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      1 GNU make NEWS                                               -*-indented-text-*-
      2   History of user-visible changes.
      3   1 April 2006
      4 
      5 See the end of this file for copyrights and conditions.
      6 
      7 All changes mentioned here are more fully described in the GNU make
      8 manual, which is contained in this distribution as the file doc/make.texi.
      9 See the README file and the GNU make manual for instructions for
     10 reporting bugs.
     11 
     13 Version 3.81
     14 
     15 * GNU make is ported to OS/2.
     16 
     17 * GNU make is ported to MinGW.  The MinGW build is only supported by
     18   the build_w32.bat batch file; see the file README.W32 for more
     19   details.
     20 
     21 * WARNING: Future backward-incompatibility!
     22   Up to and including this release, the '$?' variable does not contain
     23   any prerequisite that does not exist, even though that prerequisite
     24   might have caused the target to rebuild.  Starting with the _next_
     25   release of GNU make, '$?' will contain all prerequisites that caused
     26   the target to be considered out of date.  See this Savannah bug:
     27   http://savannah.gnu.org/bugs/index.php?func=detailitem&item_id=16051
     28 
     29 * WARNING: Backward-incompatibility!
     30   GNU make now implements a generic "second expansion" feature on the
     31   prerequisites of both explicit and implicit (pattern) rules.  In order
     32   to enable this feature, the special target '.SECONDEXPANSION' must be
     33   defined before the first target which takes advantage of it.  If this
     34   feature is enabled then after all rules have been parsed the
     35   prerequisites are expanded again, this time with all the automatic
     36   variables in scope.  This means that in addition to using standard
     37   SysV $$@ in prerequisites lists, you can also use complex functions
     38   such as $$(notdir $$@) etc.  This behavior applies to implicit rules,
     39   as well, where the second expansion occurs when the rule is matched.
     40   However, this means that when '.SECONDEXPANSION' is enabled you must
     41   double-quote any "$" in your filenames; instead of "foo: boo$$bar" you
     42   now must write "foo: foo$$$$bar".  Note that the SysV $$@ etc. feature,
     43   which used to be available by default, is now ONLY available when the
     44   .SECONDEXPANSION target is defined.  If your makefiles take advantage
     45   of this SysV feature you will need to update them.
     46 
     47 * WARNING: Backward-incompatibility!
     48   In order to comply with POSIX, the way in which GNU make processes
     49   backslash-newline sequences in command strings has changed.  If your
     50   makefiles use backslash-newline sequences inside of single-quoted
     51   strings in command scripts you will be impacted by this change.  See
     52   the GNU make manual subsection "Splitting Command Lines" (node
     53   "Splitting Lines"), in section "Command Syntax", chapter "Writing the
     54   Commands in Rules", for details.
     55 
     56 * WARNING: Backward-incompatibility!
     57   Some previous versions of GNU make had a bug where "#" in a function
     58   invocation such as $(shell ...) was treated as a make comment.  A
     59   workaround was to escape these with backslashes.  This bug has been
     60   fixed: if your makefile uses "\#" in a function invocation the
     61   backslash is now preserved, so you'll need to remove it.
     62 
     63 * New command-line option: -L (--check-symlink-times).  On systems that
     64   support symbolic links, if this option is given then GNU make will
     65   use the most recent modification time of any symbolic links that are
     66   used to resolve target files.  The default behavior remains as it
     67   always has: use the modification time of the actual target file only.
     68 
     69 * The "else" conditional line can now be followed by any other valid
     70   conditional on the same line: this does not increase the depth of the
     71   conditional nesting, so only one "endif" is required to close the
     72   conditional.
     73 
     74 * All pattern-specific variables that match a given target are now used
     75   (previously only the first match was used).
     76 
     77 * Target-specific variables can be marked as exportable using the
     78   "export" keyword.
     79 
     80 * In a recursive $(call ...) context, any extra arguments from the outer
     81   call are now masked in the context of the inner call.
     82 
     83 * Implemented a solution for the "thundering herd" problem with "-j -l".
     84   This version of GNU make uses an algorithm suggested by Thomas Riedl
     85   <thomas.riedl (a] siemens.com> to track the number of jobs started in the
     86   last second and artificially adjust GNU make's view of the system's
     87   load average accordingly.
     88 
     89 * New special variables available in this release:
     90    - .INCLUDE_DIRS: Expands to a list of directories that make searches
     91      for included makefiles.
     92    - .FEATURES: Contains a list of special features available in this
     93      version of GNU make.
     94    - .DEFAULT_GOAL: Set the name of the default goal make will
     95      use if no goals are provided on the command line.
     96    - MAKE_RESTARTS: If set, then this is the number of times this
     97      instance of make has been restarted (see "How Makefiles Are Remade"
     98      in the manual).
     99    - New automatic variable: $| (added in 3.80, actually): contains all
    100      the order-only prerequisites defined for the target.
    101 
    102 * New functions available in this release:
    103    - $(lastword ...) returns the last word in the list.  This gives
    104      identical results as $(word $(words ...) ...), but is much faster.
    105    - $(abspath ...) returns the absolute path (all "." and ".."
    106      directories resolved, and any duplicate "/" characters removed) for
    107      each path provided.
    108    - $(realpath ...) returns the canonical pathname for each path
    109      provided.  The canonical pathname is the absolute pathname, with
    110      all symbolic links resolved as well.
    111    - $(info ...) prints its arguments to stdout.  No makefile name or
    112      line number info, etc. is printed.
    113    - $(flavor ...) returns the flavor of a variable.
    114    - $(or ...) provides a short-circuiting OR conditional: each argument
    115      is expanded.  The first true (non-empty) argument is returned; no
    116      further arguments are expanded.  Expands to empty if there are no
    117      true arguments.
    118    - $(and ...) provides a short-circuiting AND conditional: each
    119      argument is expanded.  The first false (empty) argument is
    120      returned; no further arguments are expanded.  Expands to the last
    121      argument if all arguments are true.
    122 
    123 * Changes made for POSIX compatibility:
    124    - Only touch targets (under -t) if they have at least one command.
    125    - Setting the SHELL make variable does NOT change the value of the
    126      SHELL environment variable given to programs invoked by make.  As
    127      an enhancement to POSIX, if you export the make variable SHELL then
    128      it will be set in the environment, just as before.
    129 
    130 * On MS Windows systems, explicitly setting SHELL to a pathname ending
    131   in "cmd" or "cmd.exe" (case-insensitive) will force GNU make to use
    132   the DOS command interpreter in batch mode even if a UNIX-like shell
    133   could be found on the system.
    134 
    135 * On VMS there is now support for case-sensitive filesystems such as ODS5.
    136   See the readme.vms file for information.
    137 
    138 * Parallel builds (-jN) no longer require a working Bourne shell on
    139   Windows platforms.  They work even with the stock Windows shells, such
    140   as cmd.exe and command.com.
    141 
    142 * Updated to autoconf 2.59, automake 1.9.5, and gettext 0.14.1.  Users
    143   should not be impacted.
    144 
    145 * New translations for Swedish, Chinese (simplified), Ukrainian,
    146   Belarusian, Finnish, Kinyarwandan, and Irish.  Many updated
    147   translations.
    148 
    149 A complete list of bugs fixed in this version is available here:
    150 
    151   http://savannah.gnu.org/bugs/index.php?group=make&report_id=111&fix_release_id=103
    152 
    153 
    155 Version 3.80
    156 
    157 * A new feature exists: order-only prerequisites.  These prerequisites
    158   affect the order in which targets are built, but they do not impact
    159   the rebuild/no-rebuild decision of their dependents.  That is to say,
    160   they allow you to require target B be built before target A, without
    161   requiring that target A will always be rebuilt if target B is updated.
    162   Patch for this feature provided by Greg McGary <greg (a] mcgary.org>.
    163 
    164 * For compatibility with SysV make, GNU make now supports the peculiar
    165   syntax $$@, $$(@D), and $$(@F) in the prerequisites list of a rule.
    166   This syntax is only valid within explicit and static pattern rules: it
    167   cannot be used in implicit (suffix or pattern) rules.  Edouard G. Parmelan
    168   <egp (a] free.fr> provided a patch implementing this feature; however, I
    169   decided to implement it in a different way.
    170 
    171 * The argument to the "ifdef" conditional is now expanded before it's
    172   tested, so it can be a constructed variable name.
    173 
    174   Similarly, the arguments to "export" (when not used in a variable
    175   definition context) and "unexport" are also now expanded.
    176 
    177 * A new function is defined: $(value ...).  The argument to this
    178   function is the _name_ of a variable.  The result of the function is
    179   the value of the variable, without having been expanded.
    180 
    181 * A new function is defined: $(eval ...).  The arguments to this
    182   function should expand to makefile commands, which will then be
    183   evaluated as if they had appeared in the makefile.  In combination
    184   with define/endef multiline variable definitions this is an extremely
    185   powerful capability.  The $(value ...) function is also sometimes
    186   useful here.
    187 
    188 * A new built-in variable is defined, $(MAKEFILE_LIST).  It contains a
    189   list of each makefile GNU make has read, or started to read, in the
    190   order in which they were encountered.  So, the last filename in the
    191   list when a makefile is just being read (before any includes) is the
    192   name of the current makefile.
    193 
    194 * A new built-in variable is defined: $(.VARIABLES).  When it is
    195   expanded it returns a complete list of variable names defined by all
    196   makefiles at that moment.
    197 
    198 * A new command-line option is defined, -B or --always-make.  If
    199   specified GNU make will consider all targets out-of-date even if they
    200   would otherwise not be.
    201 
    202 * The arguments to $(call ...) functions were being stored in $1, $2,
    203   etc. as recursive variables, even though they are fully expanded
    204   before assignment.  This means that escaped dollar signs ($$ etc.)
    205   were not behaving properly.  Now the arguments are stored as simple
    206   variables.  This may mean that if you added extra escaping to your
    207   $(call ...) function arguments you will need to undo it now.
    208 
    209 * The variable invoked by $(call ...) can now be recursive: unlike other
    210   variables it can reference itself and this will not produce an error
    211   when it is used as the first argument to $(call ...) (but only then).
    212 
    213 * New pseudo-target .LOW_RESOLUTION_TIME, superseding the configure
    214   option --disable-nsec-timestamps.  You might need this if your build
    215   process depends on tools like "cp -p" preserving time stamps, since
    216   "cp -p" (right now) doesn't preserve the subsecond portion of a time
    217   stamp.
    218 
    219 * Updated translations for French, Galician, German, Japanese, Korean,
    220   and Russian.  New translations for Croatian, Danish, Hebrew, and
    221   Turkish.
    222 
    223 * Updated internationalization support to Gettext 0.11.5.
    224   GNU make now uses Gettext's "external" feature, and does not include
    225   any internationalization code itself.  Configure will search your
    226   system for an existing implementation of GNU Gettext (only GNU Gettext
    227   is acceptable) and use it if it exists.  If not, NLS will be disabled.
    228   See ABOUT-NLS for more information.
    229 
    230 * Updated to autoconf 2.54 and automake 1.7.  Users should not be impacted.
