Re: trouble with order rules in implicit rules

[Paul D. Smith]

%% Noel Yap <address@hidden> writes:

  ny> I had thought that the better-matching rule would be the one used.

I don't know what "better-matching" means, but the way make chooses a
pattern rule is well-defined; from section "Introduction to Pattern
Rules":

>    The order in which pattern rules appear in the makefile is important
> since this is the order in which they are considered.  Of equally
> applicable rules, only the first one found is used.

I guess that's a little confusing, since "equally applicable" isn't
defined anywhere.  But, it refers to the last sentence:

> Note however, that a rule whose prerequisites actually exist or are
> mentioned always takes priority over a rule with prerequisites that must
> be made by chaining other implicit rules.


Anyway, the short answer is that for basic pattern rules (not chained
pattern rules) the first one appearing in the makefile is always used.

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