Including Makex Files

Note

This is a new/experimental feature and subject to change.

The intent of this feature is to explore ideas in build systems.

This feature may be disabled or removed.

Makex provides an include() function to include the contents of another Makex File.

This is useful to reduce duplication and share common patterns among a project or its components.

It’s signature follows:

include(path, search=False, tasks=False, required=True)

Include the specified path.

Parameters:

  • path (String) – Path of the file to import. May be a Workspace path, an absolute path, or relative path.

  • search (bool) – If True, search the path specified in the current directory up the current workspace until it is found.

This will search for the file in the including Makex File’s folder and all folders up to its Workspace.

Parameters:

  • tasks (bool) – Include any tasks defined in the file.

  • required (bool) – If True (the default), the file to include must exist; an error will be raised if it is not found..

Files to be included should be suffixed with the .mx extension.

Note

While you may create tasks in an included file, this is not recommended and disabled by default.

Use include(tasks=True) to include any tasks defined in the included file.

Example

For example, given a Makex file to be included (//tools.mx) and a Makexfile which includes (//projects/Makexfile); the including Makex File can call a macro (make_task) which registers a task in itself:

The //project/Makexfile file:


include("tools.mx", search=True)

make_task()

The //tools.mx file:

@macro
def make_task():
    task(
        name="example-task"
    )

As demonstrated, when search=True the include function will search the Makex File’s folder and all parent folders up to the current workspace for the file to include.

Optional Includes

Optional includes may be used to define macros and tasks which are not necessarily required or private.