    231 
    232 A complete list of bugs fixed in this version is available here:
    233 
    234   http://savannah.gnu.org/bugs/index.php?group=make&report_id=111&fix_release_id=102
    235 
    236 
    238 Version 3.79.1
    239 
    240 * .SECONDARY with no prerequisites now prevents any target from being
    241   removed because make thinks it's an intermediate file, not just those
    242   listed in the makefile.
    243 
    244 * New configure option --disable-nsec-timestamps, but this was
    245   superseded in later versions by the .LOW_RESOLUTION_TIME pseudo-target.
    246 
    248 Version 3.79
    249 
    250 * GNU make optionally supports internationalization and locales via the
    251   GNU gettext (or local gettext if suitable) package.  See the ABOUT-NLS
    252   file for more information on configuring GNU make for NLS.
    253 
    254 * Previously, GNU make quoted variables such as MAKEFLAGS and
    255   MAKEOVERRIDES for proper parsing by the shell.  This allowed them to
    256   be used within make build scripts.  However, using them there is not
    257   proper behavior: they are meant to be passed to subshells via the
    258   environment.  Unfortunately the values were not quoted properly to be
    259   passed through the environment.  This meant that make didn't properly
    260   pass some types of command line values to submakes.
    261 
    262   With this version we change that behavior: now these variables are
    263   quoted properly for passing through the environment, which is the
    264   correct way to do it.  If you previously used these variables
    265   explicitly within a make rule you may need to re-examine your use for
    266   correctness given this change.
    267 
    268 * A new pseudo-target .NOTPARALLEL is available.  If defined, the
    269   current makefile is run serially regardless of the value of -j.
    270   However, submakes are still eligible for parallel execution.
    271 
    272 * The --debug option has changed: it now allows optional flags
    273   controlling the amount and type of debugging output.  By default only
    274   a minimal amount information is generated, displaying the names of
    275   "normal" targets (not makefiles) that were deemed out of date and in
    276   need of being rebuilt.
    277 
    278   Note that the -d option behaves as before: it takes no arguments and
    279   all debugging information is generated.
    280 
    281 * The `-p' (print database) output now includes filename and linenumber
    282   information for variable definitions, to aid debugging.
    283 
    284 * The wordlist function no longer reverses its arguments if the "start"
    285   value is greater than the "end" value.  If that's true, nothing is
    286   returned.
    287 
    288 * Hartmut Becker provided many updates for the VMS port of GNU make.
    289   See the readme.vms file for more details.
    290 
    292 Version 3.78
    293 
    294 * Two new functions, $(error ...) and $(warning ...) are available.  The
    295   former will cause make to fail and exit immediately upon expansion of
    296   the function, with the text provided as the error message.  The latter
    297   causes the text provided to be printed as a warning message, but make
    298   proceeds normally.
    299 
    300 * A new function $(call ...) is available.  This allows users to create
    301   their own parameterized macros and invoke them later.  Original
    302   implementation of this function was provided by Han-Wen Nienhuys
    303   <hanwen (a] cs.uu.nl>.
    304 
    305 * A new function $(if ...) is available.  It provides if-then-else
    306   capabilities in a builtin function.  Original implementation of this
    307   function was provided by Han-Wen Nienhuys <hanwen (a] cs.uu.nl>.
    308 
    309 * Make defines a new variable, .LIBPATTERNS.  This variable controls how
    310   library dependency expansion (dependencies like ``-lfoo'') is performed.
    311 
    312 * Make accepts CRLF sequences as well as traditional LF, for
    313   compatibility with makefiles created on other operating systems.
    314 
    315 * Make accepts a new option: -R, or --no-builtin-variables.  This option
    316   disables the definition of the rule-specific builtin variables (CC,
    317   LD, AR, etc.).  Specifying this option forces -r (--no-builtin-rules)
    318   as well.
    319 
    320 * A "job server" feature, suggested by Howard Chu <hyc (a] highlandsun.com>.
    321 
    322   On systems that support POSIX pipe(2) semantics, GNU make can now pass
    323   -jN options to submakes rather than forcing them all to use -j1.  The
    324   top make and all its sub-make processes use a pipe to communicate with
    325   each other to ensure that no more than N jobs are started across all
    326   makes.  To get the old behavior of -j back, you can configure make
    327   with the --disable-job-server option.
    328 
    329 * The confusing term "dependency" has been replaced by the more accurate
    330   and standard term "prerequisite", both in the manual and in all GNU make
    331   output.
    332 
    333 * GNU make supports the "big archive" library format introduced in AIX 4.3.
    334 
    335 * GNU make supports large files on AIX, HP-UX, and IRIX.  These changes
    336   were provided by Paul Eggert <eggert (a] twinsun.com>.  (Large file
    337   support for Solaris and Linux was introduced in 3.77, but the
    338   configuration had issues: these have also been resolved).
    339 
    340 * The Windows 95/98/NT (W32) version of GNU make now has native support
    341   for the Cygnus Cygwin release B20.1 shell (bash).
    342 
    343 * The GNU make regression test suite, long available separately "under
    344   the table", has been integrated into the release.  You can invoke it
    345   by running "make check" in the distribution.  Note that it requires
    346   Perl (either Perl 4 or Perl 5) to run.
    347 
    349 Version 3.77
    350 
    351 * Implement BSD make's "?=" variable assignment operator.  The variable
    352   is assigned the specified value only if that variable is not already
    353   defined.
    354 
    355 * Make defines a new variable, "CURDIR", to contain the current working
    356   directory (after the -C option, if any, has been processed).
