Installing Crow

[The-EDev]

With the work on vcpkg and different Linux package managers, Crow can now be installed rather than just included in the downstream project.

The idea has often been to just use crow_all.h which probably works for small projects, but I'm not sure about larger ones, since a larger project might want to use certain components in one source file and not others. (I might be wrong here and a single header is all that is actually needed, please correct me if so)

So the first question is: Should crow by default be installed as a set of header files or just the single header file?

This will shape how the documentation and releases are made moving forward.

[beached]

I think that there is merit to multiple headers, but it is difficult right now. As is, getting updates is a non-automated process in many projects. Making Crow work with FetchContent would help a lot too.

[The-EDev]

well the idea behind this issue is whether single or multi header, the user either manually or automatically (through a package manager) installs crow on their system and just references it without having a to download the headers for each project.

[luca-schlecker]

I guess having multiple headers should be no problem. Vcpkg doesn't use crow_all.h and that's fine because with a package manager, the user doesn't really care about easy distribution.

Maybe the amalgamation should be made accessible via an option. nlohmann/json is doing a similar thing.

I could look into providing FetchContent support and a non-amalgamated target.
What do you think, @The-EDev?

[The-EDev]

@luca-schlecker Sorry for the late response, I was doing some research. I think a non-amalgamated target for install is a really good idea. FetchContent isn't a bad addition either.

So by the time this issue closes, we should have the following:

• amalgamated install as an option, default is off (rework cmake configs #209)
• FetchContent support (rework cmake configs #209)
• find_package support (Add CrowConfig.cmake and related files #147)
• non-amalgamated files in package managers (vcpkg already has that, pacman, deb, and conan are left)
• related to above, non amalgamated release script
• An overhauled installation guide

[luca-schlecker]

Exactly what I've though. 👍 I'll have a look at the first three points. 🚀

[The-EDev]

I appreciate the help :)

[luca-schlecker]

I guess installing the amalgamated crow_all.h has no use after having a non-amalgamated crow target as crow_all.h would only be used to manually copy it inside the consuming project. Do you agree on omitting the install-step for crow_all.h, @The-EDev?

[The-EDev]

That's sort of what I had in mind, any install, through PM or CMake would install all headers, and keep crow_all for manual installation (small projects and such)