and how to update each target. But updating the targets is not always
what you want. Certain options specify other activities for @code{make}.
+@comment Extra blank lines make it print better.
@table @samp
@item -n
@itemx --just-print
@cindex @code{--dry-run}
@cindex @code{--recon}
@cindex @code{-n}
+
``No-op''. The activity is to print what commands would be used to make
the targets up to date, but not actually execute them.
@cindex touching files
@cindex target, touching
@cindex @code{-t}
+
``Touch''. The activity is to mark the targets as up to date without
actually changing them. In other words, @code{make} pretends to compile
the targets but does not really change their contents.
@cindex @code{--question}
@cindex @code{-q}
@cindex question mode
+
``Question''. The activity is to find out silently whether the targets
are up to date already; but execute no commands in either case. In other
words, neither compilation nor output will occur.
@cindex @code{--new-file}
@cindex what if
@cindex files, assuming new
+
``What if''. Each @samp{-W} flag is followed by a file name. The given
files' modification times are recorded by @code{make} as being the present
time, although the actual modification times remain the same.