ninja still try to compile fmt.lib when only fmt_header_only_dep is used

[trim21]

for a meson config like this:

project(
    'app',
    'cpp',
    meson_version: '>= 1.3.0',
)

executable(
    'app',
    'main.cc',
    dependencies: [
        subproject('fmt').get_variable('fmt_header_only_dep'),
    ],
)

and after meson setup build, build.ninja looks like this:

# Build rules for targets

build subprojects/fmt-11.0.2/fmt.dll.p/src_format.cc.obj: cpp_COMPILER ../subprojects/fmt-11.0.2/src/format.cc
 DEPFILE = "subprojects\fmt-11.0.2\fmt.dll.p\src_format.cc.obj.d"
 DEPFILE_UNQUOTED = subprojects\fmt-11.0.2\fmt.dll.p\src_format.cc.obj.d
 ARGS = "-Isubprojects\fmt-11.0.2\fmt.dll.p" "-Isubprojects\fmt-11.0.2" "-I..\subprojects\fmt-11.0.2" "-I..\subprojects\fmt-11.0.2\include" "-fdiagnostics-color=always" "-D_GLIBCXX_ASSERTIONS=1" "-D_FILE_OFFSET_BITS=64" "-Wall" "-Winvalid-pch" "-std=c++14" "-O0" "-g" "-DFMT_LIB_EXPORT"

build subprojects/fmt-11.0.2/fmt.dll.p/src_os.cc.obj: cpp_COMPILER ../subprojects/fmt-11.0.2/src/os.cc
 DEPFILE = "subprojects\fmt-11.0.2\fmt.dll.p\src_os.cc.obj.d"
 DEPFILE_UNQUOTED = subprojects\fmt-11.0.2\fmt.dll.p\src_os.cc.obj.d
 ARGS = "-Isubprojects\fmt-11.0.2\fmt.dll.p" "-Isubprojects\fmt-11.0.2" "-I..\subprojects\fmt-11.0.2" "-I..\subprojects\fmt-11.0.2\include" "-fdiagnostics-color=always" "-D_GLIBCXX_ASSERTIONS=1" "-D_FILE_OFFSET_BITS=64" "-Wall" "-Winvalid-pch" "-std=c++14" "-O0" "-g" "-DFMT_LIB_EXPORT"

build subprojects/fmt-11.0.2/fmt.dll.p/fmt.dll.symbols: SHSYM subprojects/fmt-11.0.2/fmt.dll
 IMPLIB = "subprojects/fmt-11.0.2/fmt.lib"

build subprojects/fmt-11.0.2/fmt.dll | subprojects/fmt-11.0.2/fmt.pdb: cpp_LINKER subprojects/fmt-11.0.2/fmt.dll.p/src_format.cc.obj subprojects/fmt-11.0.2/fmt.dll.p/src_os.cc.obj
 LINK_ARGS = "-Wl,/release" "-Wl,/nologo" "-Wl,/DEBUG" "-Wl,/PDB:subprojects\fmt-11.0.2\fmt.pdb" "-Wl,/DLL" "-Wl,/IMPLIB:subprojects\fmt-11.0.2\fmt.lib" "-lkernel32" "-luser32" "-lgdi32" "-lwinspool" "-lshell32" "-lole32" "-loleaut32" "-luuid" "-lcomdlg32" "-ladvapi32"

build app.exe.p/main.cc.obj: cpp_COMPILER ../main.cc
 DEPFILE = "app.exe.p\main.cc.obj.d"
 DEPFILE_UNQUOTED = app.exe.p\main.cc.obj.d
 ARGS = "-Iapp.exe.p" "-I." "-I.." "-I..\subprojects\fmt-11.0.2\include" "-fdiagnostics-color=always" "-D_GLIBCXX_ASSERTIONS=1" "-D_FILE_OFFSET_BITS=64" "-Wall" "-Winvalid-pch" "-O0" "-g" "-DFMT_HEADER_ONLY"

and build output:

meson compile -C build
INFO: autodetecting backend as ninja
INFO: calculating backend command to run: C:\Users\Trim21\scoop\shims\ninja.EXE -C C:/Users/Trim21/proj/meson-fmt-header-only/build
ninja: Entering directory `C:/Users/Trim21/proj/meson-fmt-header-only/build'
[5/5] Linking target subprojects/fmt-11.0.2/fmt.dll
  Creating library subprojects\fmt-11.0.2\fmt.lib and object subprojects\fmt-11.0.2\fmt.exp

Is this expected?

If this is expected, how to workaround it?

[jpakkane]

If the library in question does not have build_by_default: false in its kwargs, then it will be built by the default build command. It will also be built if it has the kwarg install: true.

[trim21]

If the library in question does not have build_by_default: false in its kwargs, then it will be built by the default build command. It will also be built if it has the kwarg install: true.

So there is no way to disable it without changing subprojects/packagefiles/fmt/meson.build?