Makefiles, bootstrapping...?

[Bijo]

I just need to know: what's the deal with makefiles? According to the info I've found bootstrapping is used together with makefiles, but it's all just vague.

I've downloaded OOC (Optimizing Oberon-2 Compiler: http://ooc.sourceforge.net/) and apparantly I have to make it myself. I ran into this idea before when I had to compile a C++ compiler package (or libraries), and I usually just drop it and look for pre-compiled stuff. But this little baby I gotta try and there's no pre-compiled package for Windows anywhere.


So to get at this deal with makefiles and such: how can you make the compiler out of... stuff? Or... itself?


(* I would've put this into 'Help Me!' but I figured it's only meant for Pascal *)

[noeska]

Are you using linux?

If yes then try:
./configure
make

May i ask why you want to use oberon?

[Bijo]

Using Windows. But never mind (I'll use XDS when it comes to it: a lot easier now that I've found out how to autolink). I wanted to try my hand at Oberon because it looks so compact and advanced :) Modula-2 too... too bad they are case sensitive, but I guess that's part of making them more compact.


So if I understand well, the general idea is that you "make" a compiler? And what is the deal with making libraries?

The most annoying thing though for me is that sometimes the instructions are either non-existent or they are so vague as if writers just expect you to know what they're talking about :shock: