| title |
Pseudotargets | Microsoft Docs |
| ms.custom |
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| ms.date |
11/04/2016 |
| ms.reviewer |
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| ms.technology |
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article |
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makefiles, pseudotargets |
pseudotargets and NMAKE |
NMAKE program, pseudotargets |
timestamps, makefile pseudotargets |
NMAKE program, targets |
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| ms.assetid |
c8c479dc-0129-4186-8366-bc6251f2b494 |
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7 |
| author |
corob-msft |
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corob |
| manager |
ghogen |
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A pseudotarget is a label used in place of a filename in a dependency line. It is interpreted as a file that does not exist, and so is out-of-date. NMAKE assumes a pseudotarget's timestamp is the most recent of all its dependents. If it has no dependents, the current time is assumed. If a pseudotarget is used as a target, its commands are always executed. A pseudotarget used as a dependent must also appear as a target in another dependency. However, that dependency does not need to have a commands block.
Pseudotarget names follow the filename syntax rules for targets. However, if the name does not have an extension (that is, does not contain a period), it can exceed the 8-character limit for filenames and can be up to 256 characters long.
Targets