Force Makefile to execute script before building targets

Question

I am using Makefiles.

However, there is a command (zsh script) I want executed before any targets is executed. How do I do this?

Thanks!

Answer 1

Solution for both preprocessing and postprocessing in makefiles using MAKECMDGOALS and double colon rules.

MAKECMDGOALS are the targets listed on the command line.

First step is to get the first and last targets from the command line, or if there are no targets listed, use the default target.

ifneq ($(MAKECMDGOALS),)
FIRST_GOAL := $(word 1, $(MAKECMDGOALS))
LAST_GOAL := $(word $(words $(MAKECMDGOALS)), $(MAKECMDGOALS))
else
FIRST_GOAL := all
LAST_GOAL := all
endif

Double colon rules allow multiple recipes for the same target executed in order. You'll have to change all command line targets to double colon rules.

#Dummy rule to set the default
.PHONY: all
all ::

#Preprocessing
$(FIRST_GOAL) ::
    echo "Starting make..."

all :: normal_prerequistes
    normal_recipe

other_stuff

#Postprocessing
$(LAST_GOAL) ::
    echo "All done..."