    357   Modifying this variable has no effect on the operation of make.
    358 
    359 * Make defines a new default RCS rule, for new-style master file
    360   storage: ``% :: RCS/%'' (note no ``,v'' suffix).
    361 
    362   Make defines new default rules for DOS-style C++ file naming
    363   conventions, with ``.cpp'' suffixes.  All the same rules as for
    364   ``.cc'' and ``.C'' suffixes are provided, along with LINK.cpp and
    365   COMPILE.cpp macros (which default to the same value as LINK.cc and
    366   COMPILE.cc).  Note CPPFLAGS is still C preprocessor flags!  You should
    367   use CXXFLAGS to change C++ compiler flags.
    368 
    369 * A new feature, "target-specific variable values", has been added.
    370   This is a large change so please see the appropriate sections of the
    371   manual for full details.  Briefly, syntax like this:
    372 
    373     TARGET: VARIABLE = VALUE
    374 
    375   defines VARIABLE as VALUE within the context of TARGET.  This is
    376   similar to SunOS make's "TARGET := VARIABLE = VALUE" feature.  Note
    377   that the assignment may be of any type, not just recursive, and that
    378   the override keyword is available.
    379 
    380   COMPATIBILITY: This new syntax means that if you have any rules where
    381   the first or second dependency has an equal sign (=) in its name,
    382   you'll have to escape them with a backslash: "foo : bar\=baz".
    383   Further, if you have any dependencies which already contain "\=",
    384   you'll have to escape both of them: "foo : bar\\\=baz".
    385 
    386 * A new appendix listing the most common error and warning messages
    387   generated by GNU make, with some explanation, has been added to the
    388   GNU make User's Manual.
    389 
    390 * Updates to the GNU make Customs library support (see README.customs).
    391 
    392 * Updates to the Windows 95/NT port from Rob Tulloh (see README.W32),
    393   and to the DOS port from Eli Zaretski (see README.DOS).
    394 
    396 Version 3.76.1
    397 
    398 * Small (but serious) bug fix.  Quick rollout to get into the GNU source CD.
    399 
    401 Version 3.76
    402 
    403 * GNU make now uses automake to control Makefile.in generation.  This
    404   should make it more consistent with the GNU standards.
    405 
    406 * VPATH functionality has been changed to incorporate the VPATH+ patch,
    407   previously maintained by Paul Smith <psmith (a] baynetworks.com>.  See the
    408   manual.
    409 
    410 * Make defines a new variable, `MAKECMDGOALS', to contain the goals that
    411   were specified on the command line, if any.  Modifying this variable
    412   has no effect on the operation of make.
    413 
    414 * A new function, `$(wordlist S,E,TEXT)', is available: it returns a
    415   list of words from number S to number E (inclusive) of TEXT.
    416 
    417 * Instead of an error, detection of future modification times gives a
    418   warning and continues.  The warning is repeated just before GNU make
    419   exits, so it is less likely to be lost.
    420 
    421 * Fix the $(basename) and $(suffix) functions so they only operate on
    422   the last filename, not the entire string:
    423 
    424       Command              Old Result             New Result
    425       -------              ----------             ----------
    426     $(basename a.b)        a                      a
    427     $(basename a.b/c)      a                      a.b/c
    428     $(suffix a.b)          b                      b
    429     $(suffix a.b/c)        b/c                    <empty>
    430 
    431 * The $(strip) function now removes newlines as well as TABs and spaces.
    432 
    433 * The $(shell) function now changes CRLF (\r\n) pairs to a space as well
    434   as newlines (\n).
    435 
    436 * Updates to the Windows 95/NT port from Rob Tulloh (see README.W32).
    437 
    438 * Eli Zaretskii has updated the port to 32-bit protected mode on MSDOS
    439   and MS-Windows, building with the DJGPP v2 port of GNU C/C++ compiler
    440   and utilities.  See README.DOS for details, and direct all questions
    441   concerning this port to Eli Zaretskii <eliz (a] is.elta.co.il> or DJ
    442   Delorie <dj (a] delorie.com>.
    443 
    444 * John W. Eaton has updated the VMS port to support libraries and VPATH.
    445 
    447 Version 3.75
    448 
    449 * The directory messages printed by `-w' and implicitly in sub-makes,
    450   are now omitted if Make runs no commands and has no other messages to print.
    451 
    452 * Make now detects files that for whatever reason have modification times
    453   in the future and gives an error.  Files with such impossible timestamps
    454   can result from unsynchronized clocks, or archived distributions
    455   containing bogus timestamps; they confuse Make's dependency engine
    456   thoroughly.
    457 
    458 * The new directive `sinclude' is now recognized as another name for
    459   `-include', for compatibility with some other Makes.
    460 
    461 * Aaron Digulla has contributed a port to AmigaDOS.  See README.Amiga for
    462   details, and direct all Amiga-related questions to <digulla (a] fh-konstanz.de>.
    463 
    464 * Rob Tulloh of Tivoli Systems has contributed a port to Windows NT or 95.
    465   See README.W32 for details, and direct all Windows-related questions to
    466   <rob_tulloh (a] tivoli.com>.
    467 
    469 Version 3.73
    470 
    471 * Converted to use Autoconf version 2, so `configure' has some new options.
    472   See INSTALL for details.
    473 
    474 * You can now send a SIGUSR1 signal to Make to toggle printing of debugging
    475   output enabled by -d, at any time during the run.
    476 
    478 Version 3.72
    479 
    480 * DJ Delorie has ported Make to MS-DOS using the GO32 extender.
    481   He is maintaining the DOS port, not the GNU Make maintainer;
    482   please direct bugs and questions for DOS to <djgpp (a] sun.soe.clarkson.edu>.
