Unix makefile error: 'make: Fatal error: Don't know how to make target '

Question

I have the simplest of makefiles:

threads:
   gcc threads.c -o threads

but I get the error:

'make: Fatal error: Don't know how to make target'

Any ideas what I am doing wrong? It's probably something simple - I made the makefile in emacs on the system which is trying to run it (Unix)

Answer 1

Do you have spaces instead of a tab on the second line there? Most common basic make mistake, I'd say.

Answer 2

Edit:

Did you mistype the make as you got the error 'ake: Fatal error....', something is wrong there.

Does make threads work? You need to show us the make file for us SO'ers to see what is wrong...Perhaps the make file is not in the right way, Make is extremely nitpicky on using spaces and tabs so double check on that.

Hope this helps, Best regards, Tom.