* doc/make.texi (Parallel Disable): Add clarifications.

* NEWS: Suggest how to change makefiles that use $(MAKEFLAGS).

diff --git a/NEWS b/NEWS
index 4f37ec3f265c2d87eabe1df64ad6fa08ec5a7ece..04cca2a77ea76e95eed2852fd76ab07c9d898474 100644 (file)
--- a/NEWS
+++ b/NEWS
@@ -30,8 +30,10 @@ https://sv.gnu.org/bugs/index.php?group=make&report_id=111&fix_release_id=109&se
 
 * WARNING: Backward-incompatibility!
   Previously only simple (one-letter) options were added to the MAKEFLAGS
-  variable that was visible while parsing makefiles.  Now, all options
-  are available in MAKEFLAGS.
+  variable that was visible while parsing makefiles.  Now, all options are
+  available in MAKEFLAGS.  If you want to check MAKEFLAGS for a one-letter
+  option, expanding "$(firstword -$(MAKEFLAGS))" is a reliable way to return
+  the set of one-letter options which can be examined via findstring, etc.
 
 * WARNING: Backward-incompatibility!
   Previously makefile variables marked as export were not exported to commands

diff --git a/doc/make.texi b/doc/make.texi
index 14ad2a3725679e980cf781f5c9900ab5008b9caf..dc9a5c95bd23e4d5e27c4931a130d6fcd33cb64e 100644 (file)
--- a/doc/make.texi
+++ b/doc/make.texi
@@ -4478,12 +4478,13 @@ If parallel execution is enabled, @code{make} will try to build @file{one} and
 @file{two} in parallel but will not try to build @file{three} until both are
 complete.
 
-As with targets provided to @code{.NOTPARALLEL}, @code{.WAIT} has an effect
+As with targets provided to @code{.NOTPARALLEL}, @code{.WAIT} takes effect
 only when building the target in whose prerequisite list it appears.  If the
 same prerequisites are present in other targets, without @code{.WAIT}, then
-they may still be run in parallel.  Because of this, @code{.WAIT} is an
-unreliable way to impose ordering than defining a prerequisite relationship.
-However it is easy to use and may suffice for simple needs.
+they may still be run in parallel.  Because of this, neither
+@code{.NOTPARALLEL} with targets nor @code{.WAIT} are as reliable for
+controlling parallel execution as defining a prerequisite relationship.
+However they are easy to use and may be sufficient in less complex situations.
 
 The @code{.WAIT} prerequisite will not be present in any of the automatic
 variables for the rule.