How do I write the 'cd' command in a makefile?

Question

For example, I have something like this in my makefile:

all:
     cd some_directory

But when I typed make I saw only \'cd some

Answer 1

Here's a cute trick to deal with directories and make. Instead of using multiline strings, or "cd ;" on each command, define a simple chdir function as so:

CHDIR_SHELL := $(SHELL)
define chdir
   $(eval _D=$(firstword $(1) $(@D)))
   $(info $(MAKE): cd $(_D)) $(eval SHELL = cd $(_D); $(CHDIR_SHELL))
endef

Then all you have to do is call it in your rule as so:

all:
          $(call chdir,some_dir)
          echo "I'm now always in some_dir"
          gcc -Wall -o myTest myTest.c

You can even do the following:

some_dir/myTest:
          $(call chdir)
          echo "I'm now always in some_dir"
          gcc -Wall -o myTest myTest.c