creating a makefile for C++

[micahpage]

If you have multiple cpp files, h files, or even some in dubdirectories, what do you put in the makefile?

For example,

metulburr@ubuntu:~/Documents/cplusplus/composition$ ls
Birthday.cpp  Birthday.h  main.cpp  People.cpp  People.h
metulburr@ubuntu:~/Documents/cplusplus/composition$

[dwhitney67]

Start by reading/researching: http://www.gnu.org/software/make/manual/make.html


For the simple project layout you posted, the following basic/simple Makefile should suffice:

# Application name; change if needed.
APP = bday

# Listing of source code files
SRCS = Birthday.cpp main.cpp  People.cpp

# Formulate the names of the respective object files
OBJS = $(SRCS:.cpp=.o)

# Define appropriate compiler options
CXXFLAGS = -Wall -pedantic

# Define appropriate link options and libraries
LDFLAGS =
LIBS =


.PHONY = all clean


all : $(APP)


$(APP) : $(OBJS)
        $(CXX) $^ $(LDFLAGS) $(LIBS) -o $@


clean :
        $(RM) $(OBJS) $(APP)

Note:

$(APP) : $(OBJS)
<tab-space>$(CXX) $^ $(LDFLAGS) $(LIBS) -o $@


clean :
<tab-space>$(RM) $(OBJS) $(APP)

[bird1500]

It's slightly off topic, but if you haven't considered cmake yet, imo you should. If you go the make route you'll have to learn/use autotools, also known as autohell, cmake is much simpler (and crossplatform), more modern and faster. (And yes, nothing is ideal, but some things are generally (much) better than others).

[dwhitney67]

... If you go the make route you'll have to learn/use autotools...

Your assumption is incorrect. I use Makefiles all the time; never once have I had to use autotools.

[bird1500]

Your assumption is incorrect. I use Makefiles all the time; never once have I had to use autotools.

Please check my spelling too. When people say something they don't mean it in absolute terms, unless explicitly told so.