Re: [Mingw-users] Spaces in Paths

[Greg C. <chi...@mi...>]

Andy Smith wrote:

> I know I have seen the subject of spaces in paths here before. After 
> searching gmane I am still having trouble finding the underlying 
> problem. Configuring an application with:
> 
> configure --prefix='/c/Program Files/myapp'
> 
> seems to work for the most part. The configure script does mention too 
> many arguments to some app or another (I will check on that one), but 
> produces valid makefiles. The application seems to compile properly, and 
> everything is fine until make install. The install application seems to 
> want to insall in C:\Program\Files\myapp which is obviously not what was 
> intended. Has anyone found a workaround that does not require DOS style 
> mangled paths?

The language that 'make' interprets generally assumes
that the space character is a delimiter. In C,
   int Program Files;
clearly cannot define a single variable, and we have a
language standard that proves the futility of trying.
With 'make', it seems ultimately as futile, but harder
to prove--it can be made to work in many cases, making
the quest for a general solution tantalizing.

This has often been discussed on the (distinct) mailing
list whose archives you can get to from here:
   http://mail.gnu.org/mailman/listinfo/make-w32
I haven't read that list in a while, but usually the
answer has been
  - avoid paths with embedded spaces, or
  - use 'short' filename equivalents like /Progra~1