(info "(make) MAKE Variable") still just says
The special feature makes this do what you want: whenever a recipe
line of a rule contains the variable 'MAKE', the flags '-t', '-n' and
'-q' do not apply to that line. Recipe lines containing 'MAKE' are
executed normally despite the presence of a flag that causes most
recipes not to be run. The usual 'MAKEFLAGS' mechanism passes the flags
to the sub-'make' (*note Communicating Options to a Sub-'make':
Options/Recursion.), so your request to touch the files, or print the
recipes, is propagated to the subsystem.
and (info "(make) Options/Recursion") says regarding MAKEFLAGS:
(except that '-C', '-f', '-h', '-o', '-W', and
their long-named versions are ignored;
OK, first, regarding "do what you want": When some users use -n, they
don't want some deeply nested $(MAKE) to suddenly "turn on the nuclear
reactor without also turning on the cooling system."
I.e., (info "(make) MAKE Variable") should mention:
1. How to guaranteed "-n" is passed and honored 100% throughout the
tree. Or,
2. State explicitly that well um it's just not possible.
Or maybe on the man page:
-n, --just-print, --dry-run, --recon
Print the commands that would be executed, but do not execute them
(except in certain circumstances).
Should say
-n, --just-print, --dry-run, --recon
Print the commands that would be executed, but do not execute them
(except in certain circumstances). For more powerful ones, use
--just-print-100%, --dry-run-100% .
The "except in certain circumstances" I am thankful for. But there is
still no clear "admission in the documents that there is no way to
guarantee -n won't execute something deep down" or "recipe provided how
to achieve this guarantee, without needing to mess with (edit) other
people's makefiles".
Or say:
How to defuse deep -n: you can't. So,
if you don't want to worry about deep -n coming to life,
well, instead of
x:
$(MAKE) y
use
x:
make y
Sure, to do a dry run, now instead of
$ make -n x
you will need
$ make -n x y
but at least it won't blow up (execute) in your face.
