Re: [PATCH] docs: more details about make VPATH rewriting woes

[Ralf Wildenhues]

Hi Stefano,

* Stefano Lattarini wrote on Tue, Sep 13, 2011 at 03:15:04PM CEST:
> * doc/autoconf.texi (Automatic Rule Rewriting): Solaris make
> VPATH rewriting might apply also to shell variables, functions
> and keywords (and automake has already tripped on this once);
> document this, with an example.  Since we are at it, do some
> minor reformatting of existing text.

It applies to any word that is surrounded by whitespace (or beginning or
end of command line), regardless of shell syntax.  Please don't
formulate it like Solaris make would understand shell syntax when
rewriting rules, IMHO that's confusing and makes it harder to understand
the issue.

Thanks,
Ralf

>  the source directory contains an ordinary file named @file{test} that is
>  used in a dependency, Solaris @command{make} rewrites commands like
>  @samp{if test -r foo; @dots{}} to @samp{if ../pkg/src/test -r foo;
> address@hidden, which is typically undesirable.  To avoid this problem,
> -portable makefiles should never mention a source file whose name is that
> -of a shell keyword like @file{until} or a shell command like
> address@hidden or @command{gcc} or @command{test}.
> -
> -Because of these problems GNU @command{make} and many other
> address@hidden implementations do not rewrite commands, so portable
> -makefiles should
> address@hidden, which is typically undesirable.  The same might happen also
> +to shell functions, variables and keywords.