1

Makefile:

$(shell ./test.sh)

1st experiment: test.sh

echo "hi"

Error I get:

Makefile:1: *** missing separator.  Stop.

2nd experiment: test.sh

echo("hi")

Errors I get:

./test.sh: line 1: syntax error near unexpected token `"hi"' 
./test.sh: line 1: `echo("hi")'

Doesn't make any sense...it looks as if 'Make' tries to impose its syntax on the shell script, but the shell script wants its own too.

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1 Answer 1

Reset to default
6

try ./test.sh.

In the first experiment, the result is

hi

When you run make, the line $(shell ./test.sh) evaluates as hi, which Make doesn't know how to interpret.

In the second experiment,

./test.sh: line 1: syntax error near unexpected token `"hi"'
./test.sh: line 1: `echo("hi")'

You've written a shell script that doesn't have correct shell syntax, so it fails. It fails whether you run it or Make runs it.

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8 Comments

I tried that, but it says: "Makefile:1: *** missing separator. Stop." aswell. I don't know what to make of this..
Oh damn, apparently I can't just put that line anywhere, it has to be a recipe. Thanks for your help!
Not exactly, you can use $(warning $(shell ... )), warning is guaranteed to produce null output, then you can use (fake) assignment AAA := $(shell ...) - that all depends on your particular needs.
@pmod: true, and you can also use $(info $(shell ...)), like warning but less urgent.
@Blub Makefile:1: *** missing separator usually means you have spaces instead of tabs. Makefile only likes tabs
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