bgfx targets not visible globally when imported via find_package(bgfx)

[alemuntoni]

I am using bgfx in a setup where it is first built and installed on the system. In my project, I then attempt to import it with:

find_package(bgfx)

This approach allows me to use bgfx::* targets (e.g. bgfx::shaderc) within the same CMake project where find_package(bgfx) is called. However, if I call find_package(bgfx) within a subdirectory, I cannot access bgfx targets from the parent project directory.

It seems that this limitation occurs because the bgfxTargets.cmake file (installed in ${CMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX}/lib/cmake/bgfx) defines targets like bgfx::shaderc using add_executable(bgfx::shaderc IMPORTED) but without the GLOBAL option.
As per the CMake documentation on add_executable, omitting the GLOBAL option restricts target visibility to the scope where find_package(bgfx) is called.

Notably, this behavior is inconsistent with a scenario where add_subdirectory(bgfx.cmake) is used instead of find_package(bgfx). In that case, targets like bgfx::shaderc are accessible globally.

Could this omission of the GLOBAL flag be an oversight? If not, could you explain the reasoning behind this design choice?

=====

Example with find_package(bgfx):

Project Tree:

.
└── OuterProject/
    ├── CMakeLists.txt
    └── InnerProject/
        └── CMakeLists.txt

InnerProject/CMakeLists.txt:

[...]
find_package(bgfx)

# Here I can use the target `bgfx::shaderc`

OuterProject/CMakeLists.txt:

[...]
add_subdirectory(InnerProject)

# Here, `bgfx::shaderc` is not accessible, though I can call `bgfx` utility functions like `bgfx_compile_shaders` (they just fail at build time).

=====

Example with add_subdirectory(bgfx.cmake):

Project Tree:

.
└── OuterProject/
    ├── CMakeLists.txt
    └── InnerProject/
        ├── bgfx.cmake/
        │   └── ...
        └── CMakeLists.txt

InnerProject/CMakeLists.txt:

[...]
add_subdirectory(bgfx.cmake)

# Here I can use `bgfx::shaderc`

OuterProject/CMakeLists.txt:

[...]
add_subdirectory(InnerProject)

# Here `bgfx::shaderc` is accessible as well.