Replace nop hack, explain substitution reasoning

Author: aidanhs

mk/prepare.mk

@@ -30,32 +30,33 @@ DEFAULT_PREPARE_MAN_CMD = install -m644
 # Create a directory
 # $(1) is the directory
 #
-# Gee, what's up with that $(nop)? See comment below.
+# XXX: These defines are called to generate make steps.
+# Adding blank lines means two steps from different defines will not end up on
+# the same line.
 define PREPARE_DIR
-	$(nop)
+
 	@$(call E, prepare: $(1))
 	$(Q)$(PREPARE_DIR_CMD) $(1)
+
 endef
 
 # Copy an executable
 # $(1) is the filename/libname-glob
 #
-# Gee, what's up with that $(nop)? See comment below.
+# See above for an explanation on the surrounding blank lines
 define PREPARE_BIN
-	$(nop)
+
 	@$(call E, prepare: $(PREPARE_DEST_BIN_DIR)/$(1))
 	$(Q)$(PREPARE_BIN_CMD) $(PREPARE_SOURCE_BIN_DIR)/$(1) $(PREPARE_DEST_BIN_DIR)/$(1)
+
 endef
 
 # Copy a dylib or rlib
 # $(1) is the filename/libname-glob
 #
-# XXX: Don't remove the $(nop) command below!
-# Yeah, that's right, it's voodoo. Something in the way this macro is being expanded
-# causes it to parse incorrectly. Throwing in that empty command seems to fix the
-# problem. I'm sorry, just don't remove the $(nop), alright?
+# See above for an explanation on the surrounding blank lines
 define PREPARE_LIB
-	$(nop)
+
 	@$(call E, prepare: $(PREPARE_WORKING_DEST_LIB_DIR)/$(1))
 	$(Q)LIB_NAME="$(notdir $(lastword $(wildcard $(PREPARE_WORKING_SOURCE_LIB_DIR)/$(1))))"; \
 	MATCHES="$(filter-out %$(notdir $(lastword $(wildcard $(PREPARE_WORKING_SOURCE_LIB_DIR)/$(1)))), \
@@ -67,16 +68,18 @@ define PREPARE_LIB
 	  echo $$MATCHES ; \
 	fi
 	$(Q)$(PREPARE_LIB_CMD) `ls -drt1 $(PREPARE_WORKING_SOURCE_LIB_DIR)/$(1)` $(PREPARE_WORKING_DEST_LIB_DIR)/
+
 endef
 
 # Copy a man page
 # $(1) - source dir
 #
-# Gee, what's up with that $(nop)? See comment above.
+# See above for an explanation on the surrounding blank lines
 define PREPARE_MAN
-	$(nop)
+
 	@$(call E, prepare: $(PREPARE_DEST_MAN_DIR)/$(1))
 	$(Q)$(PREPARE_MAN_CMD) $(PREPARE_SOURCE_MAN_DIR)/$(1) $(PREPARE_DEST_MAN_DIR)/$(1)
+
 endef
 
 PREPARE_TOOLS = $(filter-out compiletest rustbook error-index-generator, $(TOOLS))