FIX: Using "!" & "$?" Do Not Work as Expected w/ NMAKE 1.11

 Last reviewed: September 11, 1997
Article ID: Q61808
1.11 | 1.11 MS-DOS | OS/2 kbtool kbbuglist kbfixlist

The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft NMAKE Utility for MS-DOS, version 1.11
  • Microsoft NMAKE Utility for OS/2, version 1.11

SYMPTOMS

In an NMAKE description file, applying the "!" (exclamation point) operator to the beginning of a command line using the macro "$?" should cause the command to be executed once for every out-of-date dependent file. In version 1.11 of NMAKE (shipped with C version 6.00), the $? macro evaluates to the list of every dependent, regardless of whether it is out of date or not. This is not the correct behavior.

RESOLUTION

Fortunately, the problem above is easy to correct. NMAKE performs correctly if two colons (::) are placed after the target NEW.LIB on the dependency line. The NMAKE file may be rewritten as follows so that the $? macro will work with NMAKE 1.11: 

   new.lib::a.obj b.obj c.obj
      !lib $@-+$?;
The use of the $? macro is described on page 108 of the "Microsoft C Advanced Programming Techniques" manual included with C version 6.00. The use of the two colons on the dependency line is described on page 109.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in NMAKE version 1.11. This problem was corrected in NMAKE version 1.12.

MORE INFORMATION

To re-create this problem, save the following lines to a file called MAKEFILE: 

   new.lib: a.obj b.obj c.obj
       !lib $@-+$?;
Assuming that only A.OBJ is out of date with respect to NEW.LIB, the following will be produced upon running NMAKE:

  1. NMAKE 1.00 or 1.12: 

          lib new.lib-+a.obj;

  2. NMAKE 1.11: 

          lib new.lib-+a.obj
      lib new.lib-+b.obj
      lib new.lib-+c.obj

Example 1 above shows the correct function of the $? macro.

Additional reference words: buglist1.11 fixlist1.12
KBCategory: kbtool kbbuglist kbfixlist
KBSubcategory: NmakeIss
Keywords : kb16bitonly
Solution Type : kbfix

THE INFORMATION PROVIDED IN THE MICROSOFT KNOWLEDGE BASE IS PROVIDED "AS IS" WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND. MICROSOFT DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. IN NO EVENT SHALL MICROSOFT CORPORATION OR ITS SUPPLIERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DAMAGES WHATSOEVER INCLUDING DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, LOSS OF BUSINESS PROFITS OR SPECIAL DAMAGES, EVEN IF MICROSOFT CORPORATION OR ITS SUPPLIERS HAVE BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES. SOME STATES DO NOT ALLOW THE EXCLUSION OR LIMITATION OF LIABILITY FOR CONSEQUENTIAL OR INCIDENTAL DAMAGES SO THE FOREGOING LIMITATION MAY NOT APPLY.

Last reviewed: September 11, 1997
© 1998 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved. Terms of Use.