Q50693: Special Macros Not Recognized in NMAKE Inline Files

Article: Q50693
Product(s): See article
Version(s): 1.00 1.01 | 1.00 1.01
Operating System(s): MS-DOS | OS/2
Keyword(s): ENDUSER | | mspl13_basic
Last Modified: 10-NOV-1989

When you use special macros to indicate targets or dependents in
inline files, NMAKE Version 1.00 will generate the error message
U4108, "special macro undefined." These special macros are $@, $*,
$**, and $?.

To prevent the problem, avoid use of these special macros in inline
files. Instead of using those << inline files, create the response
file in a separate NMAKE target, and redirect TYPE and ECHO commands
to the desired file.

$@ refers to the full name of the target, base plus extension. $*
refers only to the base name of the target.

$** represents the complete list of dependent files for the target. $?
represents only the dependents that are out of date relative to the
target.

The following makefile will generate U4018 for $**:

#makefile test
FOO.EXE: *.OBJ
    LINK @<<FOO.LRF
$**;
<<

To avoid the problem, break this up into two steps, the makefile and a
linker response file with output redirected:

#makefile test
FOO.EXE: *.OBJ FOO.LRF
    LINK @FOO.LRF

FOO.LRF: *.OBJ
    echo $**; >FOO.LRF

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