make: "varmod-assign-shell.mk" line 27: warning: "echo output; false" returned non-zero status Global: _ = # (empty) Var_Parse: ${ASSIGNED::!=echo output; ${:Ufalse}} (eval-keep-dollar-and-undefined) Evaluating modifier ${ASSIGNED::...} on value "previous" (eval-keep-dollar-and-undefined, regular) Modifier part: "echo output; false" Capturing the output of command "echo output; false" make: "echo output; false" returned non-zero status Result of ${ASSIGNED::!=echo output; ${:Ufalse}} is "" (eval-keep-dollar-and-undefined, regular) Global: _ = # (empty) Global: .MAKEFLAGS = -r -k -d v -d Global: .MAKEFLAGS = -r -k -d v -d 0 DIRECT=output ASSIGNED=previous exit status 0