    483   MS-DOS binaries are available for FTP from ftp.simtel.net in
    484   /pub/simtelnet/gnu/djgpp/.
    485 
    486 * The `MAKEFLAGS' variable (in the environment or in a makefile) can now
    487   contain variable definitions itself; these are treated just like
    488   command-line variable definitions.  Make will automatically insert any
    489   variable definitions from the environment value of `MAKEFLAGS' or from
    490   the command line, into the `MAKEFLAGS' value exported to children.  The
    491   `MAKEOVERRIDES' variable previously included in the value of `$(MAKE)'
    492   for sub-makes is now included in `MAKEFLAGS' instead.  As before, you can
    493   reset `MAKEOVERRIDES' in your makefile to avoid putting all the variables
    494   in the environment when its size is limited.
    495 
    496 * If `.DELETE_ON_ERROR' appears as a target, Make will delete the target of
    497   a rule if it has changed when its commands exit with a nonzero status,
    498   just as when the commands get a signal.
    499 
    500 * The automatic variable `$+' is new.  It lists all the dependencies like
    501   `$^', but preserves duplicates listed in the makefile.  This is useful
    502   for linking rules, where library files sometimes need to be listed twice
    503   in the link order.
    504 
    505 * You can now specify the `.IGNORE' and `.SILENT' special targets with
    506   dependencies to limit their effects to those files.  If a file appears as
    507   a dependency of `.IGNORE', then errors will be ignored while running the
    508   commands to update that file.  Likewise if a file appears as a dependency
    509   of `.SILENT', then the commands to update that file will not be printed
    510   before they are run.  (This change was made to conform to POSIX.2.)
    511 
    513 Version 3.71
    514 
    515 * The automatic variables `$(@D)', `$(%D)', `$(*D)', `$(<D)', `$(?D)', and
    516   `$(^D)' now omit the trailing slash from the directory name.  (This change
    517   was made to comply with POSIX.2.)
    518 
    519 * The source distribution now includes the Info files for the Make manual.
    520   There is no longer a separate distribution containing Info and DVI files.
    521 
    522 * You can now set the variables `binprefix' and/or `manprefix' in
    523   Makefile.in (or on the command line when installing) to install GNU make
    524   under a name other than `make' (i.e., ``make binprefix=g install''
    525   installs GNU make as `gmake').
    526 
    527 * The built-in Texinfo rules use the new variables `TEXI2DVI_FLAGS' for
    528   flags to the `texi2dvi' script, and `MAKEINFO_FLAGS' for flags to the
    529   Makeinfo program.
    530 
    531 * The exit status of Make when it runs into errors is now 2 instead of 1.
    532   The exit status is 1 only when using -q and some target is not up to date.
    533   (This change was made to comply with POSIX.2.)
    534 
    536 Version 3.70
    537 
    538 * It is no longer a fatal error to have a NUL character in a makefile.
    539   You should never put a NUL in a makefile because it can have strange
    540   results, but otherwise empty lines full of NULs (such as produced by
    541   the `xmkmf' program) will always work fine.
    542 
    543 * The error messages for nonexistent included makefiles now refer to the
    544   makefile name and line number where the `include' appeared, so Emacs's
    545   C-x ` command takes you there (in case it's a typo you need to fix).
    546 
    548 Version 3.69
    549 
    550 * Implicit rule search for archive member references is now done in the
    551   opposite order from previous versions: the whole target name `LIB(MEM)'
    552   first, and just the member name and parentheses `(MEM)' second.
    553 
    554 * Make now gives an error for an unterminated variable or function reference.
    555   For example, `$(foo' with no matching `)' or `${bar' with no matching `}'.
    556 
    557 * The new default variable `MAKE_VERSION' gives the version number of
    558   Make, and a string describing the remote job support compiled in (if any).
    559   Thus the value (in this release) is something like `3.69' or `3.69-Customs'.
    560 
    561 * Commands in an invocation of the `shell' function are no longer run with
    562   a modified environment like target commands are.  As in versions before
    563   3.68, they now run with the environment that `make' started with.  We
    564   have reversed the change made in version 3.68 because it turned out to
    565   cause a paradoxical situation in cases like:
    566 
    567 	export variable = $(shell echo value)
    568 
    569   When Make attempted to put this variable in the environment for a target
    570   command, it would try expand the value by running the shell command
    571   `echo value'.  In version 3.68, because it constructed an environment
    572   for that shell command in the same way, Make would begin to go into an
    573   infinite loop and then get a fatal error when it detected the loop.
    574 
    575 * The commands given for `.DEFAULT' are now used for phony targets with no
    576   commands.
    577 
    579 Version 3.68
    580 
    581 * You can list several archive member names inside parenthesis:
    582   `lib(mem1 mem2 mem3)' is equivalent to `lib(mem1) lib(mem2) lib(mem3)'.
    583 
    584 * You can use wildcards inside archive member references.  For example,
    585   `lib(*.o)' expands to all existing members of `lib' whose names end in
    586   `.o' (e.g. `lib(a.o) lib(b.o)'); `*.a(*.o)' expands to all such members
    587   of all existing files whose names end in `.a' (e.g. `foo.a(a.o)
    588   foo.a(b.o) bar.a(c.o) bar.a(d.o)'.
    589 
    590 * A suffix rule `.X.a' now produces two pattern rules:
    591 	(%.o): %.X	# Previous versions produced only this.
    592 	%.a: %.X	# Now produces this as well, just like other suffixes.
    593 
    594 * The new flag `--warn-undefined-variables' says to issue a warning message
    595   whenever Make expands a reference to an undefined variable.
    596 
    597 * The new `-include' directive is just like `include' except that there is
    598   no error (not even a warning) for a nonexistent makefile.
