Can you provide a CMakeLists.txt where I can build the Protobuf after I clone the repository?
I am trying to get an answer for two weeks. If I post a question on github issue, it is immediately closed with one sentence random answer. Protobuf is extremely good project, but please please please provide support for C++ build and link. I do not want to use VCPKG or other package managers. On Friday, 26 September 2025 at 15:19:27 UTC+2 Em Rauch wrote: > > I also do not understand the versioning logic, you are using v3.20 > version while one year later we have v32 version. > > https://protobuf.dev/support/version-support/ > > C++Proto has gone from 3.20 to 6.32 in the time period you are looking at. > > We use a monotonically increasing minor that is the same across all > languages, which is the release or protoc version which is "32.0". Each > language uses that for its minor/point but has a language-specific major > version: the 32.0 protoc is the one for C++ 6.32.0, C# 3.32.0, java 4.32.0. > > In the past few years we have shifted around where we shifted some places > that were cross-language topics from calling it "3.20.0" to referring to it > as "20.0" which is what you are noticing, but 3.20.0 was already > cross-language-version=20.0. > > > On Thu, Sep 25, 2025 at 12:33 PM Petras Vestartas <[email protected]> > wrote: > >> Hi, >> >> Do you have cmake that works for the current version of protubuf? >> >> I also do not understand the versioning logic, you are using v3.20 >> version while one year later we have v32 version. >> >> On Monday, 19 August 2024 at 15:49:47 UTC+2 Claude Robitaille wrote: >> >>> I forgot that this is required in my main project top CMakeList.txt: >>> >>> find_package(protobuf REQUIRED PATHS >>> $ENV{INSTALL}/protobuf/lib/cmake/protobuf) >>> include($ENV{INSTALL}/protobuf/lib/cmake/protobuf/protobuf-module.cmake) >>> >>> Also, I am on Linux but I do not see why it would be different on macOS. >>> >>> >>> On Monday, August 19, 2024 at 9:46:38 a.m. UTC-4 Claude Robitaille wrote: >>> >>>> I have been using protobuf with static linking for years and moved to >>>> cmake a few months ago. >>>> >>>> Since I always cross-compile I never use the system installed library >>>> and tools so my flow is this >>>> 1 - Build, using cmake anything that must be using the local compiler >>>> (in the case of protobuf because protoc is needed for later). ATM it is >>>> only protobuf >>>> 2 - Build all the dependencies, also using cmake >>>> 3 - Build my project, including internal libraries. >>>> >>>> For the first step, ie building protobuf and produce a static archive >>>> (a file ending with .a) I use this excerpt from the corresponding cmake: >>>> include(ExternalProject) >>>> >>>> ExternalProject_Add( >>>> protobuf >>>> GIT_REPOSITORY https://github.com/protocolbuffers/protobuf.git >>>> GIT_TAG v3.20.3 >>>> SOURCE_SUBDIR cmake >>>> CMAKE_ARGS >>>> -Dprotobuf_BUILD_TESTS=OFF >>>> -Dprotobuf_BUILD_EXAMPLES=OFF >>>> -DCMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX=$ENV{INSTALL}/protobuf >>>> -Dprotobuf_BUILD_CONFORMANCE=OFF >>>> -Dprotobuf_BUILD_EXAMPLES=OFF >>>> -Dprotobuf_BUILD_LIBPROTOC=ON >>>> -Dprotobuf_BUILD_SHARED_LIBS=OFF >>>> -Dprotobuf_MSVC_STATIC_RUNTIME=OFF >>>> -Dprotobuf_WITH_ZLIB=OFF >>>> BUILD_BYPRODUCTS >>>> $ENV{INSTALL}/lib/libprotobuf.a >>>> $ENV{INSTALL}/bin/protoc >>>> ) >>>> >>>> Note that the install prefix comes from an environment variable. It is >>>> normally set to ./build In other word, protobuf and the cmake files