[net.sources.d] Wanted: enhanced Make

rrt@duke.UUCP (Russell R. Tuck) (03/14/86)

I am looking for a program that will extend make's functionality by 
letting me parameterize my makefiles.  An extended version of make
with a #include statement for use in makefiles might work, or an even
more general program might be needed.

As an example, I keep each module of a large program in a separate directory.
Each module (directory) has its own makefile, and I want these makefiles to
share a set of common definitions.  When I change the common definitions, I 
want the changes to automatically take effect in each makefile.  Some of these
definitions are macros, and some are rules.  I also have a program (taken from
net.sources some time ago) that reads source files and generates a list of
the files they depend on, in "make" form.  I want to include these generated
dependencies in the makefile that actually makes each module.

A file include facility in makefiles would solve the first problem, but I
think a second level of makefile is necessary for the second.  (I.e., the
first makefile builds a second makefile containing the generated dependencies,
then runs make on this second makefile to make the module object library.)

Please mail your ideas, suggestions, or programs to me, and I will post
a summary if there is sufficient interest.

				Russ
-- 
Russell R. Tuck, III
Computer Science Department                Duke University, Durham, NC 27705 
CSNET: rrt@duke                            ARPA:  rrt%duke.csnet@csnet-relay 
UUCP:  {ihnp4|decvax|mcnc}!duke!rrt        VOICE: (919) 684-5110 ext.27

styborsk@hpspkla.UUCP (styborsk) (03/17/86)

It sounds like you want to get "Fourth Generation Make" (Nmake) from the AT&T 
Toolchest.  I don't remember the specifics on how to do it, but someone 
surely knows.  P.S.- I think that you have to have the Korn Shell (ksh)
in order to use Nmake.