At the moment, I am getting a =E2=80=9CForbidden=E2=80=9D error when trying=
 to open KDE
Invent. Could you please suggest what I should do to get access, and
whether there is a beginner-friendly area where feedback, documentation
improvements, or additional test coverage would be useful?

I would be happy to test the prototype on a small CMake/C++ project and
share feedback.

Best regards,
Nandani

On Sat, Jul 4, 2026, 8:52 PM Friedrich W. H. Kossebau <[email protected]>
wrote:

> Hi,
>
> how would you feel if there is an option to automatically test the C++
> library development artifacts (headers, CMake config, etc.) in their
> installed variant for usability, before other developers get to use them?
>
> If that sounds somewhere interesting to you, read on :)
>
> Possibly you also have already heard of this, there is currently some on-
> going effort to develop a system for post-installation C++ library checks=
,
> by the implementation name ECMInstalledLibraryCheck. While already in som=
e
> usable state and there-by successfully having uncovered a number of
> issues,
> it is based only on a few people's needs & ideas, without any known
> similar
> solutions to be "inspired" from for features and patterns.
>
>
> YOUR INPUT & COLLABORATION IS VERY WANTED
>
> What are your pain points with installed C++ library artifacts you wish
> that
> would be tested (and which cannot be tested uninstalled)? What problems
> have
> you seen?
>
> What similar solutions do exist already, for comparison & inspiration?
>
> Would you have fun working on integrating such checks into KDE CI?
>
> Have you tried the current prototype of ECMInstalledLibraryCheck on your
> library, what issues did you detect in your library, what features would
> you
> like in the check? (if not yet, see blog post linked below how to do)
>
> Special question: have you seen public preprocessor definitions whose
> values
> depends on the build which only are defined with some library headers?
>
>
> SMALL PEAK INTO PROTOTYPE FUNCTIONALITY
>
> To get an idea on the current approach with ECMInstalledLibraryCheck, the
> checks are added by declaring them via such functions (by the example of
> KContacts):
>
> --- 8< ---
> # use the module from ECM
> include(ECMInstalledLibraryCheck)
> # for the library target KF6Contacts set up the check
> ecm_add_installed_library_check(KF6Contacts
>     PACKAGE_NAME "KF6Contacts"
>     PACKAGE_VERSION ${KCONTACTS_VERSION}
>     PACKAGE_TARGET_NAMESPACE "KF6::"
> )
> # register the official include statements for the check
> ecm_installed_library_check_include_strings(KF6Contacts
>     HEADERS ${KContacts_CamelCase_HEADERS}
>     PREFIX KContacts
> )
> --- 8< ---
>
> Further checks on certain aspects can be added by functions like
> ecm_installed_library_check_cmake_variable(),
> ecm_installed_library_check_compile_definition() and
> ecm_installed_library_check_preprocessor_macro(). Already there is a
> convenience variant of the last:
> --- 8< ---
> # check all includes also have the usual version macros defined afterward=
s
> ecm_installed_library_check_version_preprocessor_macros(KF6Contacts
>     PREFIX KCONTACTS
>     VERSION ${KCONTACTS_VERSION}
>     SILENT # only report errors
> )
> --- 8< ---
>
> The check on the library then will appear as global build system target
> "all_installed_library_check", as well as variants per library.
>
>
> MORE INFO
>
> Find the merge request of ECMInstalledLibraryCheck here:
> https://invent.kde.org/frameworks/extra-cmake-modules/-/merge_requests/59=
0
>
> A longer blog post going into details, also how to test-drive the check:
>
> https://frinring.wordpress.com/2026/06/30/c-library-headers-cmake-config-=
files-are-we-serviceable/
>
>
> TRY IT, COMMENT IT
>
> Be very invited to shape this installed library check solution, so it can
> be
> useful to you right from the its first release.
> Give it 15 minutes now for some considerations & feedback, and hopefully
> save many more minutes in the future :)
>
> Hope to hear from you (even just a "want-this" or "useless-because"),
> and thanks to those who already contributed.
>
> Cheers
> Friedrich
>
>
>

