Tutorial

Table of contents - Tutorial - Create the sources for this test case - First run - What are those new files in the the current dir? - Second smk run - Let's remove a file - Let's modify a source - Another smk run - Command summary

Create the sources for this test case

Create and move to a tmp dir, and then:

echo '
#include <stdio.h>
#include <stdlib.h>

void Hello(void)
{
    printf("Hello World\n");
}
' > hello.c

echo '
#include <stdio.h>
#include <stdlib.h>
#include "hello.h"

int main(void)
{
    Hello();
    return EXIT_SUCCESS;
}
' > main.c

echo '
#ifndef H_GL_HELLO
#define H_GL_HELLO

void Hello(void);

#endif
' > hello.h

Create a MyBuild file with your favorite editor containing just your commands:

echo '
gcc -o hello.o -c hello.c
gcc -o main.o -c main.c
gcc -o hello hello.o main.o
' > MyBuild

First run

smk MyBuild
(it's equivalent to smk build MyBuild)
all commands should be executed:

gcc -o hello.o -c hello.c
gcc -o main.o -c main.c
gcc -o hello hello.o main.o

From now on, smk knows sources and targets for each command:

let's see what smk retains from the last run:

smk status -l

For convenience, when there is one (and only one) smk file in the dir, you don't have to give it on the command line.
So, from now on, smk is equivalent to smk MyBuild

2018-12-07 23:53:06.50 [] gcc -o hello hello.o main.o
  Sources (2) :
  - 2018-12-07 23:53:06.00:/home/lionel/Proj/smk/tests/hello.c/hello.o
  - 2018-12-07 23:53:06.00:/home/lionel/Proj/smk/tests/hello.c/main.o
  Targets (1) :
  - 2018-12-07 23:53:06.00:/home/lionel/Proj/smk/tests/hello.c/hello

2018-12-07 23:53:06.24 [] gcc -o hello.o -c hello.c
  Sources (1) :
  - 2018-12-07 23:17:03.00:/home/lionel/Proj/smk/tests/hello.c/hello.c
  Targets (1) :
  - 2018-12-07 23:53:06.00:/home/lionel/Proj/smk/tests/hello.c/hello.o

2018-12-07 23:53:06.40 [] gcc -o main.o -c main.c
  Sources (2) :
  - 2018-11-14 23:14:17.00:/home/lionel/Proj/smk/tests/hello.c/hello.h
  - 2018-12-07 00:41:31.00:/home/lionel/Proj/smk/tests/hello.c/main.c
  Targets (1) :
  - 2018-12-07 23:53:06.00:/home/lionel/Proj/smk/tests/hello.c/main.o

Note that by default smk do not display system files (for exemple /usr/include/stdio.h), otherwise the output would be flooded!
If you want to know on which system files you depends on, use the --show-all-files options (short form -sa).

To see what I mean by flooded, try it :

smk status -sa -l MyBuild

What are those new files in the the current dir?

Smk stores information in local hidden .smk.* files, one per smk file :

ls -l .smk*

Second smk run

smk MyBuild, or just smk

Sources are unchanged, target is up to date, smk exit silently.

To get more info, you may try the --verbose option (short form : -v)

smk -v

Let's remove a file

rm main.o
smk

Only the two commands needed to get hello updated are run:

gcc -o main.o -c main.c
gcc -o hello hello.o main.o

smk provides an equivalent to the classical make clean : the clean command.
You may try it, with or without the --dry-run (short form -n) option if you don't want to effectively remove files :
smk -n clean

This option will not remove smk internal files. If you want to do that:
smk reset
Check it with : ls -l .smk*
Or with smk -lr (long form : --list-runs)

And then, rebuild with smk MyBuild.

Let's modify a source

touch hello.c

Got get more info on why are commands executed, just add the --explain option (short form : -e)

smk -e

Once more, only the two commands needed to get hello updated are run:

gcc -o hello.o -c hello.c
gcc -o hello hello.o main.o

Another smk run

smk

No file changes, nothing's done.

Command summary

What have we seen in this tutorial?

I want to	Command
Run MyBuild	smk MyBuild
Check what smk understand from MyBuild	smk status MyBuild
See runfiles in the current directory	smk -lr
Run it with explanations	smk -e MyBuild
Check what would be run, without running it	smk -n MyBuild
cleanup all targets	smk clean
show system files on status (and -lt, ls, etc.)	smk -sa -rl
Get the full picture of command line	smk -h

What else have I to explore?

I want to	Command
Check what smk understand from my smkfile	smk read-smkfile smkfile
do as much as possible	smk -k
ignore build errors (return no error)	smk -i
See identified sources / targets	smk -ls / smk -lt