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(make.info)Pattern Examples

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Pattern Rule Examples
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   Here are some examples of pattern rules actually predefined in
`make'.  First, the rule that compiles `.c' files into `.o' files:

     %.o : %.c
             $(CC) -c $(CFLAGS) $(CPPFLAGS) $< -o $@

defines a rule that can make any file `X.o' from `X.c'.  The command
uses the automatic variables `$@' and `$<' to substitute the names of
the target file and the source file in each case where the rule applies
(Note: Automatic Variables.).

   Here is a second built-in rule:

     % :: RCS/%,v
             $(CO) $(COFLAGS) $<

defines a rule that can make any file `X' whatsoever from a
corresponding file `X,v' in the subdirectory `RCS'.  Since the target
is `%', this rule will apply to any file whatever, provided the
appropriate prerequisite file exists.  The double colon makes the rule
"terminal", which means that its prerequisite may not be an intermediate
file (Note: Match-Anything Pattern Rules.).

   This pattern rule has two targets:

     %.tab.c %.tab.h: %.y
             bison -d $<

This tells `make' that the command `bison -d X.y' will make both
`X.tab.c' and `X.tab.h'.  If the file `foo' depends on the files
`parse.tab.o' and `scan.o' and the file `scan.o' depends on the file
`parse.tab.h', when `parse.y' is changed, the command `bison -d parse.y'
will be executed only once, and the prerequisites of both `parse.tab.o'
and `scan.o' will be satisfied.  (Presumably the file `parse.tab.o'
will be recompiled from `parse.tab.c' and the file `scan.o' from
`scan.c', while `foo' is linked from `parse.tab.o', `scan.o', and its
other prerequisites, and it will execute happily ever after.)