Creating Inference Rules for Nonstandard File Extensions (81454)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft NMAKE Utility for MS-DOS 1.11
  • Microsoft NMAKE Utility for MS-DOS 1.12
  • Microsoft NMAKE Utility for MS-DOS 1.13
  • Microsoft NMAKE Utility for MS-DOS 1.2
  • Microsoft NMAKE Utility for MS-DOS 1.3
  • Microsoft NMAKE Utility for OS/2 1.11
  • Microsoft NMAKE Utility for OS/2 1.12
  • Microsoft NMAKE Utility for OS/2 1.13
  • Microsoft NMAKE Utility for OS/2 1.21
  • Microsoft NMAKE Utility for Windows NT
This article was previously published under Q81454

SUMMARY

If you use NMAKE to create an Inference Rule for a file with a nonstandard file extension (for example, an extension other than .ASM, .BAS, .C, and so forth), you must specify the extension in the .SUFFIXES list in the makefile.

MORE INFORMATION

It is sometimes necessary or desirable to compile a source file that has a nonstandard file extension. For example, you may want to store a Microsoft QuickBasic source-code file as TEST.SRC rather than the standard TEST.BAS. To compile this file with NMAKE, you must create a new inference rule for that extension. The text below is an example of an inference rule to compile a QuickBasic file with the extension .SRC that is out-of-date with respect to its target object (.OBJ) file: 
   .src.obj:

      @echo Compiling Source File
      bc $<;
However, another step is required for NMAKE to recognize the .SRC filename extension. You must add the extension to the .SUFFIXES list for NMAKE to recognize the new extension. Otherwise, NMAKE ignores the compiler call without any errors. The text below demonstrates the syntax for the .SUFFIXES statement in a makefile:

.SUFFIXES: .src

The resulting makefile would resemble the following: 
The resulting makefile would resemble the following:

.SUFFIXES: .src

.src.obj:
   @echo Compiling Source File
   bc $<;

test.obj : test.src
Modification Type:MajorLast Reviewed:12/1/2003
Keywords:KB81454
©2003 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.