less assumptions about the generated CMakeLists.txt

modules/version.cmake

@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+# determine program version from file, example: "14.1"
+# the reason why this information is stored
+# in a file and not as cmake variable
+# is that cmake-unaware programs can
+# parse and use it (e.g. Sphinx)
+if(EXISTS "${PROJECT_SOURCE_DIR}/VERSION")
+    file(READ "${PROJECT_SOURCE_DIR}/VERSION" PROGRAM_VERSION)
+    string(STRIP "${PROGRAM_VERSION}" PROGRAM_VERSION)
+endif()