96 lines
3.6 KiB
Markdown
96 lines
3.6 KiB
Markdown
# mgen
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Makefile generator for C projects.
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## Overview
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`mgen` automatically generates build rules for all source files (extension `.c`)
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it finds in a recursive search of the directory in which it is run. It places
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the rules in your existing makefile, meaning you can easily change build options
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and even write your own rules based on those generated.
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`mgen` will place the generated rules between the strings "`#=mgen_start=#`" and
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"`#=mgen_end=#`" in your makefile. If these lines are not present, it will add
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them to the end of the file and place the rules there. Anything not between
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these lines will not be touched by `mgen`.
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`mgen` utilizes certain common make variables when generating the build rules.
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These are:
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- CC -> C compiler
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- CFLAGS -> compilation flags
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- LDLIBS -> linker libraries
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- LDFLAGS -> linker flags
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- TARGET -> name of final executable/library
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It is therefore recommended that you set these at the beginning of your
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makefile, unless you want to use the `make` defaults.
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`mgen`'s rules will place all compiled files in the `BUILD_DIR` specified on the
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command line (see *Usage* section of this README). Objects will be placed in the
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directory `BUILD_DIR/obj/`, and the `TARGET` will be placed at
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`BUILD_DIR/$(TARGET)`.
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## Why use this tool?
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`mgen` offers distinct advantages over other, more complex build systems. These
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include:
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1. **Simplicity.** There are no special languages to learn, extra configuration
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files, and countless features that you won't ever use. Of course, if you need
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those things, there are other options available; that is not the space `mgen`
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intends to occupy.
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1. **Extensibility.** Because `mgen` adds to your existing makefile, you can
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write your own build rules in a language you already know: make. Your custom
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rules can use the ones generated by `mgen`, or you can just use the generated
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ones; it's up to you, `mgen` gives you that option.
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1. **Portability.** Once the makefile is generated, it can be run on any machine
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that runs `make`. Your users do not have to have `mgen` to compile your
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program, they can just use the generated makefile.
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## Usage
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```
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$ mgen --help
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Usage: mgen [OPTIONS] [BUILD_DIR]
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Arguments:
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[BUILD_DIR] Directory to place build files [default: ./build]
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Options:
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-p, --pretty Replace default make output with nice build messages
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-m, --makefile <MAKEFILE> Path to makefile [default: ./Makefile]
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-h, --help Print help
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```
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Starting from a "blank slate," i.e. you have no build system configured in your
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project, simply run `mgen` in the root directory and then run `make`. It's as
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easy as that.
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If you already have a makefile in use, remove any rules to build the target or
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object files (that what `mgen` is for). You can keep any other, more complex
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rules that depend on these things, though. Then, run `mgen` and `make` and you
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are good to go.
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## Build Instructions
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Build: `cargo build --release`
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Install (must build first) (needs root): `sh install.sh`
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Uninstall (needs root): `sh uninstall.sh`
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## Todo
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- Add functionality to generate rules to build a library, as opposed to an
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executable.
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- Add options to generate convenient rules like `clean` to remove all build
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files, `run` to execute the target, etc.
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- Don't create new makefile if no `.c` files are found.
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- Add exclude directory(ies) from search
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- Eventually: write man page.
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- Maybe: allow build directory to be specified within the Makefile ?
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- Maybe: figure out a way to only have the user run `mgen` once, then the
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makefile itself will call it again if it needs to be regenerated due to a
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change in project structure ?
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