Working From Raw Source Data From A Filepath Containing Spaces Using Make And Makefiles

I have a repository that uses python scripts and a Makefile. I want to have a setup procedure that allows them to easily set up an environment and copy in the necessary data files

Solution 1:

One fix would be:

local/inputs1.csv :
    python copyfile.py "V:\\Server Path\\With Spaces\\Inputs 1.csv" $@
local/inputs2.csv :
    python copyfile.py "V:\\Server Path\\With Spaces\\Inputs 2.csv" $@

output.csv : combine_data.R | local/inputs1.csv local/inputs2.csv
    Rscript $^ $| $@

Note that local/inputs1.csv and local/inputs2.csv are made order-only prerequisites, so that they are only made when they don't exist (unless you'd like to copy them every time the makefile is run). Automatic variable $| refers to order-only prerequisites, they aren't included in $^.