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<div dir=3D"auto">Hi Friedrich,<div dir=3D"auto"><br></div><div dir=3D"auto=
">I am interested in contributing to KDE and would like to try ECMInstalled=
LibraryCheck. I am still getting familiar with the KDE contribution workflo=
w.</div><div dir=3D"auto"><br></div><div dir=3D"auto">At the moment, I am g=
etting a =E2=80=9CForbidden=E2=80=9D error when trying to open KDE Invent. =
Could you please suggest what I should do to get access, and whether there =
is a beginner-friendly area where feedback, documentation improvements, or =
additional test coverage would be useful?</div><div dir=3D"auto"><br></div>=
<div dir=3D"auto">I would be happy to test the prototype on a small CMake/C=
++ project and share feedback.</div><div dir=3D"auto"><br></div><div dir=3D=
"auto">Best regards,</div><div dir=3D"auto">Nandani</div></div><br><div cla=
ss=3D"gmail_quote gmail_quote_container"><div dir=3D"ltr" class=3D"gmail_at=
tr">On Sat, Jul 4, 2026, 8:52 PM Friedrich W. H. Kossebau &lt;<a href=3D"ma=
ilto:[email protected]">[email protected]</a>&gt; wrote:<br></div><blockquote=
 class=3D"gmail_quote" style=3D"margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc soli=
d;padding-left:1ex">Hi,<br>
<br>
how would you feel if there is an option to automatically test the C++ <br>
library development artifacts (headers, CMake config, etc.) in their <br>
installed variant for usability, before other developers get to use them?<b=
r>
<br>
If that sounds somewhere interesting to you, read on :)<br>
<br>
Possibly you also have already heard of this, there is currently some on-<b=
r>
going effort to develop a system for post-installation C++ library checks,<=
br>
by the implementation name ECMInstalledLibraryCheck. While already in some =
<br>
usable state and there-by successfully having uncovered a number of issues,=
 <br>
it is based only on a few people&#39;s needs &amp; ideas, without any known=
 similar <br>
solutions to be &quot;inspired&quot; from for features and patterns.<br>
<br>
<br>
YOUR INPUT &amp; COLLABORATION IS VERY WANTED<br>
<br>
What are your pain points with installed C++ library artifacts you wish tha=
t <br>
would be tested (and which cannot be tested uninstalled)? What problems hav=
e <br>
you seen?<br>
<br>
What similar solutions do exist already, for comparison &amp; inspiration?<=
br>
<br>
Would you have fun working on integrating such checks into KDE CI?<br>
<br>
Have you tried the current prototype of ECMInstalledLibraryCheck on your <b=
r>
library, what issues did you detect in your library, what features would yo=
u <br>
like in the check? (if not yet, see blog post linked below how to do)<br>
<br>
Special question: have you seen public preprocessor definitions whose value=
s <br>
depends on the build which only are defined with some library headers?<br>
<br>
<br>
SMALL PEAK INTO PROTOTYPE FUNCTIONALITY<br>
<br>
To get an idea on the current approach with ECMInstalledLibraryCheck, the <=
br>
checks are added by declaring them via such functions (by the example of <b=
r>
KContacts):<br>
<br>
--- 8&lt; ---<br>
# use the module from ECM<br>
include(ECMInstalledLibraryCheck)<br>
# for the library target KF6Contacts set up the check<br>
ecm_add_installed_library_check(KF6Contacts<br>
=C2=A0 =C2=A0 PACKAGE_NAME &quot;KF6Contacts&quot;<br>
=C2=A0 =C2=A0 PACKAGE_VERSION ${KCONTACTS_VERSION}<br>
=C2=A0 =C2=A0 PACKAGE_TARGET_NAMESPACE &quot;KF6::&quot;<br>
)<br>
# register the official include statements for the check<br>
ecm_installed_library_check_include_strings(KF6Contacts<br>
=C2=A0 =C2=A0 HEADERS ${KContacts_CamelCase_HEADERS}<br>
=C2=A0 =C2=A0 PREFIX KContacts<br>
)<br>
--- 8&lt; ---<br>
<br>
Further checks on certain aspects can be added by functions like <br>
ecm_installed_library_check_cmake_variable(), <br>
ecm_installed_library_check_compile_definition() and <br>
ecm_installed_library_check_preprocessor_macro(). Already there is a <br>
convenience variant of the last:<br>
--- 8&lt; ---<br>
# check all includes also have the usual version macros defined afterwards<=
br>
ecm_installed_library_check_version_preprocessor_macros(KF6Contacts<br>
=C2=A0 =C2=A0 PREFIX KCONTACTS<br>
=C2=A0 =C2=A0 VERSION ${KCONTACTS_VERSION}<br>
=C2=A0 =C2=A0 SILENT # only report errors<br>
)<br>
--- 8&lt; ---<br>
<br>
The check on the library then will appear as global build system target <br=
>
&quot;all_installed_library_check&quot;, as well as variants per library.<b=
r>
<br>
<br>
MORE INFO<br>
<br>
Find the merge request of ECMInstalledLibraryCheck here:<br>
<a href=3D"https://invent.kde.org/frameworks/extra-cmake-modules/-/merge_re=
quests/590" rel=3D"noreferrer noreferrer" target=3D"_blank">https://invent.=
kde.org/frameworks/extra-cmake-modules/-/merge_requests/590</a><br>
<br>
A longer blog post going into details, also how to test-drive the check:<br=
>
<a href=3D"https://frinring.wordpress.com/2026/06/30/c-library-headers-cmak=
e-config-files-are-we-serviceable/" rel=3D"noreferrer noreferrer" target=3D=
"_blank">https://frinring.wordpress.com/2026/06/30/c-library-headers-cmake-=
config-files-are-we-serviceable/</a><br>
<br>
<br>
TRY IT, COMMENT IT<br>
<br>
Be very invited to shape this installed library check solution, so it can b=
e <br>
useful to you right from the its first release.<br>
Give it 15 minutes now for some considerations &amp; feedback, and hopefull=
y <br>
save many more minutes in the future :)<br>
<br>
Hope to hear from you (even just a &quot;want-this&quot; or &quot;useless-b=
ecause&quot;),<br>
and thanks to those who already contributed.<br>
<br>
Cheers<br>
Friedrich<br>
<br>
<br>
</blockquote></div>

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