makefile:4: *** missing separator. Stop

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This is my makefile:

all:llll:ll.c     gcc  -c  -Wall -Werror -02 c.c ll.c  -o  ll  $@  $<clean :  \rm -fr ll

When I try to make clean or make make, I get this error:

:makefile:4: *** missing separator.  Stop.

How can I fix it?

c makefile

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edited Jun 5 '13 at 5:20

PartiallyFinite
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asked Jun 5 '13 at 4:48

Rahul Reddy
52231116

 

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3 Answers

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makefile has a very stupid relation with tabs , all actions of every rule are identified by tabs ...... and No 4 spaces dont make a tab , only a tab makes a tab...

to check i use the command cat -e -t -v makefile_name

it shows the presence of tabs with ^I and line endings with $ both are vital to ensure that dependencies end properly and tabs mark the action for the rules so that they are easily identifiable to the make utility.....

example :

Kaizen ~/so_test $ cat -e -t -v  mk.tall:ll$      ## here the $ is end of line ...                   $ll:ll.c   $^Igcc  -c  -Wall -Werror -02 c.c ll.c  -o  ll  $@  $<$ ## the ^I above means a tab was there before the action part, so this lines ok . $clean :$   \rm -fr ll$## see here there is no ^I which means , tab is not present .... ## in this case you need to open the file again and edit/ensure a tab ## starts the action part

hope this helps !!

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