    599 
    600 * Commands in an invocation of the `shell' function are now run with a
    601   modified environment like target commands are, so you can use `export' et
    602   al to set up variables for them.  They used to run with the environment
    603   that `make' started with.
    604 
    606 Version 3.66
    607 
    608 * `make --version' (or `make -v') now exits immediately after printing
    609   the version number.
    610 
    612 Version 3.65
    613 
    614 * Make now supports long-named members in `ar' archive files.
    615 
    617 Version 3.64
    618 
    619 * Make now supports the `+=' syntax for a variable definition which appends
    620   to the variable's previous value.  See the section `Appending More Text
    621   to Variables' in the manual for full details.
    622 
    623 * The new option `--no-print-directory' inhibits the `-w' or
    624   `--print-directory' feature.  Make turns on `--print-directory'
    625   automatically if you use `-C' or `--directory', and in sub-makes; some
    626   users have found this behavior undesirable.
    627 
    628 * The built-in implicit rules now support the alternative extension
    629   `.txinfo' for Texinfo files, just like `.texinfo' and `.texi'.
    630 
    632 Version 3.63
    633 
    634 * Make now uses a standard GNU `configure' script.  See the new file
    635   INSTALL for the new (and much simpler) installation procedure.
    636 
    637 * There is now a shell script to build Make the first time, if you have no
    638   other `make' program.  `build.sh' is created by `configure'; see README.
    639 
    640 * GNU Make now completely conforms to the POSIX.2 specification for `make'.
    641 
    642 * Elements of the `$^' and `$?' automatic variables that are archive
    643   member references now list only the member name, as in Unix and POSIX.2.
    644 
    645 * You should no longer ever need to specify the `-w' switch, which prints
    646   the current directory before and after Make runs.  The `-C' switch to
    647   change directory, and recursive use of Make, now set `-w' automatically.
    648 
    649 * Multiple double-colon rules for the same target will no longer have their
    650   commands run simultaneously under -j, as this could result in the two
    651   commands trying to change the file at the same time and interfering with
    652   one another.
    653 
    654 * The `SHELL' variable is now never taken from the environment.
    655   Each makefile that wants a shell other than the default (/bin/sh) must
    656   set SHELL itself.  SHELL is always exported to child processes.
    657   This change was made for compatibility with POSIX.2.
    658 
    659 * Make now accepts long options.  There is now an informative usage message
    660   that tells you what all the options are and what they do.  Try `make --help'.
    661 
    662 * There are two new directives: `export' and `unexport'.  All variables are
    663   no longer automatically put into the environments of the commands that
    664   Make runs.  Instead, only variables specified on the command line or in
    665   the environment are exported by default.  To export others, use:
    666 	export VARIABLE
    667   or you can define variables with:
    668 	export VARIABLE = VALUE
    669   or:
    670 	export VARIABLE := VALUE
    671   You can use just:
    672 	export
    673   or:
    674 	.EXPORT_ALL_VARIABLES:
    675   to get the old behavior.  See the node `Variables/Recursion' in the manual
    676   for a full description.
    677 
    678 * The commands from the `.DEFAULT' special target are only applied to
    679   targets which have no rules at all, not all targets with no commands.
    680   This change was made for compatibility with Unix make.
    681 
    682 * All fatal error messages now contain `***', so they are easy to find in
    683   compilation logs.
    684 
    685 * Dependency file names like `-lNAME' are now replaced with the actual file
    686   name found, as with files found by normal directory search (VPATH).
    687   The library file `libNAME.a' may now be found in the current directory,
    688   which is checked before VPATH; the standard set of directories (/lib,
    689   /usr/lib, /usr/local/lib) is now checked last.
    690   See the node `Libraries/Search' in the manual for full details.
    691 
    692 * A single `include' directive can now specify more than one makefile to
    693   include, like this:
    694 	include file1 file2
    695   You can also use shell file name patterns in an `include' directive:
    696 	include *.mk
    697 
    698 * The default directories to search for included makefiles, and for
    699   libraries specified with `-lNAME', are now set by configuration.
    700 
    701 * You can now use blanks as well as colons to separate the directories in a
    702   search path for the `vpath' directive or the `VPATH' variable.
    703 
    704 * You can now use variables and functions in the left hand side of a
    705   variable assignment, as in "$(foo)bar = value".
    706 
    707 * The `MAKE' variable is always defined as `$(MAKE_COMMAND) $(MAKEOVERRIDES)'.
    708   The `MAKE_COMMAND' variable is now defined to the name with which make
    709   was invoked.
    710 
    711 * The built-in rules for C++ compilation now use the variables `$(CXX)' and
    712   `$(CXXFLAGS)' instead of `$(C++)' and `$(C++FLAGS)'.  The old names had
    713   problems with shells that cannot have `+' in environment variable names.
    714 
    715 * The value of a recursively expanded variable is now expanded when putting
    716   it into the environment for child processes.  This change was made for
    717   compatibility with Unix make.
    718 
    719 * A rule with no targets before the `:' is now accepted and ignored.
    720   This change was made for compatibility with SunOS 4 make.
    721   We do not recommend that you write your makefiles to take advantage of this.
    722 
    723 * The `-I' switch can now be used in MAKEFLAGS, and are put there
    724   automatically just like other switches.
    725 
    727 Version 3.61
    728 
    729 * Built-in rules for C++ source files with the `.C' suffix.
    730   We still recommend that you use `.cc' instead.
    731 
    732 * If commands are given too many times for a single target,
    733   the last set given is used, and a warning message is printed.
