Fluid: new command line option -pr

...to genearte file relative to the project file instead of the
corrent working directory
* documentation updates

CHANGES.txt

@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ Changes in FLTK 1.5.0                                   Released: xxx yy 2026
 
   - The Strings file name for internationalization can now be fully customized.
   - Bigger and clearly assigned fields for custom code for widgets.
+  - New command line argument `-pr` writes files relative to the project file.
 
   Documentation Improvements
 

fluid/Project.cxx

@@ -166,7 +166,7 @@ std::string Project::projectfile_name() const {
  */
 std::string Project::codefile_path() const {
   std::string path = fl_filename_path_str(code_file_name);
-  if (Fluid.batch_mode)
+  if (Fluid.batch_mode && !Fluid.args.project_relative)
     return end_with_slash(fl_filename_absolute_str(path, Fluid.launch_path()));
   else
     return end_with_slash(fl_filename_absolute_str(path, projectfile_path()));
@@ -195,7 +195,7 @@ std::string Project::codefile_name() const {
  */
 std::string Project::headerfile_path() const {
   std::string path = fl_filename_path_str(header_file_name);
-  if (Fluid.batch_mode)
+  if (Fluid.batch_mode && !Fluid.args.project_relative)
     return end_with_slash(fl_filename_absolute_str(path, Fluid.launch_path()));
   else
     return end_with_slash(fl_filename_absolute_str(path, projectfile_path()));
@@ -228,7 +228,7 @@ std::string Project::headerfile_name() const {
  */
 std::string Project::stringsfile_path() const {
   std::string path = fl_filename_path_str(strings_file_name);
-  if (Fluid.batch_mode)
+  if (Fluid.batch_mode && !Fluid.args.project_relative)
     return end_with_slash(fl_filename_absolute_str(path, Fluid.launch_path()));
   else
     return end_with_slash(fl_filename_absolute_str(path, projectfile_path()));

fluid/app/args.cxx

@@ -53,6 +53,7 @@ int Args::load(int argc,char **argv) {
     " -o <name> : .cxx output filename, or extension if <name> starts with '.'\n"
     " -h <name> : .h output filename, or extension if <name> starts with '.'\n"
     " -s <name> : i18n strings filename, or extension if <name> starts with '.'\n"
+    " -pr : make all output file paths relative to the .fl project file path\n"
     " --help : brief usage information\n"
     " --version, -v : print fluid version number\n"
     " -d : enable internal debugging\n";
@@ -95,6 +96,10 @@ int Args::arg(int argc, char** argv, int& i) {
     Fluid.debug_external_editor=1;
     i++; return 1;
   }
+  if (strcmp(argv[i], "-pr")==0) {
+    project_relative = true;
+    i++; return 1;
+  }
   if (argv[i][1] == 'u' && !argv[i][2]) {
     update_file++;
     Fluid.batch_mode++;

fluid/app/args.h

@@ -44,6 +44,9 @@ public:
   std::string autodoc_path { };         // fluid --autodoc path
   /// Set, if Fluid was started with the command line argument -v
   int show_version { 0 };           // fluid -v
+  /// Make all output file paths relative to the .fl project file path
+  /// instead of the current working directory, if set.
+  bool project_relative { false };  // fluid -pr
   /// Constructor.
   Args() = default;
   // Load args from command line into variables.

fluid/documentation/src/page_commandline.dox

@@ -48,29 +48,45 @@ FLUID understands all of the standard FLTK switches before the filename:
  <!-- ---------------------------------------------------------------------- -->
  \section commandline_passive Compile Tool Options
 
-FLUID can also be called as a command-line only tool to create
-the `.cxx` and `.h` file from a `.fl` file directly. To do this type:
+FLUID can also be used as a command-line tool to generate `.cxx` and `.h`
+files directly from a `.fl` file. To do this, run:
 
 ```
 fluid -c filename.fl
 ```
 
-This is the same as the menu __File > Write Code...__ .
-It will read the `filename.fl` file and write
-`filename.cxx` and `filename.h`. Any leading
-directory on `filename.fl` will be stripped, so they are
-always written to the current directory. If there are any errors
-reading or writing the files, FLUID will print the error and
-exit with a non-zero code. You can use the following lines in a
-Makefile to automate the creation of the source and header
-files:
+This is equivalent to the menu command __File > Write Code...__.
+FLUID reads `filename.fl` and writes `filename.cxx` and `filename.h`.
+
+If there are any errors while reading or writing the files, FLUID prints an
+error message and exits with a non-zero status code. If the generated C++ or
+header files are identical to the existing files, they are not overwritten to
+avoid unnecessary recompilation.
+
+The output file names are stored in the `.fl` file, but they can be
+overridden from the command line:
+
+- `-o filename` overrides the generated C++ file extension, name, or path
+- `-h filename` overrides the generated header file extension, name, or path
+- `-s filename` overrides the generated translation strings file extension, name, or path
+
+In command line mode, relative output paths are interpreted relative to the
+current working directory. `-pr` changes this behavior and makes relative
+output paths use the directory of the `.fl` project file instead, as in
+interactive mode.
+
+For details on how file names and paths are generated, see \ref setting_project.
+
+
+The following lines in a Makefile can be used to automate the creation of the
+source and header files:
 
 ```
 my_panels.h my_panels.cxx: my_panels.fl
         fluid -c my_panels.fl
 ```
 
