RE: recursive make variables coming to POSIX

[Schwarz, Konrad]

> Meanwhile, this may work as an appropriate wording that still 
> permits IRIX behavior, by stating that recursive expansion is 
> only specified for parenthesized variables that are not one 
> of the five internal macros (@, %, ?, <, *), and only when 
> nested with () or {}:
> 
> Change line 95800:
> "The parentheses or braces are optional if string1 is a 
> single character."
> to:
> "The parentheses or braces are optional if string1 is a 
> single character, except when the expansion is nested inside 
> another macro expansion."
> 
> Lines 95801-95802 and 95807-95808 both contain:
> "If string1 in a macro expansion contains a macro expansion, 
> the results are unspecified."
> In both cases, replace them with:
> "If string1 in a macro expansion contains a macro expansion 
> where the inner expansion uses parenthesis or braces and is 
> not an internal macro, that inner macro expansion shall be 
> recursively expanded before use.
> Any other form of macro expansion in string1 has unspecified results."
> 
> as well as listing in the rationale examples such as $($(@)_FLAGS) and
> $(V$O) that are unspecified.

$(address@hidden) is a very useful, as it allows target-specific
flags.  For me, this would be a major reason for including
recursive macro expansion in the first place.

According to Wikipedia, SGI end-of-lifed IRIX in 2006;
last deliveries of IRIX based systems were early 2007.

It would surprise me if IRIX supported a current POSIX
standard; I would find it a shame to include these
limitations solely for its benefit.

Konrad Schwarz