CMake API syntax

First, you have to understand how CMake parses functions calls.

function(foo spam)

endfunction()

Here you must call foo with at least one argument, that will be referenced as spam in the body of the function.

But if you call foo with more arguments, they will simply stored in a variable called ${ARGN}

There are three kind of keywords you can find in the ARGN list:

• flags: their presence will trigger a different behavior for the function (For instance, the NO_INSTALL keyword of qi_create_lib) In the signature of the function, they appear like this:

  [NO_INSTALL]
  

• parameter: the immediately following argument will be read. (For instance, the SUBFOLDER keyword of qi_create_lib) In the signature of the function, they appear like this:

  [SUBFOLDER <subfolder>]
  

• groups: the following arguments will be parsed until a keyword is found. (For instance, the SRC keyword of qi_create_lib)

  In the signature of the function, they appear like this:

  [SRC <src> ...]
  

Lastly, it is possible you will have unparsed arguments at then end of your call. For instance, you could use qi_create_lib like this:

qi_create_lib(foo STATIC SUBFOLDER bar foo.cpp foo.hpp)

Here the STATIC and SUBFOLDER keyword have been parsed, to the remaining arguments are foo.cpp and foo.hpp.

In the signature of the function, they appear like this:

[<remain args> ...]

Most of the qi functions to create targets merge the SRC group with the remaining arguments, so their is no difference between

qi_create_lib(foo SRC foo.cpp foo.hpp)

and

qi_create_lib(foo foo.cpp foo.hpp)