# DESTDIR

New in version 3.12.

This is a CMake Environment Variable. Its initial value is taken from the calling process environment.

On UNIX one can use the `DESTDIR` mechanism in order to relocate the whole installation. `DESTDIR` means DESTination DIRectory. It is commonly used by makefile users in order to install software at non-default location. It is usually invoked like this:

    make DESTDIR=/home/john install

which will install the concerned software using the installation prefix, e.g. `/usr/local` prepended with the `DESTDIR` value which finally gives `/home/john/usr/local`.

WARNING: `DESTDIR` may not be used on Windows because installation prefix usually contains a drive letter like in `C:/Program Files` which cannot be prepended with some other prefix.