-Most versions of "make" support rules that cause `.fl` files to be compiled:
+or as a more general rule:
 
 ```
 .SUFFIXES: .fl .cxx .h
@@ -78,32 +94,51 @@ Most versions of "make" support rules that cause `.fl` files to be compiled:
         fluid -c $<
 ```
 
-Check `README.CMake.txt` for examples on how to integrate FLUID into the
-`CMake` build process.
+To automate this in `CMakeLists.txt`, add a custom command for the `.fl` file
+and list the generated `.cxx` file as a source of your target:
 
-If you use
+```cmake
+find_package(FLTK CONFIG REQUIRED)
 
-\code
+add_custom_command(
+        OUTPUT ${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/MyUI.cxx ${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/MyUI.h
+        COMMAND fltk::fluid -c ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/MyUI.fl
+        DEPENDS ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/MyUI.fl
+        VERBATIM
+)
+
+add_executable(myapp
+        main.cxx
+        ${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/MyUI.cxx
+)
+
+target_include_directories(myapp PRIVATE ${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR})
+target_link_libraries(myapp PRIVATE fltk::fltk)
+```
+
+FLUID also has basic support for internationalization:
+
+```
 fluid -cs filename.fl
-\endcode
+```
 
-FLUID will also write the "strings" for internationalization into the file
-'filename.txt', 'filename.po', or 'filename.msg', depending on the chosen type
-of i18n (menu: 'File/Write Strings...').
+This writes label strings and tooltip text to `filename.txt`, `filename.po`,
+or `filename.msg`, depending on the selected i18n type. See the menu command
+__File > Write Strings...__ or the *Locale* tab in the *Settings* dialog.
 
-Finally there is another option which is useful for program developers
-who have many `.fl` files and want to upgrade them to the current FLUID
-version. FLUID will read the `filename.fl` file, save it, and exit
-immediately. This writes the file with current syntax and options and
-the current FLTK version in the header of the file. Use
+Another useful option for developers with many `.fl` files is the ability to
+upgrade them to the current FLUID file format. FLUID reads `filename.fl`,
+writes it back, and exits immediately. This updates the file to the current
+syntax and options and writes the current FLTK version into the file header.
+Use
 
 ```
 fluid -u filename.fl
 ```
 
-to 'upgrade' `filename.fl` . You may combine this with `-c` or `-cs`.
+to upgrade `filename.fl`. You may combine this with `-c` or `-cs`.
 
-\note All these commands overwrite existing files w/o warning. You should
+\note All these commands overwrite existing files without warning. You should
 particularly take care when running `fluid -u` since this overwrites the
 original `.fl` project file.
 

fluid/documentation/src/page_setting_dialog.dox

@@ -73,16 +73,31 @@
  <img src="w_settings_project_tab.png" align="left" hspace="10" vspace="10" />
  \image latex w_settings_project_tab.png "Project Settings Tab" width=7cm
 
- __Header File__, __Code File__:
+ __Code File__, __Header File__, __Strings File__:
 
- These fields are used to build the file path and name of the generated header
- and source file. If one field is empty the value defaults to `.h` and `.cxx`
- respectively. If a name starts with a `.`, FLUID assumes that the rest of the
- text is a file extension. The code file name is then generated by replacing
- the extension of the `.fl` project file name.
+These fields define the output path and file name of the generated header,
+ source, and optional strings file.
 
- \todo Document the exact way the source and header file paths are calculated
- for interactive FLUID, and for FLUID launched from the command line.
+If a field contains only a file extension such as `.h`, `.cxx`, `.po`, or
+ `.msg`, FLUID keeps the base name of the `.fl` project file and replaces only
+ its extension. If a field contains a full file name, that name is used as-is.
+ If it also contains a path, that path is used as well.
+
+For the header and code file, an empty field defaults to `.h` and `.cxx`
+ respectively. For the strings file, an empty field uses the project base name
+ and an extension that depends on the selected internationalization mode:
+ `.txt`, `.po`, or `.msg`.
+
+In interactive FLUID, relative output paths are interpreted relative to the
+ directory of the `.fl` project file. In command line mode, relative output
+ paths are interpreted relative to the directory where FLUID was launched.
+
+All three settings can be overridden from the command line: `-h` for the
+ header file, `-o` for the code file, and `-s` for the strings file.
+
+In command line mode, `-pr` changes the base for relative output paths from
+ the directory where FLUID was launched to the directory of the `.fl` project
+ file.
 
  __Include Header from Code__: