# ; is parsed as %3B

**URL:** <https://discourse.cmake.org/t/is-parsed-as-3b/8155>\
**Category:** Code\
**Tags:** os:windows, gen:vs\
**Created:** [May 18, 2023, 11:42am UTC](https://discourse.cmake.org/t/is-parsed-as-3b/8155 "2023-05-18T11:42:08Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![aidexie](https://discourse.cmake.org/user_avatar/discourse.cmake.org/aidexie/32/3439_2.png) [@aidexie](https://discourse.cmake.org/u/aidexie)\
**Post date:** [May 18, 2023, 11:42am UTC](https://discourse.cmake.org/t/is-parsed-as-3b/8155/1 "2023-05-18T11:42:08Z")

</div>

I need to set the link attribute “force symbol refenece” in vs, and I need to set more than one. I found a solution on the internet.  
set\_target\_properties(target PROPERTIES LINK\_FLAGS “/INCLUDE:TEST1;TEST2”)  
But in vs it parses out as TEST1%3BTEST2, how do I solve this problem.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![ben.boeckel](https://discourse.cmake.org/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/b/ea5d25/32.png) [@ben.boeckel](https://discourse.cmake.org/u/ben.boeckel)\
**Post date:** [May 18, 2023, 12:15pm UTC](https://discourse.cmake.org/t/is-parsed-as-3b/8155/2 "2023-05-18T12:15:01Z")

</div>

Semicolon is special in CMake (it is the list separator), so things like this happening aren’t that surprising. As for this, `target_link_options(target PRIVATE "SHELL:/INCLUDE:TEST1;TEST2")` may work. If not, try replacing `;` with `$<SEMICOLON>` (with and without the `SHELL:` prefix).