set(old_out "a b c") separate_arguments(old_out) set(old_exp "a;b;;c") set(unix_cmd "a \"b c\" 'd e' \";\" \\ \\'\\\" '\\'' \"\\\"\"") set(unix_exp "a;b c;d e;\;; '\";';\"") separate_arguments(unix_out UNIX_COMMAND "${unix_cmd}") set(windows_cmd "a \"b c\" 'd e' \";\" \\ \"c:\\windows\\path\\\\\" \\\"") set(windows_exp "a;b c;'d;e';\;;\\;c:\\windows\\path\\;\"") separate_arguments(windows_out WINDOWS_COMMAND "${windows_cmd}") foreach(mode old unix windows) if(NOT "${${mode}_out}" STREQUAL "${${mode}_exp}") message(FATAL_ERROR "separate_arguments ${mode}-style failed. " "Expected\n [${${mode}_exp}]\nbut got\n [${${mode}_out}]\n") endif() endforeach() set(nothing) separate_arguments(nothing) if(DEFINED nothing) message(FATAL_ERROR "separate_arguments null-case failed: " "nothing=[${nothing}]") endif()