Add "Unspecified" Build Type and Use by Default (Kits Only) (#3879)

* add unspecified build type and remove CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE prop when it's used

* reverted commenting out debugger

* let debugger stop on error again

* updated changelog

* updated the docs with the new option

* updated default kit build type

* fix failing tests

---------

Co-authored-by: Garrett Campbell <[email protected]>

CHANGELOG.md

@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
 
 Improvements:
 
+- Add `Unspecified` option for selecting a kit variant to allow CMake itself to select the build type. [#3821](https://github.com/microsoft/vscode-cmake-tools/issues/3821)
 - Skip loading variants when using CMakePresets. [#3300](https://github.com/microsoft/vscode-cmake-tools/issues/3300)
 
 Bug Fixes:
@@ -33,7 +34,7 @@ Bug Fixes:
 - Update localized strings for Project Status UI and quick pick dropdowns. [#3803](https://github.com/microsoft/vscode-cmake-tools/issues/3803), [#3802](https://github.com/microsoft/vscode-cmake-tools/issues/3802)
 - Fix issue where new presets couldn't inherit from presets in CmakeUserPresets.json. These presets are now added to CmakeUserPresets.json instead of CmakePresets.json. [#3725](https://github.com/microsoft/vscode-cmake-tools/issues/3725)
 - Fix issue where CMakeTools does not recheck CMake Path to see if user installed CMake after launching VS Code. [3811](https://github.com/microsoft/vscode-cmake-tools/issues/3811)
-- Fix issue where `cmake.buildToolArgs` was sometimes applied incorrectly when presets are used [#3754](https://github.com/microsoft/vscode-cmake-tools/issues/3754)
+- Fix issue where `cmake.buildToolArgs` was sometimes applied incorrectly when presets are used. [#3754](https://github.com/microsoft/vscode-cmake-tools/issues/3754)
 - Fix issue where `preferredGenerator.platform` and `preferredGenerator.toolset` wasn't being compared between the old and new kit to trigger a clean configure on a kit selection change. [#2699](https://github.com/microsoft/vscode-cmake-tools/issues/2699)
 - Still allow for users to add `--warn-unused-cli`. Now instead of overriding, it will remove our default `--no-warn-unused-cli`. [#1090](https://github.com/microsoft/vscode-cmake-tools/issues/1090)
 - Ensure `useCMakePresets` context is set after making a CMakePreset.json with `Quick Start`. [#3734](https://github.com/microsoft/vscode-cmake-tools/issues/3734)
@@ -47,7 +48,7 @@ Bug Fixes:
 ## 1.18.41
 Features:
 
-- Add the possibility to open the current build directory in the Explorer [#1451](https://github.com/microsoft/vscode-cmake-tools/issues/1451)
+- Add the possibility to open the current build directory in the Explorer. [#1451](https://github.com/microsoft/vscode-cmake-tools/issues/1451)
 - Add support for CMakePresets V7 and V8. [#3549](https://github.com/microsoft/vscode-cmake-tools/issues/3549)
 - Update `api.ts` to add the `onSelectedConfigurationChanged` event. [#3671](https://github.com/microsoft/vscode-cmake-tools/pull/3671) [@OrkunTokdemir](https://github.com/OrkunTokdemir)
 - Improve CMake QuickStart by allowing the user to dynamically create a CMakePresets.json file. [#3649](https://github.com/microsoft/vscode-cmake-tools/issues/3649)

docs/variants.md

@@ -6,16 +6,17 @@ The main way to create a variant is via a `cmake-variants.json` or `cmake-varian
 
 Variants are a different concept than toolchains or toolsets. Those are handled by [CMake kits](kits.md).
 
