Makefile:2: *** missing separator (did you mean TAB instead of 8 spaces?). Stop.

[sri_shaiva]

I am unable to write a simeple Makefile
Though I know the concept am facing this error

Makefile:2: *** missing separator (did you mean TAB instead of 8 spaces?). Stop.

so should I give a tab or spaces not able to conitue please ...............help

[Kloschüssel]

I know that makefiles are rather spicy about the tab or spaces issue. I can remember that at university times I always used single tabs and no spaces and it all was fine for me.

[theNbomr]

Yes, Makefiles absolutely require a leading tab to start the action clause. It may be that you press the tab key in your editor, but it replaces that with a series of space characters. Use vi, to be sure this doesn't happen. You can view the true content of your Makefile with

od -t c Makefile

If you see '\t' in all the places preceding the commands in your makefile, then you are okay. Even one leading non-tab will cause make to fail, so inspect thoroughly.
--- rod.

[Kloschüssel]

have you ever understood why make is such pedantic on the tab / spaces issue? in the end whitespace is whitespace and it would be no real big deal to implement it?

[theNbomr]

There have been numerous debates over this, and none of them involved me. The one common argument seems to be, 'If it bugs you that much, then change it, and if it catches on, everyone who uses it will be happy'. It has never bugged me that much, and I will assume that the origianl author had his reasons for doing it that way, so...

--- rod.

[sri_shaiva]

thanks for the response