GNU Info

(make.info)Target-specific

---

Next: Pattern-specific Prev: Environment Up: Using Variables

---

Enter node , (file) or (file)node

Target-specific Variable Values
===============================

   Variable values in `make' are usually global; that is, they are the
same regardless of where they are evaluated (unless they're reset, of
course).  One exception to that is automatic variables (Note: Automatic
Variables.).

   The other exception is "target-specific variable values".  This
feature allows you to define different values for the same variable,
based on the target that `make' is currently building.  As with
automatic variables, these values are only available within the context
of a target's command script (and in other target-specific assignments).

   Set a target-specific variable value like this:

     TARGET ... : VARIABLE-ASSIGNMENT

or like this:

     TARGET ... : override VARIABLE-ASSIGNMENT

   Multiple TARGET values create a target-specific variable value for
each member of the target list individually.

   The VARIABLE-ASSIGNMENT can be any valid form of assignment;
recursive (`='), static (`:='), appending (`+='), or conditional
(`?=').  All variables that appear within the VARIABLE-ASSIGNMENT are
evaluated within the context of the target: thus, any
previously-defined target-specific variable values will be in effect.
Note that this variable is actually distinct from any "global" value:
the two variables do not have to have the same flavor (recursive vs.
static).

   Target-specific variables have the same priority as any other
makefile variable.  Variables provided on the command-line (and in the
environment if the `-e' option is in force) will take precedence.
Specifying the `override' directive will allow the target-specific
variable value to be preferred.

   There is one more special feature of target-specific variables: when
you define a target-specific variable, that variable value is also in
effect for all prerequisites of this target (unless those prerequisites
override it with their own target-specific variable value).  So, for
example, a statement like this:

     prog : CFLAGS = -g
     prog : prog.o foo.o bar.o

will set `CFLAGS' to `-g' in the command script for `prog', but it will
also set `CFLAGS' to `-g' in the command scripts that create `prog.o',
`foo.o', and `bar.o', and any command scripts which create their
prerequisites.