-By default, if a variants file isn't present, CMake Tools loads four variants that correspond to default CMake build types: **Release**, **Debug**, **MinSizeRel**, and **RelWithDebInfo**. These variants do the following:
+By default, if a variants file isn't present, CMake Tools loads five options. Four options are variants that correspond to the default CMake build types: **Release**, **Debug**, **MinSizeRel**, and **RelWithDebInfo**. One **Unspecified** option lets CMake select the build type itself. The options do the following:
 
-|Option  | Description  |
+| Option | Description |
 |---------|---------|
-|`Debug`  | Disables optimizations and includes debug info.|
-|`Release`| Includes optimizations but no debug info.|
-|`MinSizeRel`| Optimizes for size. No debug info.|
-|`RelWithDebInfo` | Optimizes for speed but also includes debug info. |
+| `Debug` | Variant - Disables optimizations and includes debug info. |
+| `Release` | Variant - Includes optimizations but no debug info. |
+| `MinSizeRel` | Variant - Optimizes for size. No debug info. |
+| `RelWithDebInfo`  | Variant - Optimizes for speed but also includes debug info. |
+| `Unspecified` | Lets CMake select a default build type. |
 
-Selecting one of these variants configures and builds using the corresponding build type.
+Selecting one of the variants configures and builds using the corresponding build type.
 
 > **Important:**
 > CMake Tools does not respect `CMAKE_CONFIGURATION_TYPES`. Only the default configuration types listed above are present. A custom variant file is required to load other build types.

package.json

@@ -2437,6 +2437,11 @@
                   "short": "RelWithDebInfo",
                   "long": "%cmake-tools.configuration.cmake.defaultVariants.buildType.reldeb.long%",
                   "buildType": "RelWithDebInfo"
+                },
+                "unspecified": {
+                  "short": "Unspecified",
+                  "long": "%cmake-tools.configuration.cmake.defaultVariants.buildType.unspecified.long%",
+                  "buildType": "Unspecified"
                 }
               }
             }

package.nls.json

@@ -151,6 +151,7 @@
     "cmake-tools.configuration.cmake.debugConfig.setupCommands.description.description": "Description of the command.",
     "cmake-tools.configuration.cmake.defaultVariants.overall.description": "Configure the default variant settings.",
     "cmake-tools.configuration.cmake.defaultVariants.buildType.description": "The build type.",
+    "cmake-tools.configuration.cmake.defaultVariants.buildType.unspecified.long": "Let CMake pick the default build type.",
     "cmake-tools.configuration.cmake.defaultVariants.buildType.debug.long": "Disable optimizations - include debug information.",
     "cmake-tools.configuration.cmake.defaultVariants.buildType.release.long": "Optimize for speed - exclude debug information.",
     "cmake-tools.configuration.cmake.defaultVariants.buildType.minsize.long": "Optimize for smallest binary size - exclude debug information.",

src/drivers/cmakeDriver.ts

@@ -1664,8 +1664,10 @@ export abstract class CMakeDriver implements vscode.Disposable {
 
         const allowBuildTypeOnMultiConfig = config.get<boolean>("setBuildTypeOnMultiConfig") || false;
 
-        if (!this.isMultiConfFast || (this.isMultiConfFast && allowBuildTypeOnMultiConfig)) {
-            // Mutliconf generators do not need the CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE property
+        if ((!this.isMultiConfFast || (this.isMultiConfFast && allowBuildTypeOnMultiConfig)) && (this.currentBuildType !== "Unspecified")) {
+            // Mutliconf generators do not need the CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE property.
+            // Also, do not set CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE when the user has not
+            // specified the build type.
             settingMap.CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE = util.cmakeify(this.currentBuildType);
         }
 

src/variant.ts

@@ -168,6 +168,11 @@ export const DEFAULT_VARIANTS: VarFileRoot = {
                 short: 'RelWithDebInfo',
                 long: localize('optimize.and.debug', 'Perform optimizations AND include debugging information'),
                 buildType: 'RelWithDebInfo'
+            },
+            unspecified: {
+                short: 'Unspecified',
+                long: localize('unspec.build.type', 'Let CMake pick the default build type'),
+                buildType: 'Unspecified'
             }
         }
     }