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Q86814: BUG: NMAKE TOOLS.INI Commands Ignore Environment Variables

Article: Q86814
Product(s): Microsoft Programming Utilities
Version(s): MS-DOS:1.2,1.3,1.4; NT:1.4,1.5
Operating System(s): 
Keyword(s): 
Last Modified: 24-DEC-1999

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The information in this article applies to:

- Microsoft NMAKE Utility for MS-DOS, versions 1.2, 1.3, 1.4 
- Microsoft NMAKE Utility for Windows NT, versions 1.4, 1.5 
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

SYMPTOMS
========

Commands placed in the TOOLS.INI file may not recognize an environment variable
macro and proceed as if the macro was undefined.

RESOLUTION
==========

There are two methods to work around this problem, as follows:

- Define the macro on the command line instead of as an environment variable.

-or-

- Place the commands that depend on the environment variable in the makefile
  rather than in the TOOLS.INI file.

STATUS
======

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in NMAKE versions 1.2, 1.3, and
1.4. We are researching this problem and will post new information here in the
Microsoft Knowledge Base as it becomes available.

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

Perform the following four steps to demonstrate this problem.

1. Edit your TOOLS.INI file to add the following section:

        [NMAKE]
        TEST=okay
        !IFDEF ENV_VAR                        #  Place these commands in
        TEST = $(TEST) Environment is defined #  the makefile to resolve
        !ENDIF                                #  the problem.

2. At the MS-DOS command prompt, type the following to define the ENV_VAR
  environment variable:

  " SET ENV_VAR=1" (without the quotation marks)

3. Create a file named makefile that contains the following:

  " ALL:
  @echo $(TEST)" (without the quotation marks)

4. At the MS-DOS prompt, type "NMAKE" (without the quotation marks).

NMAKE displays the following on the screen:

  okay

instead of the following expected output:

  okay Environment is defined

Additional query words: 1.20 1.30 1.40 1.50

======================================================================
Keywords          :  
Technology        : kbVCsearch kbAudDeveloper kbNMAKESearch kbNMAKE120DOS kbNMAKE130DOS kbNMAKE140DOS kbNMAKE140NT kbNMAKE150NT
Version           : MS-DOS:1.2,1.3,1.4; NT:1.4,1.5

=============================================================================

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