are >>>> in >>>> a child directory off the main build location (which is used by step 3 >>>> above). Also, SHARED_LIBS is Off meaning that a static library is created. >>>> >>>> And then in my main project (so step 3 above), I use this to process my >>>> proto files (I use to only deal with c++ hence the name; I added python at >>>> a later stage): >>>> >>>> set(GLOBAL_PROTO_FILES "" CACHE INTERNAL "") >>>> >>>> # Define the append function used by other CMakeList files >>>> function(append_proto_file filename) >>>> set(GLOBAL_PROTO_FILES ${GLOBAL_PROTO_FILES} ${filename} CACHE >>>> INTERNAL "") >>>> endfunction() >>>> >>>> # >>>> # The proto file processing function >>>> # >>>> >>>> function(CREATE_CPP_PROTO SRCS HDRS) >>>> list(REMOVE_DUPLICATES GLOBAL_PROTO_FILES) >>>> >>>> set(${SRCS}) >>>> set(${HDRS}) >>>> >>>> #printList(VAR ${PROTO_SRC_TREE} TITLE "Proto location location") >>>> #printList(VAR ${GLOBAL_PROTO_FILES} TITLE "Proto files") >>>> >>>> add_library(proto-objects OBJECT ${GLOBAL_PROTO_FILES}) >>>> target_link_libraries(proto-objects PUBLIC protobuf::libprotobuf) >>>> target_include_directories(proto-objects PUBLIC >>>> "$<BUILD_INTERFACE:$ENV{GENERATED}>") >>>> >>>> make_directory($ENV{GENERATED}) >>>> make_directory($ENV{GENERATED}/python) >>>> >>>> # This is a function provided by the cmake binding for protobuf >>>> # C++ >>>> protobuf_generate( >>>> TARGET proto-objects >>>> LANGUAGE cpp >>>> PROTOC_OUT_DIR $ENV{GENERATED} >>>> IMPORT_DIRS ${MODELS_DIR};${PROTO_SRC_TREE} >>>> #IMPORT_DIRS ${MODELS_DIR} >>>> #PROTOC_OPTIONS "--cpp_opt=paths=source_relative" >>>> #PROTOC_OPTIONS "--proto_path=${MODELS_DIR}" >>>> ) >>>> >>>> # Python >>>> protobuf_generate( >>>> TARGET proto-objects >>>> LANGUAGE python >>>> PROTOC_OUT_DIR $ENV{GENERATED}/python >>>> IMPORT_DIRS ${MODELS_DIR};${PROTO_SRC_TREE} >>>> ) >>>> >>>> target_include_directories(proto-objects PRIVATE $ENV{GENERATED}) >>>> >>>> # Probably useless but other targets depends on it, so we keep it >>>> but it does nothing. In future we could probably remove >>>> # reference to it. >>>> add_custom_target(PROTO_FILES_READY >>>> COMMENT "Moving .pb.h and _pb2.py files to replicate source >>>> directory structure" >>>> ) >>>> >>>> set_source_files_properties(${${SRCS}} ${${HDRS}} PROPERTIES >>>> GENERATED TRUE) >>>> set(${SRCS} ${${SRCS}} PARENT_SCOPE) >>>> set(${HDRS} ${${HDRS}} PARENT_SCOPE) >>>> endfunction() >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> On Monday, August 19, 2024 at 2:32:25 a.m. UTC-4 Marcin Lewandowski >>>> wrote: >>>> >>>>> Hello, >>>>> >>>>> I am working on a library where I would use protobuf. >>>>> >>>>> I need to link it statically. The target platform is macOS. >>>>> >>>>> The usual way of fetching dependencies (brew install protobuf) is no >>>>> go, as it comes only with shared libraries. >>>>> >>>>> I tried forcing homebrew to rebuild protobuf (brew install protobuf >>>>> --build-from-source) but it fails as some tests are not passing (logs [1] >>>>> at the end of this message). >>>>> >>>>> I fetched the source code (27.3) release from github, run >>>>> >>>>> bazel build :portico :protobuf >>>>> >>>>> inside the source directory, but while it compiles protoc compiler, >>>>> there's no CMake/protobuf-lite library in the output. >>>>> >>>>> Apparently the runtime is based on CMake, so I run >>>>> >>>>> cmake -S . -B build -Dprotobuf_BUILD_TESTS=OFF -DCMAKE_CXX_STANDARD=17 >>>>> -Dprotobuf_ABSL_PROVIDER=package -Dprotobuf_JSONCPP_PROVIDER=package >>>>> >>>>> and