project('custom target', 'c') python = find_program('python3', required : false) if not python.found() python = find_program('python') endif # Note that this will not add a dependency to the compiler executable. # Code will not be rebuilt if it changes. comp = '@0@/@1@'.format(meson.current_source_dir(), 'my_compiler.py') # Test that files() in command: works. The compiler just discards it. useless = files('installed_files.txt') mytarget = custom_target('bindat', output : 'data.dat', input : 'data_source.txt', command : [python, comp, '--input=@INPUT@', '--output=@OUTPUT@', useless], install : true, install_dir : 'subdir' ) subdir('depfile')