GNU make $(error )

[BShah]

Hi all,

I'm having a problem I don't really understand with $(error xxxx)

I get the following error:-
        130: *** commands commence before first target.  Stop.
when I use the the construct:-

        ifneq (1,$(words $(filter 1,$(ALL_TARGETS))))
                $(error executable.make: Cannot specify to build more than
one target type)
        endif

I have simplified this down to try:

        FRED=1
        ifdef FRED
                $(error executable.make: Cannot specify to build more than
one target type)
        endif

and this gives the same error.

I don't understand why this problem is occuring as the manual indicates that
this should be a safe thing to do (p71, Gmake 3.79 manual). I am running GNU
make 3.79.1.

Thanks,
Beej