Use CMAKE_CXX_STANDARD when available

CMakeLists.txt

@@ -1,5 +1,8 @@
 cmake_minimum_required(VERSION 3.1.3...3.16)
 
+list(APPEND CMAKE_MODULE_PATH "${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/cmake/")
+include(guidelineSupportLibrary)
+
 project(GSL VERSION 3.1.0 LANGUAGES CXX)
 
 include(ExternalProject)
@@ -8,39 +11,30 @@ find_package(Git)
 # Use GNUInstallDirs to provide the right locations on all platforms
 include(GNUInstallDirs)
 
-# creates a library GSL which is an interface (header files only)
+# Creates a library GSL which is an interface (header files only)
 add_library(GSL INTERFACE)
 
-# determine whether this is a standalone project or included by other projects
+# NOTE: If you want to use GSL prefer to link against GSL using this alias target
+# EX:
+#   target_link_libraries(foobar PRIVATE Microsoft.GSL::GSL)
+#
+# Add Microsoft.GSL::GSL alias for GSL so that dependents can be agnostic about
+# whether GSL was added via `add_subdirectory` or `find_package`
+add_library(Microsoft.GSL::GSL ALIAS GSL)
+
+# Determine whether this is a standalone project or included by other projects
 set(GSL_STANDALONE_PROJECT OFF)
 if (CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR STREQUAL CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR)
     set(GSL_STANDALONE_PROJECT ON)
-endif ()
-
-set(GSL_CXX_STANDARD "14" CACHE STRING "Use c++ standard")
-set(GSL_CXX_STD "cxx_std_${GSL_CXX_STANDARD}")
-
-if (MSVC)
-    set(GSL_CXX_STD_OPT "-std:c++${GSL_CXX_STANDARD}")
-else()
-    set(GSL_CXX_STD_OPT "-std=c++${GSL_CXX_STANDARD}")
 endif()
 
-# when minimum version required is 3.8.0 remove if below
-# both branches do exactly the same thing
-if (CMAKE_VERSION VERSION_LESS 3.7.9)
-    include(CheckCXXCompilerFlag)
-    CHECK_CXX_COMPILER_FLAG("${GSL_CXX_STD_OPT}" COMPILER_SUPPORTS_CXX_STANDARD)
+# This GSL implementation generally assumes a platform that implements C++14 support.
+set(gsl_min_cxx_standard "14")
 
-    if(COMPILER_SUPPORTS_CXX_STANDARD)
-        target_compile_options(GSL INTERFACE "${GSL_CXX_STD_OPT}")
-    else()
-        message(FATAL_ERROR "The compiler ${CMAKE_CXX_COMPILER} has no c++${GSL_CXX_STANDARD} support. Please use a different C++ compiler.")
-    endif()
-else ()
-    target_compile_features(GSL INTERFACE "${GSL_CXX_STD}")
-    # on *nix systems force the use of -std=c++XX instead of -std=gnu++XX (default)
-    set(CMAKE_CXX_EXTENSIONS OFF)
+if (GSL_STANDALONE_PROJECT)
+    gsl_set_default_cxx_standard(${gsl_min_cxx_standard})
+else()
+    gsl_client_set_cxx_standard(${gsl_min_cxx_standard})
 endif()
 
 # add definitions to the library and targets that consume it
@@ -111,10 +105,6 @@ else()
 endif()
 install(FILES ${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/Microsoft.GSLConfigVersion.cmake DESTINATION ${CMAKE_INSTALL_DATADIR}/cmake/Microsoft.GSL)
 
-# Add Microsoft.GSL::GSL alias for GSL so that dependents can be agnostic about
-# whether GSL was added via `add_subdirectory` or `find_package`
-add_library(Microsoft.GSL::GSL ALIAS GSL)
-
 option(GSL_TEST "Generate tests." ${GSL_STANDALONE_PROJECT})
 if (GSL_TEST)
     enable_testing()

cmake/guidelineSupportLibrary.cmake

@@ -0,0 +1,61 @@
+# This cmake module is meant to hold helper functions/macros
+# that make maintaining the cmake build system much easier.
+# This is especially helpful since gsl needs to provide coverage
+# for multiple versions of cmake.
+#
+# Any functions/macros should have a gsl_* prefix to avoid problems
+if (DEFINED guideline_support_library_include_guard)
+    return()
+endif()
+set(guideline_support_library_include_guard ON)
+
+function(gsl_set_default_cxx_standard min_cxx_standard)
+    set(GSL_CXX_STANDARD "${min_cxx_standard}" CACHE STRING "Use c++ standard")
+
+    set(GSL_CXX_STD "cxx_std_${GSL_CXX_STANDARD}")
+
+    if (MSVC)
+        set(GSL_CXX_STD_OPT "-std:c++${GSL_CXX_STANDARD}")
+    else()
+        set(GSL_CXX_STD_OPT "-std=c++${GSL_CXX_STANDARD}")
+    endif()
+
+    # when minimum version required is 3.8.0 remove if below
+    # both branches do exactly the same thing
+    if (CMAKE_VERSION VERSION_LESS 3.7.9)
+        include(CheckCXXCompilerFlag)
+        CHECK_CXX_COMPILER_FLAG("${GSL_CXX_STD_OPT}" COMPILER_SUPPORTS_CXX_STANDARD)
+
+        if(COMPILER_SUPPORTS_CXX_STANDARD)
+            target_compile_options(GSL INTERFACE "${GSL_CXX_STD_OPT}")
+        else()
+            message(FATAL_ERROR "The compiler ${CMAKE_CXX_COMPILER} has no c++${GSL_CXX_STANDARD} support. Please use a different C++ compiler.")
+        endif()
+    else()
+        target_compile_features(GSL INTERFACE "${GSL_CXX_STD}")
+        # on *nix systems force the use of -std=c++XX instead of -std=gnu++XX (default)
+        set(CMAKE_CXX_EXTENSIONS OFF)
+    endif()
+endfunction()
+
+# The best way for a project to specify the GSL's C++ standard is by the client specifying
+# the CMAKE_CXX_STANDARD. However, this isn't always ideal. Since the CMAKE_CXX_STANDARD is
+# tied to the cmake version. And many projects have low cmake minimums.
+#
+# So provide an alternative approach in case that doesn't work.
+function(gsl_client_set_cxx_standard min_cxx_standard)
+    if (DEFINED CMAKE_CXX_STANDARD)
+        if (${CMAKE_CXX_STANDARD} VERSION_LESS ${min_cxx_standard})
+            message(FATAL_ERROR "GSL: Requires at least CXX standard ${min_cxx_standard}, user provided ${CMAKE_CXX_STANDARD}")
+        endif()
+
+        # Set the GSL standard to what the client desires
+        set(GSL_CXX_STANDARD "${CMAKE_CXX_STANDARD}" PARENT_SCOPE)
+
+        # Exit out early to avoid extra unneccessary work
+        return()
+    endif()
+
+    # Otherwise pick a reasonable default
+    gsl_set_default_cxx_standard(${min_cxx_standard})
+endfunction()