Re: I: adjust test suite for upcoming GNU Make 3.83

[Paul D. Smith]

Hi all;

I got no real response to this.  This release of GNU make (3.81) is
coming up (one hopes!) and this seems like a real problem that we need
to come up with a solution for.  If we don't it seems like automake and
GNU make 3.81 and Java simply will not be usable together.

Anyone have any thoughts or opinions on this?


Reminding you; from the NEWS file for 3.81beta3:

    ftp://alpha.gnu.org/gnu/make/make-3.81beta3.tar.bz2

> * WARNING: Backward-incompatibility!
>   GNU make now implements a generic "second expansion" feature on the
>   prerequisites of both explicit and implicit (pattern) targets.  After
>   the rule has been parsed, the prerequisites are expanded a second
>   time, this time with all the automatic variables in scope.  This means
>   that in addition to using standard SysV $$@ in prerequisites lists,
>   you can also use complex functions such as $$(notdir $$@) etc.
>   This behavior applies to implicit rules, as well, where the second
>   expansion occurs after the rule is matched.  However, this means
>   that you need to double-quote any "$" in your filenames; instead of
>   "foo: boo$$bar" you must write "foo: foo$$$$bar".

Since we last spoke, however, there has been a new feature added which
may help somewhat:

> * New special variables available in this release:
>    - .FEATURES: Contains a list of special features available in this
>      version of GNU make.

One of the words in the .FEATURES list will be second-expansion if this
feature is present.

However, I see no way to take advantage of this that is compatible with
non-GNU versions of make.  I don't know whether automake currently works
correctly for Java with any other version of make, but this would
definitely cause that not to be the case going forward.

-- 
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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