Todd Whitesel wrote:

> > The UPDATE variable will reduce the number of things that get recompiled
> > and should improve build times no end.  Because of UPDATE, you need
> > the separate "make cleandir" - hmm, maybe we should have two variables
> > controlling update vs. cleandir behaviour...
> 
> I think I am already in the archives as saying that we should.

So far it seems we're in violent agreement on everything :-) I think
I've still got most of the messages you've sent about the build
processes, but can't remember any specifics.  I dig back through my
archives.

> What I'd actually like is all the top-level stages of ``make build'' assigned
> their own PHONY targets, and that list exported via ``make print-build-steps'
'
> so that I can write a general system which "walks" through the various parts
> of a ``make build'' in order. I've already got such a system which I use all
> the time, but currently it has to know all about the src/Makefile that it is
> driving. (I loathe make -k, so nobody send me private mail about that please)
> 
> With the above implementation, it is quite straightforward to support more
> PHONY targets like ``build'' ``inc-build'' and whatever else we find we use
> a lot.

This sounds reasonable.  I'll assume you mean "make -n", not "make -k".
I tend to use that one all the time myself, so maybe we don't agree
about absolutely everything :)

Simon.