add_custom_target(helper) set_property(TARGET helper PROPERTY MY_TEXT "lorem ipsum") add_custom_command( OUTPUT out.txt COMMAND ${CMAKE_COMMAND} -E echo true COMMENT "$<QUOTE>$<TARGET_PROPERTY:helper,MY_TEXT>$<COMMA> $<STREQUAL:foo,bar>$<EQUAL:42,42>$<QUOTE>" ) set_property(SOURCE out.txt PROPERTY SYMBOLIC 1) add_custom_target(main ALL DEPENDS out.txt)