[bug #54870] Defining macro with name of built-in function

[John F. Trudeau]

URL:
  <https://savannah.gnu.org/bugs/?54870>

                 Summary: Defining macro with name of built-in function
                 Project: make
            Submitted by: jftrudeau
            Submitted on: Sun 21 Oct 2018 01:59:36 AM UTC
                Severity: 3 - Normal
              Item Group: Enhancement
                  Status: None
                 Privacy: Public
             Assigned to: None
             Open/Closed: Open
         Discussion Lock: Any
       Component Version: 4.2.1
        Operating System: POSIX-Based
           Fixed Release: None
           Triage Status: None

    _______________________________________________________

Details:

I experienced some confusion using the GNU Make Standard Library.

The heuristic to detect the existence of the "or" and "and" build-in functions
is always false.  This causes "or" and "and" macros to be defined
unconditionally.

The confusion arises because the "macro" definitions can be viewed, but they
can never be executed with arguments.  They are silently ignored.  Referencing
the "macro" without "call" arguments returns the "macro" definition without
error.  "$(or THIS,THAT)" and "$(call or,THIS,THAT)" both reference the
built-in function, which is probably sane.

----

Suggestion 1: Run-time switch to warn when a macro is defined with a build-in
function name.

  --warn-redefined-functions

Suggestion 2: New Special Variable: .FUNCTIONS

  For Makefile package maintainers.

  ifeq (,$(filter and,$(.FUNCTIONS))
    and = $(if THIS,$(if THAT))
  endif

Suggestion 3: Don't allow macros to be defined with built-in function names.

Example Makefile Attached.



    _______________________________________________________

File Attachments:


-------------------------------------------------------
Date: Sun 21 Oct 2018 01:59:36 AM UTC  Name: redefine-builtin.make  Size: 784B
  By: jftrudeau

<http://savannah.gnu.org/bugs/download.php?file_id=45250>
-------------------------------------------------------
Date: Sun 21 Oct 2018 01:59:36 AM UTC  Name: redefine-builtin.out  Size: 984B 
 By: jftrudeau

<http://savannah.gnu.org/bugs/download.php?file_id=45251>

    _______________________________________________________

Reply to this item at:

  <https://savannah.gnu.org/bugs/?54870>

_______________________________________________
  Message sent via Savannah
  https://savannah.gnu.org/