cmake_minimum_required(VERSION 3.0) project(Minimal NONE) function(test_set) set(blah "value2") message("before PARENT_SCOPE blah=${blah}") set(blah ${blah} PARENT_SCOPE) message("after PARENT_SCOPE blah=${blah}") endfunction() set(blah value1) test_set() message("in parent scope, blah=${blah}")