Re: Explicit, implicit rule chain doesn't work in created dirs

[Paul D. Smith]

%% <address@hidden> writes:

  n>   if (lookup_file (p) != 0 ||
  n>       ((!dep->changed || check_lastslash) && file_exists_p (p)))

I'll look at this more closely.

  n> Ideally it would be possible to tell make that the date on some
  n> targets is never important, rather than using the --old-file=
  n> parameter anytime it changes.

You can do this in the next version of GNU make.  There is a feature
which allows you to declare a dependency for ordering purposes only, but
which doesn't impact the rebuild/don't rebuild decision (the update time
is ignored).

Nevertheless, I think this is not an elegant way of handling this
problem.  I still feel it's too much work (and looks messy as well) to
declare the directory as a prerequisite to every single target.

  >> _foo := $(shell [ -d dir/subdir ] || mkdir -p dir/subdir)

  n> It would be nice if the documentation suggested that...

I thought I had added this to the docs, actually, but I don't see it
now.  Either I dreamed it or I added it somewhere else.

-- 
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 Paul D. Smith <address@hidden>          Find some GNU make tips at:
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 "Please remain calm...I may be mad, but I am a professional." --Mad Scientist