Specify ruleset for Visual Studio code analysis on command line or from CMake - c++

Question

I am trying to enable code analysis for my CMake driven project. I generate Visual Studio 2013 solutions, and would like to enable code analysis with a specific rule set. I know that I can enable the code analysis by specifying add_definitions("/analyze") in my CMake file, but how do I control which rule set is used?
As far as I can see, the only way to control the ruleset used is via the xml element CodeAnalysisRuleSet in the project file, but I cannot access this from CMake.

Answer 1

If you are trying to solve this for a command line build--either via cmake --build or direct invocation of msbuild--and not when using the generated solution with Visual Studio, you can set the relevant properties when you invoke the build.
With cmake driving the build:
PS c:\build-dir> cmake --build . -- '/p:RunCodeAnalysis=true' `
'/p:CodeAnalysisRuleSet=NativeRecommendedRules.ruleset'
With MSBuild driving the build:
PS c:\build-dir> msbuild ALL_BUILD.vcxproj '/p:RunCodeAnalysis=true' `
'/p:CodeAnalysisRuleSet=NativeRecommendedRules'
If you have a custom ruleset in a custom directory, you will also need to set the property CodeAnalysisRuleSetDirectories:
PS c:\build-dir> cmake --build . -- '/p:RunCodeAnalysis=true' `
'/p:CodeAnalysisRuleSet=custom.ruleset' `
'/p:CodeAnalysisRuleSetDirectories=c:\src\ruletsets'
(Tested with CMake 3.8.0, MSBuild 15.3.409.57025, and Visual C++ 2017 19.11.25506.)

Answer 2

I am not sure how far this works for VS2013 solutions. With Visual Studio 2015 I am using Project User Templates (*.vcxproj.user) with something along the following lines:
C:\MyProject\Template.USERNAME.user
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<Project ToolsVersion="14.0" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/developer/msbuild/2003">
<PropertyGroup Condition="'$(Configuration)|$(Platform)'=='Debug|x64'">
<CodeAnalysisRuleSet>#CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR#\SecurityRecommended.ruleset</CodeAnalysisRuleSet>
<RunCodeAnalysis>true</RunCodeAnalysis>
</PropertyGroup>
</Project>
You will probably have to change a few things like the ToolsVersion to 12.x.
The #CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR# will automatically get replaced by cmake when you use the CONFIGURE_FILE function to generate the actual PROJECT.vcxproj.user file. I have the following line in the CMakeLists.txt of my projects:
SET(USER_NAME $ENV{USERNAME} CACHE STRING UserName)
SET(USER_FILE ${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/${PROJECT_NAME}.vcxproj.user)
CONFIGURE_FILE(${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/Template.${USER_NAME}.user ${USER_FILE} #ONLY)
In the end, I would assume you could user-define anything that's in the PROJECT.vcxproj with those templates.

Answer 3

VS2017:In CMakeSettings.json section "configuration" add parameter "codeAnalysisRuleset": "NativeRecommendedRules.ruleset". Then in Solution Explorer right-click on need file .cpp select menu "Run Code Analysis on File". You can choose from a variety of analyzers in VS folder "c:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual Studio\2017\Enterprise\Team Tools\Static Analysis Tools\Rule Sets\NativeRecommendedRules.ruleset"