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(make.info)Static Usage

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Syntax of Static Pattern Rules
------------------------------

   Here is the syntax of a static pattern rule:

     TARGETS ...: TARGET-PATTERN: DEP-PATTERNS ...
             COMMANDS
             ...

The TARGETS list specifies the targets that the rule applies to.  The
targets can contain wildcard characters, just like the targets of
ordinary rules (*note Using Wildcard Characters in File Names:
Wildcards.).

   The TARGET-PATTERN and DEP-PATTERNS say how to compute the
prerequisites of each target.  Each target is matched against the
TARGET-PATTERN to extract a part of the target name, called the "stem".
This stem is substituted into each of the DEP-PATTERNS to make the
prerequisite names (one from each DEP-PATTERN).

   Each pattern normally contains the character `%' just once.  When the
TARGET-PATTERN matches a target, the `%' can match any part of the
target name; this part is called the "stem".  The rest of the pattern
must match exactly.  For example, the target `foo.o' matches the
pattern `%.o', with `foo' as the stem.  The targets `foo.c' and
`foo.out' do not match that pattern.

   The prerequisite names for each target are made by substituting the
stem for the `%' in each prerequisite pattern.  For example, if one
prerequisite pattern is `%.c', then substitution of the stem `foo'
gives the prerequisite name `foo.c'.  It is legitimate to write a
prerequisite pattern that does not contain `%'; then this prerequisite
is the same for all targets.

   `%' characters in pattern rules can be quoted with preceding
backslashes (`\').  Backslashes that would otherwise quote `%'
characters can be quoted with more backslashes.  Backslashes that quote
`%' characters or other backslashes are removed from the pattern before
it is compared to file names or has a stem substituted into it.
Backslashes that are not in danger of quoting `%' characters go
unmolested.  For example, the pattern `the\%weird\\%pattern\\' has
`the%weird\' preceding the operative `%' character, and `pattern\\'
following it.  The final two backslashes are left alone because they
cannot affect any `%' character.

   Here is an example, which compiles each of `foo.o' and `bar.o' from
the corresponding `.c' file:

     objects = foo.o bar.o
     
     all: $(objects)
     
     $(objects): %.o: %.c
             $(CC) -c $(CFLAGS) $< -o $@

Here `$<' is the automatic variable that holds the name of the
prerequisite and `$@' is the automatic variable that holds the name of
the target; see Note: Automatic Variables.

   Each target specified must match the target pattern; a warning is
issued for each target that does not.  If you have a list of files,
only some of which will match the pattern, you can use the `filter'
function to remove nonmatching file names (Note: Functions for String
Substitution and Analysis.):

     files = foo.elc bar.o lose.o
     
     $(filter %.o,$(files)): %.o: %.c
             $(CC) -c $(CFLAGS) $< -o $@
     $(filter %.elc,$(files)): %.elc: %.el
             emacs -f batch-byte-compile $<

In this example the result of `$(filter %.o,$(files))' is `bar.o
lose.o', and the first static pattern rule causes each of these object
files to be updated by compiling the corresponding C source file.  The
result of `$(filter %.elc,$(files))' is `foo.elc', so that file is made
from `foo.el'.

   Another example shows how to use `$*' in static pattern rules:

     bigoutput littleoutput : %output : text.g
             generate text.g -$* > $@

When the `generate' command is run, `$*' will expand to the stem,
either `big' or `little'.