Re: typo in the make manual

[ali hagigat]

The manual clearly states a general rule:

"This results in more specific variables taking precedence
over the more generic ones..."

and you wrote:
"So the manual is correct: longer (more generic) stems are interpreted
before shorter (more specific) stems"

The manual says: "more specific" is parsed first and you wrote "more
generic" is parsed first!!

This style of writing even contradicts the essence and spirits of the
manual! When the manual says something, it is general and is used in 90% of
the cases, then it follows by stating some exceptions. Your comments says
that "more generic" is parsed first. But most of make users use = or :=
while the sentence of the manual describes their uses better and actually
"more specific" is analysed first for them. My problem with manual was that
"more specific" is equal to "smaller stems" not "longer stems".

Besides the manual is better mentioning the exceptions of ?= and += and
separating them clearly from = and :=. The manual is incomplete here.


On Sat, Apr 23, 2011 at 11:54 AM, Philip Guenther <address@hidden>wrote:

> On Fri, Apr 22, 2011 at 11:06 PM, ali hagigat <address@hidden>
> wrote:
> > 6.12 Pattern-specific Variable Values
> > This results in more specific variables taking precedence
> > over the more generic ones...
> > ----------------------------------------------------------------------
> > Philip, you wrote:
> > "So the manual is correct: longer (more generic) stems are interpreted
> > before shorter (more specific) stems...."
> >
> > If the manual is correct why it contradicts what you wrote?!
> > Please look at the extract of the manual above!!!
>
> I don't see the contradiction, particularly given the rest of what I
> wrote.  Can you please explain what contradiction you see?
>
>
> Philip Guenther
>