What is a Makefile.inc?

Question

I have a basic questions as to if some Makefile includes a Makefile.inc. Generally what commands/configurations/rules go into the Makefile.inc ?

Any pointers would be useful.

thank you.

-AD

Answer 1

It depends. I've seen a makefile include <system>.inc files for system specific settings. Before you compile, you need to make sure that the correct .inc is used for the system that you are on.

It is also common to have project settings in .inc files, when there are multiple sub-makefiles for a project (one per directory).

It is also used to share common makefile code across different projects.

Answer 2

This depends on the programmer who wrote this make file.

Normally, a Makefile.inc file contains a common set of definitions and macros that are used across more than one installation. This way, they are more easily and centrally maintained.