'Makefile recreated from fragments'

Hi,

Quick question – I keep noticing in the CVS logs the message above. Could I ask what it means?

Exactly what it says on the tin!

There are a bunch of makefile fragments which can be used to specify all the common build rules and build tools required by ordinary build system components. Rewriting a components makefile to use those fragments makes it shorter, more maintainable, more portable, etc.

OK – that makes sense in context (pun intended), particularly as some of the Makefiles are indeed unwieldy and difficult to maintain/follow.

‘recreated from fragments’ gave me a mental image of finding a lost, broken makefile in a gutter somewhere in several pieces, down on its luck and swigging meths, and with the aid of some digital glue some sticky tape and some TLC it got ‘reassembled’ into a make file approaching its 1980s heyday…

Clearly reality is not that.

I’d also wondered about that, but didn’t want to show my ignorance. I thought it meant the original makefile had been lost and it was being recreated from a bit here and a bit there! Thought I still don’t understand why ‘recreated’ rather than created. I can understand something like: A single makefile created from multiple part makefiles.

I’ve got to admit I had the same picture as William, I’m slightly disappointed now ;-)
Reality is depressing isn’t it?

I had also assumed that it was a work of forensic analysis to re-create lost files from elusive clues where no backup existed but files had been lost though the ravages of time.

I agree – it’s nowhere near as fancy as it sounds!