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(make.info)Using Implicit

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Using Implicit Rules
====================

   To allow `make' to find a customary method for updating a target
file, all you have to do is refrain from specifying commands yourself.
Either write a rule with no command lines, or don't write a rule at
all.  Then `make' will figure out which implicit rule to use based on
which kind of source file exists or can be made.

   For example, suppose the makefile looks like this:

     foo : foo.o bar.o
             cc -o foo foo.o bar.o $(CFLAGS) $(LDFLAGS)

Because you mention `foo.o' but do not give a rule for it, `make' will
automatically look for an implicit rule that tells how to update it.
This happens whether or not the file `foo.o' currently exists.

   If an implicit rule is found, it can supply both commands and one or
more prerequisites (the source files).  You would want to write a rule
for `foo.o' with no command lines if you need to specify additional
prerequisites, such as header files, that the implicit rule cannot
supply.

   Each implicit rule has a target pattern and prerequisite patterns.
There may be many implicit rules with the same target pattern.  For
example, numerous rules make `.o' files: one, from a `.c' file with the
C compiler; another, from a `.p' file with the Pascal compiler; and so
on.  The rule that actually applies is the one whose prerequisites
exist or can be made.  So, if you have a file `foo.c', `make' will run
the C compiler; otherwise, if you have a file `foo.p', `make' will run
the Pascal compiler; and so on.

   Of course, when you write the makefile, you know which implicit rule
you want `make' to use, and you know it will choose that one because you
know which possible prerequisite files are supposed to exist.  Note:
Catalogue of Implicit Rules, for a catalogue of all
the predefined implicit rules.

   Above, we said an implicit rule applies if the required
prerequisites "exist or can be made".  A file "can be made" if it is
mentioned explicitly in the makefile as a target or a prerequisite, or
if an implicit rule can be recursively found for how to make it.  When
an implicit prerequisite is the result of another implicit rule, we say
that "chaining" is occurring.  Note: Chains of Implicit Rules.


   In general, `make' searches for an implicit rule for each target, and
for each double-colon rule, that has no commands.  A file that is
mentioned only as a prerequisite is considered a target whose rule
specifies nothing, so implicit rule search happens for it.  Note:
Implicit Rule Search Algorithm, for the details
of how the search is done.

   Note that explicit prerequisites do not influence implicit rule
search.  For example, consider this explicit rule:

     foo.o: foo.p

The prerequisite on `foo.p' does not necessarily mean that `make' will
remake `foo.o' according to the implicit rule to make an object file, a
`.o' file, from a Pascal source file, a `.p' file.  For example, if
`foo.c' also exists, the implicit rule to make an object file from a C
source file is used instead, because it appears before the Pascal rule
in the list of predefined implicit rules (Note: Catalogue of Implicit
Rules.).

   If you do not want an implicit rule to be used for a target that has
no commands, you can give that target empty commands by writing a
semicolon (Note: Defining Empty Commands.).