gmake -v
GNU Make version 3.79.1, by Richard Stallman and Roland McGrath.
Built for hppa2.0n-hp-hpux11.00
Copyright (C) 1988, 89, 90, 91, 92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97, 98, 99, 2000

I have:

projects := ldb lde ldg ldm ldf ldw lbf

all : $(projects)

$(projects) :
<commands>

$(substr ldb,,$(projects)) : ldb

I need to set the other 6 to be dependent on ldb finishing.  The
example I found shows this to work, but it doesn't

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%% "billy" <bp1497@att.com> writes:

b> projects := ldb lde ldg ldm ldf ldw lbf

b> all : $(projects)

b> $(projects) :
b>        <commands>

b> $(substr ldb,,$(projects)) : ldb

You should use filter-out here, not substr:

$(filter-out ldb,$(projects)) : ldb

b> I need to set the other 6 to be dependent on ldb finishing.  The
b> example I found shows this to work, but it doesn't

Your makefile is correct as written here and will do what you appear to
expect: none of the other targets will start until "ldb" is finished.

If that's not what's happening then there is something else going on
which you have not described here: maybe the makefile you're actually
running is not the same as the one you list here.

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Paul D. Smith <psmith@gnu.org>          Find some GNU make tips at:
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t

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thanks, worked like a charm 

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