# gen-dep

Tells the compiler to generate build dependencies for the current compilation.

## Syntax

Linux: | -gen-dep[=filename] -no-gen-dep

macOS: | -gen-dep[=filename] -no-gen-dep

Windows: | /gen-dep[:filename] /gen-dep-

## Arguments

filename | Is the name of the file for output. It can include a path. If you specify filename, it is similar to specifying option [Q]MFfilename. If you do not specify filename, it is similar to specifying option [Q]MD or [Q]MMD.

## Default

-no-gen-dep or /gen-dep- | The compiler does not generate build dependencies for the compilation.

## Description

This option tells the compiler to generate build dependencies for the current compilation. The build dependencies include a list of all files included with INCLUDE statements or .mod files accessed with USE statements.

If you do not specify filename, the dependencies are written to stdout.

You can use option gen-depformat to specify the form of the output for the build dependencies generated.

If you specify option gen-dep and you do not specify option gen-depformat, the output format is in a form acceptable to the make utility.

Note that if option fpp is used to process #include files, those files will also appear in the list of build dependencies.

If you want to generate build dependencies but you do not want to compile the sources, you must also specify option syntax-only.

## IDE Equivalent

Visual Studio: Output Files > Build Dependencies (/gen-dep)

Output Files > Emit Build Dependencies to File (/gen-dep:filename)

Output Files > Build Dependencies File (/gen-dep:filename)

## Alternate Options

gen-dep with a filename | Linux and macOS: -MF Windows: /QMF
gen-dep with no filename | Linux and macOS: -MD or -MMD Windows: /QMD or /QMMD

Parent topic: Preprocessor Options

## See Also

gen-depformat compiler option
gen-depshow compiler option
syntax-only compiler option