How do I check if file exists in Makefile so I can delete it?

Question

In the clean section of my Makefile I am trying to check if the file exists before deleting permanently. I use this code but I receive errors.

What\'s w

Answer 1

Missing a semicolon

if [ -a myApp ];
then
  rm myApp
fi

However, I assume you are checking for existence before deletion to prevent an error message. If so, you can just use rm -f myApp which "forces" delete, i.e. doesn't error out if the file didn't exist.