When you want to do things other than just fetching packages, invoking D compilers and converting package descriptors, I am wondering is Dub up to it?

For example, could dmd source code build (if somebody wanted to) be automated with Dub instead of CMake, bearing in mind it requires some c++ compilation?

If so, how? I was unable to find anything about custom system calls at the website.

Not that I have any need for that right now, I am just interested.

On Tuesday, 4 July 2017 at 20:46:33 UTC, Dukc wrote:
> Not that I have any need for that right now, I am just interested.

preGenerate-/preBuildCommands are your friends to compile C++ code using dub.
You'd invoke make or sth. and add the generated libs/objects to dub's sourceFiles.
http://code.dlang.org/package-format?lang=json#build-settings

Dub can also generate scripts for other build systems (among them cmake), in case that seems more suitable for your needs.

On Tuesday, 4 July 2017 at 21:02:55 UTC, Martin Nowak wrote:
> preGenerate-/preBuildCommands are your friends to compile C++ code using dub.

Hod did I not notice them... but that answers the question, thanks.

On Wednesday, 5 July 2017 at 06:06:18 UTC, Dukc wrote:
> On Tuesday, 4 July 2017 at 21:02:55 UTC, Martin Nowak wrote:
>> preGenerate-/preBuildCommands are your friends to compile C++ code using dub.
>
> Hod did I not notice them... but that answers the question, thanks.

See https://github.com/dlang-community/drepl/pull/63 for an example on how simple c/c++ files can be compiled "on-the-fly".