[Python-Dev] addressing distutils inability to track file dependencies

[Greg Ball]

On Thu, 13 Jun 2002, Skip Montanaro wrote:

> If the extra complexity came with no added benefits I'd agree with you.
> However, most makes actually do support a fairly basic common syntax.  Who
> cares about %-rules and suffix rules?  Those are only there to make it
> easier for humans to maintain Makefiles Just generate a brute-force
> low-level makefile.  Distutils will then do the right thing in the face of
> file edits.

If you're not using sophisticated rules, the job make does is probably no
more complicated than the job of generating a makefile.  You just
construct a dependency graph, then walk over it stat-ing the files,
and running rules where needed.  It's a SMOP ;-)

--
Greg Ball