MESSAGE does not document quoting behavior
This issue was created automatically from an original Mantis Issue. Further discussion may take place here.
The entry for MESSAGE in cmake.html does not explain the difference between using quotes and not using them for string output. If newbies fail to use quotes, they get the underlying semicolon separated list output
It's worth having the CMake string vs. list storage model explained somewhere in the docs, as it underlies many other CMake operations and problems. It's logical to have it explained in MESSAGE, since that's where newbies typically notice the underlying list storage format.
One user wrote:
A couple of days ago I noticed something with the ";", too. If you have a list (created either with SET or with LIST), when you try to print it with MESSAGE( mylist ) elements are not separated by ";" but if you print it with MESSAGE( "mylist" ) (with quotes), it will.
SET( mylist FOO BAR FIZZBUZZ )
MESSAGE( mylist ) # produces FOOBARFIZZBUZZ
MESSAGE( "mylist" ) # produces FOO;BAR;FIZZBUZZ
Until now I have only noticed that behavior with MESSAGE, I don't know if that's a bug or if other commands are affected. That's with CMake 2.4.6, I have not tried any other version.