Simple asset copying

[Theramar]

Is your feature request related to a problem? Please describe.

I have an asset/ folder which contains an img.png file.
The executable needs to read the file therefore img.png must be copied to the executable dir, now problems arise:

• how to query the executable dir
• how to cache img.png to prevent copying every time a new build starts

Describe the solution you'd like

"[...] the configuration syntax is much concise and intuitive. As such, it's friendly to novices..."

source: xmake introduction

Proposal

target:add_assets("asset/img.png")
target:set_assets("asset/img.png")

add_assets() should:

• copy the files in the executable dir when installing and packaging
• add a symlink to the files in the executable dir when building
  • reason: a build is not an install: build is used for development. A development environment obviously contains the asset files therefore an expensive copy is not necessary

Describe alternatives you've considered

utils.bin2c (i.e. convert img.png to img.png.h)

• increases code size therefore decreases performance
• slow compile time for large files
• does not support file writing
• obsolete: C23 supports #embed
• it is not always feasible to hardcode the path, i.e.

  #include "img.png.h" 

  sometimes users compute the path at run-time or at least at compile-time with constexpr not with preprocessor black magic:

  constexpr auto paths = std::to_array<const char*>({"img", "img2"});
  constexpr auto pathExtension = ".png";
  constexpr decltype(paths) getPaths() {} // adds pathExtension at the end of every path

Additional context

• xmake automatically puts my executable at /build/windows/x64/debug/
• same problem with utils.glsl2spv: the executable needs to read shaders

[waruqi]

target("test")
     add_files("src/*.cpp")
     set_configdir("$(buildir)/$(plat)/$(arch)/$(mode)")
     add_configfiles("assets/*.png", {onlycopy = true})

[Theramar]

thank you!

[Issues-translate-bot]

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thank you!