vcpkg/docs/maintainers/vcpkg_list.md
nicole mazzuca 0e1dc12185
[rollup] Rollup PR 2021-07-16 (#19001)
* [rollup:2021-07-16 1/7] PR #18201 (@JackBoosY)

[vcpkg-cmake] Add check for unused cmake variables

* [rollup:2021-07-16 2/7] PR #18397 (@strega-nil)

[vcpkg_list] add new function

* [rollup:2021-07-16 3/7] PR #18782 (@strega-nil)

[scripts-audit] vcpkg_build_ninja

* [rollup:2021-07-16 4/7] PR #18784 (@strega-nil)

[scripts-audit] vcpkg_minimum_required

* [rollup:2021-07-16 5/7] PR #18785 (@strega-nil)

[scripts-audit] vcpkg_replace_string

* [rollup:2021-07-16 6/7] PR #18786 (@strega-nil)

[scripts-audit] windows scripts

* [rollup:2021-07-16 7/7] PR #18945 (@strega-nil)

[many ports] remove deprecated vcpkg_check_features call [1/5]

Co-authored-by: nicole mazzuca <mazzucan@outlook.com>
Co-authored-by: PhoebeHui <20694052+PhoebeHui@users.noreply.github.com>
2021-07-20 10:24:58 -07:00

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# vcpkg_list
The latest version of this document lives in the [vcpkg repo](https://github.com/Microsoft/vcpkg/blob/master/docs/maintainers/vcpkg_list.md).
A replacement for CMake's `list()` function, which correctly handles elements
with internal semicolons (in other words, escaped semicolons).
Use `vcpkg_list()` instead of `list()` whenever possible.
```cmake
vcpkg_list(SET <out-var> [<element>...])
vcpkg_list(<COMMAND> <list-var> [<other-arguments>...])
```
In addition to all of the commands from `list()`, `vcpkg_list` adds
a `vcpkg_list(SET)` command.
This command takes its arguments, escapes them, and then concatenates
them into a list; this should be used instead of `set()` for setting any
list variable.
Otherwise, the `vcpkg_list()` function is the same as the built-in
`list()` function, with the following restrictions:
- `GET`, `REMOVE_ITEM`, and `REMOVE_AT` support only one index/value
- `POP_BACK` and `POP_FRONT` do not support getting the value into
another out variable. Use C++ style `GET` then `POP_(BACK|FRONT)`.
- `FILTER` and `TRANSFORM` are unsupported.
See the [CMake documentation for `list()`](https://cmake.org/cmake/help/latest/command/list.html)
for more information.
## Notes: Some Weirdnesses
The most major weirdness is due to `""` pulling double-duty as "list of zero elements",
and "list of one element, which is empty". `vcpkg_list` always uses the former understanding.
This can cause weird behavior, for example:
```cmake
set(lst "")
vcpkg_list(APPEND lst "" "")
# lst = ";"
```
This is because you're appending two elements to the empty list.
One very weird behavior that comes out of this would be:
```cmake
set(lst "")
vcpkg_list(APPEND lst "")
# lst = ""
```
since `""` is the empty list, we append the empty element and end up with a list
of one element, which is empty. This does not happen for non-empty lists;
for example:
```cmake
set(lst "a")
vcpkg_list(APPEND lst "")
# lst = "a;"
```
only the empty list has this odd behavior.
## Examples
### Creating a list
```cmake
vcpkg_list(SET foo_param)
if(DEFINED arg_FOO)
vcpkg_list(SET foo_param FOO "${arg_FOO}")
endif()
```
### Appending to a list
```cmake
set(OPTIONS -DFOO=BAR)
if(VCPKG_TARGET_IS_WINDOWS)
vcpkg_list(APPEND OPTIONS "-DOS=WINDOWS;FOO")
endif()
```
### Popping the end off a list
```cmake
if(NOT list STREQUAL "")
vcpkg_list(GET list end -1)
vcpkg_list(POP_BACK list)
endif()
```
## Source
[scripts/cmake/vcpkg\_list.cmake](https://github.com/Microsoft/vcpkg/blob/master/scripts/cmake/vcpkg_list.cmake)