make: Echoing

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1 5.2 Recipe Echoing
1 ==================
1 
1 Normally 'make' prints each line of the recipe before it is executed.
1 We call this "echoing" because it gives the appearance that you are
1 typing the lines yourself.
1 
1    When a line starts with '@', the echoing of that line is suppressed.
1 The '@' is discarded before the line is passed to the shell.  Typically
1 you would use this for a command whose only effect is to print
1 something, such as an 'echo' command to indicate progress through the
1 makefile:
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1      @echo About to make distribution files
1 
1    When 'make' is given the flag '-n' or '--just-print' it only echoes
11 most recipes, without executing them.  ⇒Summary of Options Options
 Summary.  In this case even the recipe lines starting with '@' are
1 printed.  This flag is useful for finding out which recipes 'make'
1 thinks are necessary without actually doing them.
1 
1    The '-s' or '--silent' flag to 'make' prevents all echoing, as if all
1 recipes started with '@'.  A rule in the makefile for the special target
11 '.SILENT' without prerequisites has the same effect (⇒Special
 Built-in Target Names Special Targets.).  '.SILENT' is essentially
1 obsolete since '@' is more flexible.
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