
  ## quickly extracts string properties values from a json string
  ## useful for large json files with unique property keys
  function(json_extract_string_value key data)
    regex_escaped_string("\"" "\"") 
    ans(regex)

    set(key_value_regex "\"${key}\" *: ${regex}")
    string(REGEX MATCHALL  "${key_value_regex}" matches "${data}")
    set(values)
    foreach(match ${matches})
      string(REGEX REPLACE "${key_value_regex}" "\\1" match "${match}")
      list(APPEND values "${match}")
    endforeach() 
    return_ref(values)
  endfunction()