example:@refill
@example
-foo := a.o b.o c.o
+foo := a.o b.o l.a c.o
bar := $(foo:.o=.c)
@end example
@noindent
-sets @samp{bar} to @samp{a.c b.c c.c}. @xref{Setting, ,Setting Variables}.
+sets @samp{bar} to @samp{a.c b.c l.a c.c}. @xref{Setting, ,Setting Variables}.
-A substitution reference is actually an abbreviation for use of the
-@code{patsubst} expansion function (@pxref{Text Functions, ,Functions for String Substitution and Analysis}). We provide
-substitution references as well as @code{patsubst} for compatibility with
-other implementations of @code{make}.
+A substitution reference is shorthand for the @code{patsubst}
+expansion function (@pxref{Text Functions, ,Functions for String Substitution and Analysis}):
+@samp{$(@var{var}:@var{a}=@var{b})} is equivalent to
+@samp{$(patsubst %@var{a},%@var{b},@var{var})}. We provide
+substitution references as well as @code{patsubst} for compatibility
+with other implementations of @code{make}.
@findex patsubst
Another type of substitution reference lets you use the full power of
@group
@exdent For example:
-foo := a.o b.o c.o
+foo := a.o b.o l.a c.o
bar := $(foo:%.o=%.c)
@end group
@end example
@noindent
-sets @samp{bar} to @samp{a.c b.c c.c}.
+sets @samp{bar} to @samp{a.c b.c l.a c.c}.
@node Computed Names, , Substitution Refs, Advanced
@subsection Computed Variable Names