Re: 'How makefiles are remade'

[Noel Yap]

Jim wrote:

> Noel Yap wrote:
> > The amount of hairy code in a system stays constant :-)  Although the 
> > definition may be ugly, it's usage is pretty simple:
> >
> > $(call include-makefile,my-makefile)
> well yeah - but include-makefile supplies ,-include,$(m), for the $(1) 
> and $(2) in _include-makefile...
>
> # $(1) is the include method, either "include" or "-include"
> # $(2) is the file to be included

I don't understand your point (and, actually, include-makefile passes "include" not 
"-include").

> So that statement is actually include - but that include is performed 
> when $(eval) is done, and not being entirely sure of the sequence of 
> operations, is $(eval) done before included makefile dependancies are 
> checked?  and even if it were, there's still no way to restart and throw 
> out previously included garbage.

$(eval) is just like typing in the macro's value yourself so, yes, it's done 
before the dependencies are checked.

> Really, if any makefile is modified which has been included, the entire 
> make state needs to be trashed and repeat after processing command 
> arguments.

I think this only happens at the time the makefile is included.  It's 
infeasible to have make check whether all makefiles that it had included, has 
been touched by something.

Noel