    734 
    735 * Error messages about makefiles are in standard GNU error format,
    736   so C-x ` in Emacs works on them.
    737 
    738 * Dependencies of pattern rules which contain no % need not actually exist
    739   if they can be created (just like dependencies which do have a %).
    740 
    742 Version 3.60
    743 
    744 * A message is always printed when Make decides there is nothing to be done.
    745   It used to be that no message was printed for top-level phony targets
    746   (because "`phony' is up to date" isn't quite right).  Now a different
    747   message "Nothing to be done for `phony'" is printed in that case.
    748 
    749 * Archives on AIX now supposedly work.
    750 
    751 * When the commands specified for .DEFAULT are used to update a target,
    752   the $< automatic variable is given the same value as $@ for that target.
    753   This is how Unix make behaves, and this behavior is mandated by POSIX.2.
    754 
    756 Version 3.59
    757 
    758 * The -n, -q, and -t options are not put in the `MAKEFLAGS' and `MFLAG'
    759   variables while remaking makefiles, so recursive makes done while remaking
    760   makefiles will behave properly.
    761 
    762 * If the special target `.NOEXPORT' is specified in a makefile,
    763   only variables that came from the environment and variables
    764   defined on the command line are exported.
    765 
    767 Version 3.58
    768 
    769 * Suffix rules may have dependencies (which are ignored).
    770 
    772 Version 3.57
    773 
    774 * Dependencies of the form `-lLIB' are searched for as /usr/local/lib/libLIB.a
    775   as well as libLIB.a in /usr/lib, /lib, the current directory, and VPATH.
    776 
    778 Version 3.55
    779 
    780 * There is now a Unix man page for GNU Make.  It is certainly not a replacement
    781 for the Texinfo manual, but it documents the basic functionality and the
    782 switches.  For full documentation, you should still read the Texinfo manual.
    783 Thanks to Dennis Morse of Stanford University for contributing the initial
    784 version of this.
    785 
    786 * Variables which are defined by default (e.g., `CC') will no longer be put
    787 into the environment for child processes.  (If these variables are reset by the
    788 environment, makefiles, or the command line, they will still go into the
    789 environment.)
    790 
    791 * Makefiles which have commands but no dependencies (and thus are always
    792   considered out of date and in need of remaking), will not be remade (if they
    793   were being remade only because they were makefiles).  This means that GNU
    794   Make will no longer go into an infinite loop when fed the makefiles that
    795   `imake' (necessary to build X Windows) produces.
    796 
    797 * There is no longer a warning for using the `vpath' directive with an explicit
    798 pathname (instead of a `%' pattern).
    799 
    801 Version 3.51
    802 
    803 * When removing intermediate files, only one `rm' command line is printed,
    804 listing all file names.
    805 
    806 * There are now automatic variables `$(^D)', `$(^F)', `$(?D)', and `$(?F)'.
    807 These are the directory-only and file-only versions of `$^' and `$?'.
    808 
    809 * Library dependencies given as `-lNAME' will use "libNAME.a" in the current
    810 directory if it exists.
    811 
    812 * The automatic variable `$($/)' is no longer defined.
    813 
    814 * Leading `+' characters on a command line make that line be executed even
    815 under -n, -t, or -q (as if the line contained `$(MAKE)').
    816 
    817 * For command lines containing `$(MAKE)', `${MAKE}', or leading `+' characters,
    818 only those lines are executed, not their entire rules.
    819 (This is how Unix make behaves for lines containing `$(MAKE)' or `${MAKE}'.)
    820 
    822 Version 3.50
    823 
    824 * Filenames in rules will now have ~ and ~USER expanded.
    825 
    826 * The `-p' output has been changed so it can be used as a makefile.
    827 (All information that isn't specified by makefiles is prefaced with comment
    828 characters.)
    829 
    831 Version 3.49
    832 
    833 * The % character can be quoted with backslash in implicit pattern rules,
    834 static pattern rules, `vpath' directives, and `patsubst', `filter', and
    835 `filter-out' functions.  A warning is issued if a `vpath' directive's
    836 pattern contains no %.
    837 
    838 * The `wildcard' variable expansion function now expands ~ and ~USER.
    839 
    840 * Messages indicating failed commands now contain the target name:
    841 	make: *** [target] Error 1
    842 
    843 * The `-p' output format has been changed somewhat to look more like
    844 makefile rules and to give all information that Make has about files.
    845 
    847 Version 3.48
    848 
    850 Version 3.47
    851 
    852 * The `-l' switch with no argument removes any previous load-average limit.
    853 
    854 * When the `-w' switch is in effect, and Make has updated makefiles,
    855 it will write a `Leaving directory' messagfe before re-executing itself.
    856 This makes the `directory change tracking' changes to Emacs's compilation
    857 commands work properly.
    858 
    860 Version 3.46
    861 
    862 * The automatic variable `$*' is now defined for explicit rules,
    863 as it is in Unix make.
    864 
    866 Version 3.45
    867 
    868 * The `-j' switch is now put in the MAKEFLAGS and MFLAGS variables when
    869 specified without an argument (indicating infinite jobs).
    870 The `-l' switch is not always put in the MAKEFLAGS and MFLAGS variables.
    871 
    872 * Make no longer checks hashed directories after running commands.
    873 The behavior implemented in 3.41 caused too much slowdown.
    874 
    876 Version 3.44
    877 
    878 * A dependency is NOT considered newer than its dependent if
    879 they have the same modification time.  The behavior implemented
    880 in 3.43 conflicts with RCS.
    881 
    883 Version 3.43
    884 
    885 * Dependency loops are no longer fatal errors.
    886 
    887 * A dependency is considered newer than its dependent if
    888 they have the same modification time.
