Re: distclean should walk subdirs in reverse order

[Sam Varshavchik]

Harlan Stenn writes:

> Stefano Lattarini writes:
> > My suggestion: if files in different subdirectories are actually
> > dependent on each other (that is, the subdirectories are not
> > really independent "modules" that can be built independently and
> > oblivious to each other), re-organize your build system to stop
> > using makefile recursion.  For more background and rationales, see
> > Peter Miller's excellent paper "Recursive Make Considered Harmful":
> > <http://aegis.sourceforge.net/auug97.pdf>
> >
> > See also the old similar issue:
> > <http://debbugs.gnu.org/cgi/bugreport.cgi?bug=12064>
> >
> > (Sorry for the overly curt reply, but time is what it is these
> > days).
>
> The problem I've had is that the info above does a great job of saying
> "recursive Make can be a problem" but I haven't found anything to help
> me make a useful non-recursive Make system.

Non-recursive make systems can be a problem too. Anything can be a problem,  
if it's not used properly. For any given tool there is a right way, and a  
wrong way to use it.

And once codebase crosses some threshold, having one, flat Makefile just  
does not work. I count 81 Makefile.am's in gcc's svn tree. Even if someone  
comes up with one flat Makefile to replace all of them, I'd be shocked if  
the end result is unquestionably superior.

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