Chapter 1 Introduction

omake is a programming tool that helps you maintain programs, particularly those that are constructed from several component files. omake controls the entire process of building your program, whether it involves preprocessing files, compiling, linking, or other steps. It keeps track of the project files, recompiling and relinking them only when required. Moreover, omake maintains important information, such as compiler and linker options, in an editable text file called a makefile. If you've ever returned to a project after a long absence, you know how hard is to remember all the parameters that were used the last time the project was built. omake remembers everything about the project for you.

Rational ClearCase includes two independent build programs: clearmake and omake. Both incorporate the major ClearCase build-related features, including configuration lookup, derived object sharing, and configuration record maintenance. The omake program's strength lies primarily in its support for users who require compatibility with other PC-based build programs, including Borland^® Make, Microsoft^® NMAKE, PolyMake, and Opus Make.

NOTE: omake is intended for use in dynamic views. You can use omake in a snapshot view, but none of the features that distinguish it from ordinary make programs - build avoidance, build auditing, derived object sharing, and so on - works in snapshot views. The rest of the information in this manual assumes you are using omake in a dynamic view.