How to get CMake to build, but not run, a test - cmake

Question

In CMake, how do I indicate that a C test program should be built, but not run?
For the netCDF C library, a free software science data package used by weather, climate, and space scientists, we have both a CMake and an autotools build. The code is available on github. You can see the CMake files there.
In our tests we have some shell scripts and some C programs. In this case, I need some shell script actions to complete before the C test is run. Since I want all this to work with parallel builds, the easiest solution seems to be to have the shell program call the C test program when it needs to, and not call the C test program during testing at all.
For example I have a test program tst_interops3.c (in directory nc_test4). I also have a shell script test run_get_hdf4_files.sh. Here it is:
#!/bin/sh
# This shell gets files from the netCDF ftp site for testing.
# $Id: run_get_hdf4_files.sh,v 1.4 2009/07/15 15:16:05 ed Exp $
set -e
echo ""
file_list="AMSR_E_L2_Rain_V10_200905312326_A.hdf AMSR_E_L3_DailyLand_V06_20020619.hdf \
MYD29.A2009152.0000.005.2009153124331.hdf MYD29.A2002185.0000.005.2007160150627.hdf \
MOD29.A2000055.0005.005.2006267200024.hdf"
echo "Getting HDF4 test files $file_list"
for f1 in $file_list
do
if ! test -f $f1; then
curl -O "ftp://ftp.unidata.ucar.edu/pub/netcdf/sample_data/hdf4/$f1.gz"
gunzip $f1.gz
fi
done
${execdir}/tst_interops3
echo "SUCCESS!!!"
exit 0
This script downloads some data files, and then runs program tst_interops3, which reads the data files to ensure that netCDF can read HDF4 data files. (HDF4 is a legacy science data format).
In autotools, I list tst_interops3 in check_PROGRAMS, but not TESTS. This causes it to be built, but not run. (It is run in the script.)
However, I can't figure out how to do the same thing in CMake. How do I get a test program to build, but not run?

Answer 1

There is no predefined "check" target in CMake; most of test infrastructures used with CMake defines "test" pseudo-target, but not a "check".
So you may define "check" target manually, and set it dependent from every target (like executable) you want to build at this stage:
# Add "check" target which simply executes "ctest" for perform testing.
add_custom_target(check COMMAND "ctest")
# Create an executable which is needed only for testing.
# It *won't* be built on "make all" or "make".
add_executable(test_program_a EXCLUDE_FROM_ALL test_program_a.c)
# Mark the executable to be built on "make check".
add_dependencies(check test_program_a)
# Create some test which involves the executable created above.
# This test is executed on "ctest" (or "make test").
# So it will be executed on "make check" too, after building the test program.
add_test(NAME test.01 COMMAND test_program_a "val1")