Add cpp_library_set_version for git-based versioning

README.md

@@ -258,6 +258,56 @@ Your documentation will be automatically built and deployed to `https://your-org
 
 ## API Reference
 
+### `cpp_library_set_version`
+
+```cmake
+cpp_library_set_version()
+```
+
+Updates the project version from git tags after `project()` has been called. This is useful for projects that need custom setup and can't use `cpp_library_setup()` but still want automatic git-based versioning.
+
+**Usage:**
+
+```cmake
+project(my-library)  # No VERSION specified
+cpp_library_set_version()
+# Now PROJECT_VERSION, PROJECT_VERSION_MAJOR, PROJECT_VERSION_MINOR, 
+# and PROJECT_VERSION_PATCH are set from git tags
+```
+
+The function:
+- Queries git tags using `git describe --tags --abbrev=0`
+- Strips the 'v' prefix if present (e.g., `v1.2.3` → `1.2.3`)
+- Respects `CPP_LIBRARY_VERSION` cache variable if set (for package managers)
+- Falls back to `0.0.0` if no tag found
+- Updates all `PROJECT_VERSION*` variables in parent scope
+
+**When to use:**
+- You have a custom library setup that doesn't use `cpp_library_setup()`
+- You want to remove hardcoded versions from your `project()` declaration
+- You're migrating to cpp-library incrementally
+
+**Example for stlab/libraries:**
+
+```cmake
+cmake_minimum_required(VERSION 3.24)
+include(cmake/CPM.cmake)
+
+CPMAddPackage("gh:stlab/cpp-library@5.1.1")
+include(${cpp-library_SOURCE_DIR}/cpp-library.cmake)
+
+cpp_library_enable_dependency_tracking()
+
+project(stlab LANGUAGES CXX)  # No hardcoded version
+
+# Set version from git tags
+cpp_library_set_version()
+
+# Custom library setup continues...
+add_library(stlab)
+# ... rest of CMakeLists.txt
+```
+
 ### `cpp_library_setup`
 
 ```cmake

cmake/cpp-library-install.cmake

@@ -482,7 +482,7 @@ function(_cpp_library_setup_install)
         CALL _cpp_library_setup_install_validation)
 
     # Register config generation second so it runs first (LIFO) and sets properties
-    cmake_language(DEFER DIRECTORY ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR} 
+    cmake_language(DEFER DIRECTORY ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}
         CALL _cpp_library_deferred_generate_config)
 
 endfunction()

cpp-library.cmake

@@ -8,6 +8,42 @@
 # Determine the directory where this file is located
 get_filename_component(CPP_LIBRARY_ROOT "${CMAKE_CURRENT_LIST_FILE}" DIRECTORY)
 
+# Public function to update project version from git tags after project() has been called.
+# This is useful for projects that need custom setup and can't use cpp_library_setup()
+# but still want automatic git-based versioning.
+#
+# Usage:
+#   project(my-library)  # No VERSION specified
+#   cpp_library_set_version()
+#   # Now PROJECT_VERSION and related variables are set from git tags
+#
+# The function respects CPP_LIBRARY_VERSION if set (e.g., by package managers),
+# otherwise queries git tags, stripping the 'v' prefix if present.
+function(cpp_library_set_version)
+    # Get version from git tags (respects CPP_LIBRARY_VERSION override)
+    _cpp_library_get_git_version(GIT_VERSION)
+
+    # Parse version components
+    string(REGEX MATCH "^([0-9]+)\\.([0-9]+)\\.([0-9]+)" VERSION_MATCH "${GIT_VERSION}")
+    if(VERSION_MATCH)
+        set(VERSION_MAJOR ${CMAKE_MATCH_1})
+        set(VERSION_MINOR ${CMAKE_MATCH_2})
+        set(VERSION_PATCH ${CMAKE_MATCH_3})
+    else()
+        set(VERSION_MAJOR 0)
+        set(VERSION_MINOR 0)
+        set(VERSION_PATCH 0)
+    endif()
+
+    # Update project version in parent scope
+    set(PROJECT_VERSION ${GIT_VERSION} PARENT_SCOPE)
+    set(PROJECT_VERSION_MAJOR ${VERSION_MAJOR} PARENT_SCOPE)
+    set(PROJECT_VERSION_MINOR ${VERSION_MINOR} PARENT_SCOPE)
+    set(PROJECT_VERSION_PATCH ${VERSION_PATCH} PARENT_SCOPE)
+
+    message(STATUS "cpp-library: Set project version to ${GIT_VERSION} from git tags")
+endfunction()
+
 # Enable dependency tracking for accurate find_dependency() generation
 # This function should be called BEFORE project() to install the dependency provider.
 # Requires CMake 3.24+.
@@ -197,23 +233,16 @@ function(cpp_library_setup)
         set(ARG_REQUIRES_CPP_VERSION 17)
     endif()
 
-    # Get version from git tags
-    _cpp_library_get_git_version(GIT_VERSION)
-    set(ARG_VERSION "${GIT_VERSION}")
+    # Get version from git tags and update project version variables
+    cpp_library_set_version()
 
-    # Parse version components
-    string(REGEX MATCH "^([0-9]+)\\.([0-9]+)\\.([0-9]+)" VERSION_MATCH "${ARG_VERSION}")
-    if(VERSION_MATCH)
-        set(ARG_VERSION_MAJOR ${CMAKE_MATCH_1})
-        set(ARG_VERSION_MINOR ${CMAKE_MATCH_2})
-        set(ARG_VERSION_PATCH ${CMAKE_MATCH_3})
-    else()
-        set(ARG_VERSION_MAJOR 0)
-        set(ARG_VERSION_MINOR 0)
-        set(ARG_VERSION_PATCH 0)
-    endif()
+    # Retrieve the version that was just set
+    set(ARG_VERSION "${PROJECT_VERSION}")
+    set(ARG_VERSION_MAJOR ${PROJECT_VERSION_MAJOR})
+    set(ARG_VERSION_MINOR ${PROJECT_VERSION_MINOR})
+    set(ARG_VERSION_PATCH ${PROJECT_VERSION_PATCH})
 
-    # Update project version
+    # Propagate project version to caller's scope (backward compatibility)
     set(PROJECT_VERSION ${ARG_VERSION} PARENT_SCOPE)
     set(PROJECT_VERSION_MAJOR ${ARG_VERSION_MAJOR} PARENT_SCOPE)
     set(PROJECT_VERSION_MINOR ${ARG_VERSION_MINOR} PARENT_SCOPE)