make (or bash?) bug

[Steve Clingerman]

In the two examples following, it appears as if an assignment of a list
to nothing (null) acts differently. This could very well be a bash bug
(or fix) between 2.04 and 2.05. I could find no email address for bash
bugs.


Redhat 7.0


address@hidden sclingerman]$ bash --version
GNU bash, version 2.04.11(1)-release (i386-redhat-linux-gnu)
Copyright 1999 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
address@hidden sclingerman]$ make --version
GNU Make version 3.79.1, by Richard Stallman and Roland McGrath.
Built for i386-redhat-linux-gnu
Copyright (C) 1988, 89, 90, 91, 92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97, 98, 99, 2000
        Free Software Foundation, Inc.
This is free software; see the source for copying conditions.
There is NO warranty; not even for MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A
PARTICULAR PURPOSE.

Report bugs to <address@hidden>.

address@hidden sclingerman]$ cat doit
#!/bin/bash

SUB_DIR_LIST=

subdirs:
        for SD in $(SUB_DIR_LIST); do \
                echo "This is" $$SD; \
        done

all: subdirs

address@hidden sclingerman]$ make -f doit
for SD in ; do \
        echo "This is" $SD; \
done
address@hidden sclingerman]$

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Redhat 7.2


[steve@/home/steve]$ bash --version
GNU bash, version 2.05.8(1)-release (i386-redhat-linux-gnu)
Copyright 2000 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
[steve@/home/steve]$ make --version
GNU Make version 3.79.1, by Richard Stallman and Roland McGrath.
Built for i386-redhat-linux-gnu
Copyright (C) 1988, 89, 90, 91, 92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97, 98, 99, 2000
        Free Software Foundation, Inc.
This is free software; see the source for copying conditions.
There is NO warranty; not even for MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A
PARTICULAR PURPOSE.

Report bugs to <address@hidden>.

[steve@/home/steve]$ cat doit
#!/bin/bash

SUB_DIR_LIST=

subdirs:
        for SD in $(SUB_DIR_LIST); do \
                echo "This is" $$SD; \
        done

all: subdirs

[steve@/home/steve]$ make -f doit
for SD in ; do \
        echo "This is" $SD; \
done
/bin/sh: -c: line 1: syntax error near unexpected token `;'
/bin/sh: -c: line 1: `for SD in ; do  echo "This is" $SD;  done'
make: *** [subdirs] Error 2
[steve@/home/steve]$


Steve Clingerman
Transat Technologies
180 State Street
Suite 240
Southlake, TX 76092
817-481-4412 Ext. 112
address@hidden