title: Path definition in makefile
body: <p>I have a doubt about indicating a path in makefile and I'd like to have a clarification.</p>
  
  <p>Suppose my structure is made this way:</p>
  
  <pre><code>/home/machinename/softwarefolder/mainfolder
  --------------------------------------------&gt; /subfolder1
  --------------------------------------------&gt; /subfolder2
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>This means that both subfolder1 and subfolder2 are at the same nesting level in /mainfolder.</p>
  
  <p>Now I'm compiling something inside subfolder 2 (this means that I cd to that folder) that uses a configure file with a macro pointing to a path that, in my case, it's in subfolder1. </p>
  
  <p>This configure file used by the program in subfolder2 to compile is generated automatically by the program itself after running ./configure</p>
  
  <p>The automatically generated configure file has the macro defined this way</p>
  
  <pre><code>MACRO    =  ../subfolder1
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>Do the two dots (..) indicate, as in the cd command, "go back one step" (and, therefor, the configure file is pointing to the right folder)? </p>
  
  <p>If the answer to the first question is "no", then why substituting the aforementioned macro with</p>
  
  <pre><code>MACRO    =  /home/machinename/softwarefolder/mainfolder/subfolder1
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>generates a "missing separator" error in compile-time?</p>
  
  <p>Sorry for the probably trivial question and thanks for the help!</p>