comments in make variable definition

[Stefano Lattarini]

[dropping debbugs, adding automake]

[stemming from discussion about automake bug#7657:
 <http://debbugs.gnu.org/cgi/bugreport.cgi?bug=7657>]

On Tuesday 21 December 2010, Ralf Wildenhues wrote:
> * Stefano Lattarini wrote on Tue, Dec 21, 2010 at 01:55:39PM CET:
> > On Sunday 19 December 2010, Ralf Wildenhues wrote:
> > > * Stefano Lattarini wrote on Fri, Dec 17, 2010 at 12:19:40PM CET:
> > > >   xmandir = $(mandir) # we want info files installed in $(mandir) 
> > > > because ...
> > > >   xman_TEXINFOS = foo.texi
> > >
> > > (And the inline comment is of course not ok ;-)
> >
> > (Maybe it's time to deprecate them too in the manual ...)
> 
> I don't see how they were ever not problematic.  Well, at least given
> the autoconf.texi general warnings about comments in makefiles.
> 
Ah, but AFAIK, make comments are problematic only in makefile *rules*,
not in variable definitions:
  VAR = foo bar # a probably portable comment
  tgt:; touch $@ # a bad unportable commen

Try also to search:
  ^[^\t#].*=.*\s# file:^Makefile\.am$
with google code search (not many entries, luckily, but still).

Regards,
   Stefano