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(make.info)MAKEFILES Variable

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The Variable `MAKEFILES'
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   If the environment variable `MAKEFILES' is defined, `make' considers
its value as a list of names (separated by whitespace) of additional
makefiles to be read before the others.  This works much like the
`include' directive: various directories are searched for those files
(Note: Including Other Makefiles.).  In addition, the default
goal is never taken from one of these makefiles and it is not an error
if the files listed in `MAKEFILES' are not found.

   The main use of `MAKEFILES' is in communication between recursive
invocations of `make' (Note: Recursive Use of `make'.).  It
usually is not desirable to set the environment variable before a
top-level invocation of `make', because it is usually better not to
mess with a makefile from outside.  However, if you are running `make'
without a specific makefile, a makefile in `MAKEFILES' can do useful
things to help the built-in implicit rules work better, such as
defining search paths (Note: Directory Search).

   Some users are tempted to set `MAKEFILES' in the environment
automatically on login, and program makefiles to expect this to be done.
This is a very bad idea, because such makefiles will fail to work if
run by anyone else.  It is much better to write explicit `include'
directives in the makefiles.  Note: Including Other Makefiles.