Re: (no subject)

[Paul D. Smith]

%% address@hidden writes:

  d> I have two direcories:
  d>  - xmldocs with files named abc<pattern>def.xml
  d>  - txtdocs with files named rst<pattern>uvw.txt

  d> There's a command which converts xml to txt, f.e. abc001def.xml to
  d> rst001uvw.txt.

  d> I'm looking for a rule that for every xml file in xmldocs
  d> looks in txtdocs for the corresponding txt-version of the
  d> file. If it is older or doesn't exist then it has to be made.
        
  d> xmldocs/abc%def.xml:  txtdocs/rst%uvw.txt
  d>    convert $@ $<

That's good.

  d> I tried this, but you have to call make for every file in
  d> xmldocs. I would like make to detect new(er) xml files and convert
  d> them to txt automatically.

You have to tell make what you want to build.  Add a line like this:

  XML_FILES = abc001def.xml abc002def.xml <...>

  .PHONY: all
  all: $(XML_FILES:abc%def.xml=txtdocs/rst%uvw.txt)

and away you go.

If you want make to determine the list for you, do something like:

  XML_FILES := $(wildcard xmldocs/abc*def.xml)

  .PHONY: all
  all: $(XML_FILES:xmldocs/abc%def.xml=txtdocs/rst%uvw.txt)

-- 
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 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