🚀 go-pugleaf

%% Toralf Lund <toralf@kscanners.com> writes:

  tl> As we want our software developed on the SGI to be easier to build on
  tl> other systems, notably Linux, we are planning to ditch smake and start
  tl> using GNUmake instead (as I suppose smake exists for Irix only.) Can
  tl> anyone give me general rules, hints or any kind of information at all
  tl> about the process of rewriting Makefiles that use smake specific
  tl> features like conditionals, special targets/sources and variable
  tl> expansion modifiers?

Go get the GNU make manual.  It's available (of course) in Texinfo and
info format in the distribution, and it's available for purchase in
hardcopy from the FSF or computer bookstores (this sends the FSF $'s,
moreso if you order it directly--yay!), and it's available online from
the FSF's web site in various formats (HTML, DVI, PostScript, text):

  http://www.gnu.org/doc/doc.html

There are two chapters there of particular interest as you start out:
one listing features found in one or more other implementations of make
which don't exist in GNU make (often with suggestions for translation)
and another listing features found in GNU make that may or may not exist
in other versions of make.

-- 
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Paul D. Smith <psmith@baynetworks.com>         Network Management Development
 "Please remain calm...I may be mad, but I am a professional." --Mad Scientist
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
   These are my opinions---Nortel Networks takes no responsibility for them.

Toralf Lund <toralf@kscanners.com> writes:

> As we want our software developed on the SGI to be easier to build on
> other systems, notably Linux, we are planning to ditch smake and start
> using GNUmake instead (as I suppose smake exists for Irix only.) Can
> anyone give me general rules, hints or any kind of information at all
> about the process of rewriting Makefiles that use smake specific
> features like conditionals, special targets/sources and variable
> expansion modifiers?

you also probably want to check out the autoconf package - it can be a
godsend for setting up packages to compile on multiple platforms.  find it
on ftp.gnu.org

-- 
Frank Sweetser rasmusin at wpi.edu fsweetser at blee.net  | PGP key available
paramount.ind.wpi.edu RedHat 5.2 kernel 2.2.5        i586 | at public servers
"Linux poses a real challenge for those with a taste for late-night
hacking (and/or conversations with God)."
(By Matt Welsh)

"Paul D. Smith" wrote:
> 
> %% Toralf Lund <toralf@kscanners.com> writes:
> 
>   tl> As we want our software developed on the SGI to be easier to build on
>   tl> other systems, notably Linux, we are planning to ditch smake and start
>   tl> using GNUmake instead (as I suppose smake exists for Irix only.) Can
>   tl> anyone give me general rules, hints or any kind of information at all
>   tl> about the process of rewriting Makefiles that use smake specific
>   tl> features like conditionals, special targets/sources and variable
>   tl> expansion modifiers?
> 
> Go get the GNU make manual.  It's available (of course) in Texinfo and
> info format in the distribution, and it's available for purchase in
> hardcopy from the FSF or computer bookstores (this sends the FSF $'s,
> moreso if you order it directly--yay!), and it's available online from
> the FSF's web site in various formats (HTML, DVI, PostScript, text):
> 
>   http://www.gnu.org/doc/doc.html
> 
> There are two chapters there of particular interest as you start out:
> one listing features found in one or more other implementations of make
> which don't exist in GNU make (often with suggestions for translation)
> and another listing features found in GNU make that may or may not exist
> in other versions of make.
These chapters don't really exist, do they? There is some information in
the one about "Features of GNU make", but it's not too helpful.

-- 
- T. Lund

%% Toralf Lund <toralf@kscanners.com> writes:

  >> There are two chapters there of particular interest as you start out:
  >> one listing features found in one or more other implementations of make
  >> which don't exist in GNU make (often with suggestions for translation)
  >> and another listing features found in GNU make that may or may not exist
  >> in other versions of make.

  tl> These chapters don't really exist, do they?

No, gotcha!  I get my kicks by lying to people on USENET.

  http://www.gnu.org/manual/make-3.77/html_chapter/make_12.html
  http://www.gnu.org/manual/make-3.77/html_chapter/make_13.html

Sheesh.

  tl> There is some information in the one about "Features of GNU make",
  tl> but it's not too helpful.

"Not too helpful"?  I count 45 separate bullet items in this chapter
alone, listing features of GNU make that some or all other makes don't
have, with hyperlink references to places in the GNU make manual where
you can find more details about each of them.

Pretty much every feature of GNU make not contained in POSIX.2 make is
listed here.

Just what exactly are you looking for, anyway?

-- 
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Paul D. Smith <psmith@baynetworks.com>         Network Management Development
 "Please remain calm...I may be mad, but I am a professional." --Mad Scientist
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
   These are my opinions---Nortel Networks takes no responsibility for them.

In comp.sys.sgi.misc Paul D. Smith <psmith@baynetworks.com> wrote:

> Pretty much every feature of GNU make not contained in POSIX.2 make is
> listed here.
> 
> Just what exactly are you looking for, anyway?

Well, as the subject line says, I suspect the author was looking for
specific information about the differences between SGI's smake/pmake and
GNU make, and advice for transitioning from one to the other.

I gather your information was insufficiently specific to be helpful to
the person who asked the question.

"Sheesh," indeed.

-- 
crw--w--w-    3 root     sys       58,  0 Apr  7 12:01 /dev/console

%% Dev Console <devconsole@yahoo.com> writes:

  dc> In comp.sys.sgi.misc Paul D. Smith <psmith@baynetworks.com> wrote:

  >> Pretty much every feature of GNU make not contained in POSIX.2 make is
  >> listed here.
  >> 
  >> Just what exactly are you looking for, anyway?

  dc> Well, as the subject line says, I suspect the author was looking
  dc> for specific information about the differences between SGI's
  dc> smake/pmake and GNU make, and advice for transitioning from one to
  dc> the other.

I see.  Well, let me be more clear: no, there is no documentation I know
of that describes in detail the differences between SGI smake/pmake in
particular and GNU make, or gives step-by-step instructions for
transitioning.

Similarly, there're no docs that describe in detail the differences
between GNU make and Sun's make, or AIX make, or HP-UX make, or
DG-UX make, or BSD make, or clearmake, or omake, or dmake, or bake, or
cook, or bras, or odin, or...

What we _do_ have is a pretty comprehensive list of features of GNU make
above and beyond traditional make, and also a stab at a list of features
of other makes which don't appear in GNU make, and often some advice on
how to emulate those (or, if you like, how to transition away from
them).

If you combine these lists with your knowledge of SGI's tools it should
be quite straightforward to arrive at an understanding of where the
problem areas lie.  If you have specific questions, ask away and we'll
try to help.

If you feel that's not very useful, sorry; that's the best we have.

-- 
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Paul D. Smith <psmith@baynetworks.com>         Network Management Development
 "Please remain calm...I may be mad, but I am a professional." --Mad Scientist
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
   These are my opinions---Nortel Networks takes no responsibility for them.