    889 
    891 Version 3.42
    892 
    893 * The variables F77 and F77FLAGS are now set by default to $(FC) and
    894 $(FFLAGS).  Makefiles designed for System V make may use these variables in
    895 explicit rules and expect them to be set.  Unfortunately, there is no way to
    896 make setting these affect the Fortran implicit rules unless FC and FFLAGS
    897 are not used (and these are used by BSD make).
    898 
    900 Version 3.41
    901 
    902 * Make now checks to see if its hashed directories are changed by commands.
    903 Other makes that hash directories (Sun, 4.3 BSD) don't do this.
    904 
    906 Version 3.39
    907 
    908 * The `shell' function no longer captures standard error output.
    909 
    911 Version 3.32
    912 
    913 * A file beginning with a dot can be the default target if it also contains
    914 a slash (e.g., `../bin/foo').  (Unix make allows this as well.)
    915 
    917 Version 3.31
    918 
    919 * Archive member names are truncated to 15 characters.
    920 
    921 * Yet more USG stuff.
    922 
    923 * Minimal support for Microport System V (a 16-bit machine and a
    924 brain-damaged compiler).  This has even lower priority than other USG
    925 support, so if it gets beyond trivial, I will take it out completely.
    926 
    927 * Revamped default implicit rules (not much visible change).
    928 
    929 * The -d and -p options can come from the environment.
    930 
    932 Version 3.30
    933 
    934 * Improved support for USG and HPUX (hopefully).
    935 
    936 * A variable reference like `$(foo:a=b)', if `a' contains a `%', is
    937 equivalent to `$(patsubst a,b,$(foo))'.
    938 
    939 * Defining .DEFAULT with no deps or commands clears its commands.
    940 
    941 * New default implicit rules for .S (cpp, then as), and .sh (copy and make
    942 executable).  All default implicit rules that use cpp (even indirectly), use
    943 $(CPPFLAGS).
    944 
    946 Version 3.29
    947 
    948 * Giving the -j option with no arguments gives you infinite jobs.
    949 
    951 Version 3.28
    952 
    953 * New option: "-l LOAD" says not to start any new jobs while others are
    954 running if the load average is not below LOAD (a floating-point number).
    955 
    956 * There is support in place for implementations of remote command execution
    957 in Make.  See the file remote.c.
    958 
    960 Version 3.26
    961 
    962 * No more than 10 directories will be kept open at once.
    963 (This number can be changed by redefining MAX_OPEN_DIRECTORIES in dir.c.)
    964 
    966 Version 3.25
    967 
    968 * Archive files will have their modification times recorded before doing
    969 anything that might change their modification times by updating an archive
    970 member.
    971 
    973 Version 3.20
    974 
    975 * The `MAKELEVEL' variable is defined for use by makefiles.
    976 
    978 Version 3.19
    979 
    980 * The recursion level indications in error messages are much shorter than
    981 they were in version 3.14.
    982 
    984 Version 3.18
    985 
    986 * Leading spaces before directives are ignored (as documented).
    987 
    988 * Included makefiles can determine the default goal target.
    989 (System V Make does it this way, so we are being compatible).
    990 
    992 Version 3.14.
    993 
    994 * Variables that are defaults built into Make will not be put in the
    995 environment for children.  This just saves some environment space and,
    996 except under -e, will be transparent to sub-makes.
    997 
    998 * Error messages from sub-makes will indicate the level of recursion.
    999 
   1000 * Hopefully some speed-up for large directories due to a change in the
   1001 directory hashing scheme.
   1002 
   1003 * One child will always get a standard input that is usable.
   1004 
   1005 * Default makefiles that don't exist will be remade and read in.
   1006 
   1008 Version 3.13.
   1009 
   1010 * Count parentheses inside expansion function calls so you can
   1011 have nested calls: `$(sort $(foreach x,a b,$(x)))'.
   1012 
   1014 Version 3.12.
   1015 
   1016 * Several bug fixes, including USG and Sun386i support.
   1017 
   1018 * `shell' function to expand shell commands a la `
   1019 
   1020 * If the `-d' flag is given, version information will be printed.
   1021 
   1022 * The `-c' option has been renamed to `-C' for compatibility with tar.
   1023 
   1024 * The `-p' option no longer inhibits other normal operation.
   1025 
   1026 * Makefiles will be updated and re-read if necessary.
   1027 
   1028 * Can now run several commands at once (parallelism), -j option.
   1029 
   1030 * Error messages will contain the level of Make recursion, if any.
   1031 
   1032 * The `MAKEFLAGS' and `MFLAGS' variables will be scanned for options after
   1033 makefiles are read.
   1034 
   1035 * A double-colon rule with no dependencies will always have its commands run.
   1036 (This is how both the BSD and System V versions of Make do it.)
   1037 
   1039 Version 3.05
   1040 
   1041 (Changes from versions 1 through 3.05 were never recorded.  Sorry.)
   1042 
   1044 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
   1045 Copyright (C) 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997,
   1046 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006 Free Software
   1047 Foundation, Inc.
   1048 This file is part of GNU Make.
   1049 
   1050 GNU Make is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it under the
   1051 terms of the GNU General Public License as published by the Free Software
   1052 Foundation; either version 2, or (at your option) any later version.
   1053 
   1054 GNU Make is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but WITHOUT ANY
   1055 WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR
   1056 A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the GNU General Public License for more details.
   1057 
   1058 You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License along with
   1059 GNU Make; see the file COPYING.  If not, write to the Free Software
   1060 Foundation, Inc., 51 Franklin St, Fifth Floor, Boston, MA 02110-1301 USA.
   1061