RE: .PHONY, FORCE, target execution

[Leeuwesteijn,Joost]

Hi Paul | tr "Pu" " l"

>   l> Is it possible to force the execution of the banner target?
> No; the only way to do it is to re-invoke make recursively to 
> build the target.

I've figured out the pattern rules and target specific variables (see test
makefile below). This could compact my code dramatically. Right now I have
a, pretty identical, cc/asm/link recipe for each module (except for module
specific variable names), which is not what I want. I was trying:
   %.o : %.c TARGET_VAR:=FOO
to set the target/pattern specific variables but the manual helped out.
I've also found the "canned command sequences" chapter in the
way-too-big-so-many-options manual :-) Could be useful perhaps.

Because I like fancy output, and who knows what else it can be used for, I
hereby propose/request a new built-in target called .SUPERPHONY, .PHONY++ or
.FRAUD :-)
If a target is defined as .FRAUD, it will be executed -everytime- it is
listed as a prerequisite, it will be -ignored- in any $<, $?, $^ automatic
variables and will -not- cause a target to go out of date (which .PHONY
seems to do, just once).

Pseudo example:
-------------------------------
app : module1.a module2.a
    @touch app

.FRAUD : banner
banner :
    echo "Do stuff everytime (module=$(MODULE))"

module1.a : MODULE := module1
module1.a : banner mod1file1.o mod1file2.o
    # $^ = mod1file1.o mod1file2.o ; $< = mod1file1.o

module2.a : MODULE := module2
module2.a : mod2file1.c banner mod2file2.c
    # $^ = mod2file1.o mod2file2.o ; $< = mod2file1.o
-------------------------------

Output (after a previous full build):
-------------------------------
Do stuff everytime (module=module1)
Do stuff everytime (module=module2)
make: `app' is up to date.
-------------------------------

If I ever find the time to look at the make sourcecode... :-)

Regards,
Joost

##########################################
#
# Test makefile
#
##########################################

app : module1.a module2.a
        @touch app
        @echo2 "$@ created!"

# ----------------------------------------

module1.a : MODULE:=module1
module1.a : CFLAGS=foo
module1.a : banner mod1file1.o mod1file2.o

module2.a : MODULE:=module2
module2.a : CFLAGS=bar
module2.a : banner
module2.a : mod2file1.o mod2file2.o

# ----------------------------------------

%.a :
        @echo2 "Linking address@hidden"
        @echo2 "     $?"
        @touch $@

%.o : %.c
        @echo2 "Compiling $@ (module=$(MODULE), CFLAGS=$(CFLAGS))"
        @touch $@

# ----------------------------------------

banner : FORCE
        @echo2
        @echo2 "--- Building $(MODULE)...

FORCE : ;
# FORCE FORCE FORCE! I want the banner :-)