then issued compilation in build/ dir, and yay, it compiled >>>>> protobuf. >>>>> >>>>> However, when I added the build/cmake to CMAKE_PREFIX_PATH it >>>>> complains about missing build/cmake/protobuf/protobuf-targets.cmake >>>>> >>>>> So I tried adding the repository as git submodule, and adding it via >>>>> add_subdirectory CMake command, then it fails with >>>>> >>>>> CMake Error: install(EXPORT "protobuf-targets" ...) includes target >>>>> "libprotobuf-lite" which requires target "absl_absl_check" that is not in >>>>> any export set. >>>>> CMake Error: install(EXPORT "protobuf-targets" ...) includes target >>>>> "libprotobuf-lite" which requires target "absl_absl_log" that is not in >>>>> any >>>>> export set. >>>>> CMake Error: install(EXPORT "protobuf-targets" ...) includes target >>>>> "libprotobuf-lite" which requires target "absl_algorithm" that is not in >>>>> any export set. >>>>> CMake Error: install(EXPORT "protobuf-targets" ...) includes target >>>>> "libprotobuf-lite" which requires target "absl_base" that is not in any >>>>> export set. >>>>> ... >>>>> >>>>> abseil is added as add_subdirectory as well. >>>>> >>>>> I run into conclusion that I must be doing something fundamentally >>>>> wrong, as I don't expect such popular piece of code to be so hard to >>>>> integrate. >>>>> >>>>> Any suggestions on how to properly embed protobuf within such a >>>>> project? >>>>> >>>>> Thanks in advance, >>>>> >>>>> Marcin >>>>> >>>>> [1] Failed tests: >>>>> >>>>> 2: [ RUN ] TextFormatParserTest.ParseFieldValueFromString >>>>> 2: E0000 00:00:1723926116.158054 5519321 text_format.cc:417] Error >>>>> parsing text-format protobuf_unittest.TestAllTypes: 1:1: Expected >>>>> integer, >>>>> got: a >>>>> 2: E0000 00:00:1723926116.158063 5519321 text_format.cc:417] Error >>>>> parsing text-format protobuf_unittest.TestAllTypes: 1:1: Integer out of >>>>> range (999999999999999999999999999999999999) >>>>> 2: E0000 00:00:1723926116.158079 5519321 text_format.cc:417] Error >>>>> parsing text-format protobuf_unittest.TestAllTypes: 1:1: Expected >>>>> integer, >>>>> got: a >>>>> 2: E0000 00:00:1723926116.158082 5519321 text_format.cc:417] Error >>>>> parsing text-format protobuf_unittest.TestAllTypes: 1:1: Integer out of >>>>> range (999999999999999999999999999999999999) >>>>> 2: E0000 00:00:1723926116.158084 5519321 text_format.cc:417] Error >>>>> parsing text-format protobuf_unittest.TestAllTypes: 1:1: Expected >>>>> integer, >>>>> got: - >>>>> 2: E0000 00:00:1723926116.158085 5519321 text_format.cc:417] Error >>>>> parsing text-format protobuf_unittest.TestAllTypes: 1:1: Expected >>>>> integer, >>>>> got: a >>>>> 2: E0000 00:00:1723926116.158087 5519321 text_format.cc:417] Error >>>>> parsing text-format protobuf_unittest.TestAllTypes: 1:1: Integer out of >>>>> range (999999999999999999999999999999999999) >>>>> 2: E0000 00:00:1723926116.158089 5519321 text_format.cc:417] Error >>>>> parsing text-format protobuf_unittest.TestAllTypes: 1:1: Expected >>>>> integer, >>>>> got: - >>>>> 2: E0000 00:00:1723926116.158090 5519321 text_format.cc:417] Error >>>>> parsing text-format protobuf_unittest.TestAllTypes: 1:1: Expected >>>>> integer, >>>>> got: a >>>>> 2: E0000 00:00:1723926116.158092 5519321 text_format.cc:417] Error >>>>> parsing text-format protobuf_unittest.TestAllTypes: 1:1: Integer out of >>>>> range (999999999999999999999999999999999999) >>>>> 2: E0000 00:00:1723926116.158094 5519321 text_format.cc:417] Error >>>>> parsing text-format protobuf_unittest.TestAllTypes: 