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Re: May I use a _directory_ as a prerequisite?
From: |
Paul D. Smith |
Subject: |
Re: May I use a _directory_ as a prerequisite? |
Date: |
Fri, 30 Apr 2004 01:13:03 -0400 |
%% Eric Hanchrow <address@hidden> writes:
eh> The question is: can I depend upon this behavior? That is, can I
eh> depend upon `make' reading the last-mod time of a directory? The
eh> documentation doesn't say anything about this; it only refers to
eh> prerequisites as files.
Make treats all targets and prerequisites the same way: it uses their
time-last-modified stamp.
So, assuming your directories do have one, the behavior you'll get if
you use a directory as a prerequisite depends on how your filesystem
handles the TLM stamp on directories.
On all UNIX filesystems I'm aware of, the TLM of the directory changes
whenever the directory itself changes; that is, whenever a
file/directory is added, removed, or renamed the TLM of its parent
directory will change.
If that is the behavior you want, then you win! :).
I don't know the behavior of Microsoft filesystems like DOS and NTFS in
this area.
--
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Paul D. Smith <address@hidden> Find some GNU make tips at:
http://www.gnu.org http://make.paulandlesley.org
"Please remain calm...I may be mad, but I am a professional." --Mad Scientist