Checking environment variables' value in Makefile

Question

I have a Makefile target, in which I have to check the value of an environment variable. But, I don't get the exact syntax of it. Tried hard, but can't find it. Any help is appreciated.

Environment variable name: TEST, its value: "TRUE"

test_target: 
    ifeq ($(TEST),"TRUE")
            echo "Do something"
    endif

I get the following error:

/bin/sh: -c: line 0: syntax error near unexpected token `"TRUE","TRUE"'
/bin/sh: -c: line 0: `ifeq ("TRUE","TRUE")'

score 45 · Accepted Answer · answered Aug 06 '15 at 00:34

45

The ifeq() directive has to be in column 1, remove any leading whitespace ie

test_target: 
ifeq ($(TEST),"TRUE")
        echo "Do something"
endif

^ no whitespace

answered Aug 06 '15 at 00:34

gwillie

1,141
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when i do this I get "missing seperator" because of missing intendation – 463035818_is_not_a_number Jun 02 '20 at 14:15

yaegashi · Answer 2 · 2015-08-06T00:43:46.987

30

You must not put ifeq after TAB. Spaces are allowed. Read GNU Make document.

test_target: 
ifeq ($(TEST),"TRUE")
    echo "Do something"
endif

Also note that it compares $(TEST) with "TRUE" as is:

$ make TEST=TRUE
make: Nothing to be done for 'test_target'.

$ make TEST='"TRUE"'
echo "Do something"
Do something

edited Aug 06 '15 at 00:43

answered Aug 06 '15 at 00:36

yaegashi

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4

This bit was extra helpful - Also note that it compares $(TEST) with "TRUE" as is:. Thanks – kakoma Jan 17 '19 at 13:57

Checking environment variables' value in Makefile

2 Answers2