1:1: Expected >>>>> integer, >>>>> got: - >>>>> 2: E0000 00:00:1723926116.158095 5519321 text_format.cc:417] Error >>>>> parsing text-format protobuf_unittest.TestAllTypes: 1:1: Expected >>>>> integer, >>>>> got: a >>>>> 2: E0000 00:00:1723926116.158097 5519321 text_format.cc:417] Error >>>>> parsing text-format protobuf_unittest.TestAllTypes: 1:1: Integer out of >>>>> range (999999999999999999999999999999999999) >>>>> 2: E0000 00:00:1723926116.158101 5519321 text_format.cc:417] Error >>>>> parsing text-format protobuf_unittest.TestAllTypes: 1:5: Invalid value >>>>> for >>>>> boolean field "optional_bool". Value: "tRue". >>>>> 2: E0000 00:00:1723926116.158106 5519321 text_format.cc:417] Error >>>>> parsing text-format protobuf_unittest.TestAllTypes: 1:6: Invalid value >>>>> for >>>>> boolean field "optional_bool". Value: "faLse". >>>>> 2: E0000 00:00:1723926116.158108 5519321 text_format.cc:417] Error >>>>> parsing text-format protobuf_unittest.TestAllTypes: 1:1: Integer out of >>>>> range (2) >>>>> 2: E0000 00:00:1723926116.158109 5519321 text_format.cc:417] Error >>>>> parsing text-format protobuf_unittest.TestAllTypes: 1:1: Expected >>>>> identifier, got: - >>>>> 2: E0000 00:00:1723926116.158111 5519321 text_format.cc:417] Error >>>>> parsing text-format protobuf_unittest.TestAllTypes: 1:3: Invalid value >>>>> for >>>>> boolean field "optional_bool". Value: "on". >>>>> 2: E0000 00:00:1723926116.158113 5519321 text_format.cc:417] Error >>>>> parsing text-format protobuf_unittest.TestAllTypes: 1:2: Invalid value >>>>> for >>>>> boolean field "optional_bool". Value: "a". >>>>> 2: E0000 00:00:1723926116.158130 5519321 text_format.cc:417] Error >>>>> parsing text-format protobuf_unittest.TestAllTypes: 1:1: Expected double, >>>>> got: a >>>>> 2: E0000 00:00:1723926116.158132 5519321 text_format.cc:417] Error >>>>> parsing text-format protobuf_unittest.TestAllTypes: 1:1: Expected double, >>>>> got: a >>>>> 2: E0000 00:00:1723926116.158134 5519321 text_format.cc:417] Error >>>>> parsing text-format protobuf_unittest.TestAllTypes: 1:1: Expect a decimal >>>>> number, got: 0xf >>>>> 2: E0000 00:00:1723926116.158136 5519321 text_format.cc:417] Error >>>>> parsing text-format protobuf_unittest.TestAllTypes: 1:1: Expect a decimal >>>>> number, got: 012 >>>>> 2: E0000 00:00:1723926116.158138 5519321 text_format.cc:417] Error >>>>> parsing text-format protobuf_unittest.TestAllTypes: 1:1: Expected string, >>>>> got: hello >>>>> 2: E0000 00:00:1723926116.158141 5519321 text_format.cc:417] Error >>>>> parsing text-format protobuf_unittest.TestAllTypes: 1:7: Unknown >>>>> enumeration value of "FOOBAR" for field "optional_nested_enum". >>>>> 2: E0000 00:00:1723926116.158143 5519321 text_format.cc:417] Error >>>>> parsing text-format protobuf_unittest.TestAllTypes: 1:1: Expected "{", >>>>> found "any". >>>>> >>>>> -- >> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups >> "Protocol Buffers" group. >> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an >> email to [email protected]. >> To view this discussion visit >> https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/protobuf/50117e7f-799a-4019-97c2-8817cf45e929n%40googlegroups.com >> >> <https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/protobuf/50117e7f-799a-4019-97c2-8817cf45e929n%40googlegroups.com?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer> >> . >> > -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Protocol Buffers" group. 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