How avoid recompile different targets in different paths using autotools? - release

Question

I already could compile different targets or flavours(debug release), but the problem is when I make: make debug or make release this generate objects and the library in the respective folder folder.
This is the Makefile.am:
AM_CXXFLAGS = #AM_CXXFLAGS#
ACLOCAL_AMFLAGS = ${ACLOCAL_FLAGS}
lib_LIBRARIES = libInitDB.a
libInitDB_a_SOURCES = \
InitDB.cpp
.PHONY: debug release
debug:
make CXXFLAGS='$(CXX_DEBUG_FLAGS) $(CXXFLAGS)'
mkdir -p $(DEBUG_DIR)
mv $(lib_LIBRARIES) $(DEBUG_DIR)/$(lib_LIBRARIES)
mv *.o $(DEBUG_DIR)
release:
make CXXFLAGS='$(CXX_RELEASE_FLAGS) $(CXXFLAGS)'
mkdir -p $(RELEASE_DIR)
mv $(lib_LIBRARIES) $(RELEASE_DIR)/$(lib_LIBRARIES)
mv *.o $(RELEASE_DIR)
but the problem is when I make: make debug or make release again, as I move the objects and the library, that generates again the objects and the library that already stored in the debug or release folder.
Could someone help me to find how to avoid this and when I compile that search in the correct folder?

Answer 1

Instead of having one Makefile generating both flavours of your targets, you could have two separate build directories configured with different options.
For example:
mkdir debug
(cd debug && ../configure --enable-debug)
mkdir release
(cd release && ../configure --enable-release)
This way, you can go to either directory and recompile only what is needed simply typing make.