[SCons] Add commands for building (but not running) tests

SConstruct

@@ -25,6 +25,10 @@ Basic usage:
 
     'scons test-NAME' - Run the test named "NAME".
 
+    'scons build-NAME' - Build the program for the test named "NAME".
+
+    'scons build-tests' - Build the programs for all tests.
+
     'scons samples' - Compile the C++ and Fortran samples.
 
     'scons msi' - Build a Windows installer (.msi) for Cantera.
@@ -111,7 +115,7 @@ else:
     logger.logger.setLevel("INFO")
 
 for command in COMMAND_LINE_TARGETS:
-    if command not in valid_commands and not command.startswith('test'):
+    if command not in valid_commands and not command.startswith(('test', 'build-')):
         logger.error(f"Unrecognized command line target: {command!r}")
         sys.exit(1)
 
@@ -2351,7 +2355,7 @@ if 'msi' in COMMAND_LINE_TARGETS:
     build_msi = Alias('msi', msi_target)
 
 ### Tests ###
-if any(target.startswith('test') for target in COMMAND_LINE_TARGETS):
+if any(target.startswith(('test', 'build-')) for target in COMMAND_LINE_TARGETS):
     env['testNames'] = []
     env['test_results'] = env.Command('test_results', [], test_results.print_report)
 

doc/sphinx/develop/running-tests.md

@@ -339,7 +339,7 @@ of the GTest test suite by changing the `program` name above.
 Before running any of the GTest programs through VS Code, you will first need to
 use SCons to compile the corresponding test program, for example by running
 ```sh
-scons test-thermo
+scons build-thermo
 ```
 
 If you make any changes to the test program or the Cantera library code, re-run this
@@ -360,11 +360,11 @@ help with running either the C++ or Python tests through GDB on Linux.
 
 ### Running C++ (GoogleTest) Tests
 
-First, run the target test through SCons to make sure the Cantera library and the test
+First, build the target test through SCons to make sure the Cantera library and the test
 executable are up to date. We'll use the `kinetics` test subset as an example, with the
 goal of debugging the `PlogLowPressure` test.
 ```sh
-scons test-kinetics
+scons build-kinetics
 ```
 
 Next, you need to set some environment variables that specify where the test program can

test/SConscript

@@ -104,7 +104,9 @@ def addTestProgram(subdir, progName, env_vars={}):
         run_program = testenv.Command(passedFile, program, gtestRunner)
         env.Depends(run_program, env['build_targets'])
         env.Depends(env['test_results'], run_program)
-        Alias('test-%s' % progName, run_program)
+        Alias(f'test-{progName}', run_program)
+        Alias(f'build-{progName}', program)
+        Alias('build-tests', program)
         env['testNames'].append(progName)
     else:
         test_results.failed['test-%s (googletest disabled)' % progName] = 1

test_problems/SConscript

@@ -71,7 +71,9 @@ class Test(object):
         localenv.Depends(env['test_results'], run)
         localenv.Depends(run, env['build_targets'])
         localenv.Alias('test-clean', self.clean(localenv))
-        localenv.Alias('test-%s' % self.testName, run)
+        localenv.Alias(f'test-{self.testName}', run)
+        localenv.Alias(f'build-{self.testName}', self.program)
+        localenv.Alias('build-tests', self.program)
         env['testNames'].append(self.testName)
 
         # reset: just delete the ".passed" file so that this test will be re-run