On Tue, Mar 8, 2011 at 1:37 PM, Michael Witten <mfwit...@gmail.com> wrote: > The `--dry-run' flag is supposed to be safe in that nothing > in the file system is actually modified.
That's not actually true. To quote the docs: `-n' `--just-print' `--dry-run' `--recon' "No-op". The activity is to print what recipe would be used to make the targets up to date, but not actually execute it. Some recipes are still executed, even with this flag (*note How the `MAKE' Variable Works: MAKE Variable.). and then later on the same page: The `-n', `-t', and `-q' options do not affect recipe lines that begin with `+' characters or contain the strings `$(MAKE)' or `${MAKE}'. Note that only the line containing the `+' character or the strings `$(MAKE)' or `${MAKE}' is run regardless of these options. Other lines in the same rule are not run unless they too begin with `+' or contain `$(MAKE)' or `${MAKE}' (*Note How the `MAKE' Variable Works: MAKE Variable.) At least part of that behavior is required by the POSIX specification and has a few decades of history behind it. Philip _______________________________________________ Bug-make mailing list Bug-make@gnu.org http://lists.gnu.org/mailman/listinfo/bug-make