Q81454: Creating Inference Rules for Nonstandard File Extensions

Article: Q81454
Product(s): Microsoft Programming Utilities
Version(s): 1.11,1.12,1.13,1.2,1.21,1.3
Operating System(s): 
Keyword(s): 
Last Modified: 09-OCT-1999

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The information in this article applies to:

- Microsoft NMAKE Utility for MS-DOS, versions 1.11, 1.12, 1.13, 1.2, 1.3 
- Microsoft NMAKE Utility for OS/2, versions 1.11, 1.12, 1.13, 1.21 
- Microsoft NMAKE Utility for Windows NT 
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SUMMARY
=======

If you use NMAKE to create an Inference Rule for a file with a nonstandard file
extension (for example, an extension other than .ASM, .BAS, .C, and so forth),
you must specify the extension in the .SUFFIXES list in the makefile.

MORE INFORMATION
================

It is sometimes necessary or desirable to compile a source file that has a
nonstandard file extension. For example, you may want to store a Microsoft
QuickBasic source-code file as TEST.SRC rather than the standard TEST.BAS. To
compile this file with NMAKE, you must create a new inference rule for that
extension. The text below is an example of an inference rule to compile a
QuickBasic file with the extension .SRC that is out-of-date with respect to its
target object (.OBJ) file:

     .src.obj:

        @echo Compiling Source File
        bc $<;

However, another step is required for NMAKE to recognize the .SRC filename
extension. You must add the extension to the .SUFFIXES list for NMAKE to
recognize the new extension. Otherwise, NMAKE ignores the compiler call without
any errors. The text below demonstrates the syntax for the .SUFFIXES statement
in a makefile:

  .SUFFIXES: .src

The resulting makefile would resemble the following:

  The resulting makefile would resemble the following:

  .SUFFIXES: .src

  .src.obj:
     @echo Compiling Source File
     bc $<;

  test.obj : test.src

Additional query words: kbinf 1.10 1.20 1.30 1.40 1.50

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Keywords          :  
Technology        : kbVCsearch kbAudDeveloper kbNMAKESearch kbNMAKE111DOS kbNMAKE112DOS kbNMAKE113DOS kbNMAKE120DOS kbNMAKE130DOS kbNMAKE111OS2 kbNMAKE112OS2 kbNMAKE113OS2 kbNMAKE121OS2
Version           : :1.11,1.12,1.13,1.2,1.21,1.3

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