DOCUMENT:Q59420  08-OCT-1999  [utilities]
TITLE   :Specifying the Order in Which NMAKE Builds Files
PRODUCT :Microsoft Programming Utilities
PROD/VER::
OPER/SYS:
KEYWORDS:

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The information in this article applies to:

 - Microsoft NMAKE Utility for MS-DOS 
 - Microsoft NMAKE Utility for OS/2 
 - Microsoft NMAKE Utility for Windows NT 
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SUMMARY
=======

It is possible to specify the order in which NMAKE builds target files.

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

When NMAKE runs, it first checks its comment line. NMAKE builds any targets
specified on the command line in order, from left to right. If the command line
does not specify any targets, NMAKE builds the first target in the description
file.

NMAKE builds all the dependents in the order in which they are specified on the
first target line, from left to right. For most description files, the first
target in the file is the ALL pseudotarget. NMAKE builds the specified files in
order and builds other files that depend on the specified files according to
their rules.

As an example, consider the following description file:

Sample Makefile 1
-----------------

       all : three.obj two.obj one.obj main.exe

      one.obj : one.c
         cl /c one.c

      two.obj : two.c
         cl /c two.c

      three.obj : three.c
         cl /c three.c

      main.exe : three.obj one.obj two.obj
         link one two three, main;

In this example, NMAKE compiles THREE.C, TWO.C, and ONE.C, then it links
MAIN.EXE. The compiler uses this order because the first target specifies the
dependents in this order. NMAKE builds the first target unless the command line
specifies a different target to build.

Consider the following example that is somewhat different from the example
above:

Sample Makefile 2
-----------------

         all : main.exe

      one.obj : one.c
          cl /c one.c

      two.obj : two.c
          cl /c two.c

      three.obj : three.c
          cl /c three.c

      main.exe : three.obj one.obj two.obj
          link one two three, main;

In this example, NMAKE compiles THREE.C, ONE.C, and TWO.C, then it links
MAIN.EXE. NMAKE builds the first target, MAIN.EXE, then it builds the file
MAIN.EXE depends on in the specified order.

To summarize, NMAKE looks first at its command line. If no files are specified,
it builds the first target in the description file by building each of its
dependent files in the specified order. If a file that the first target depends
on specifies another target, NMAKE builds the dependent files of that target in
the specified order. This continues until all dependent files are built.

Additional query words: kbinf 1.20 1.30 1.40 1.50

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Keywords          :  
Technology        : kbVCsearch kbAudDeveloper kbNMAKESearch
Version           : :

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