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Solving the Makefile Missing Separator Stop Error in VSCode

· One min read
wen

Problem​

I was trying to run a Makefile in VSCode and I got the following error:

Makefile:4: *** missing separator.  Stop.

Solution​

The problem is that the Makefile is using tabs instead of spaces. To fix this, you can:

  1. Open the Makefile in VSCode
  2. Open the command palette with Ctrl + Shift + P or View > Command Palette. If you are using a Mac, you can use Cmd + Shift + P
  3. Search for Convert Indentation to Tabs

If you want to prevent this from happening in the future, you can:

  1. Open settgings in VSCode with Ctrl + , or File > Preferences > Settings. If you are using a Mac, you can use Cmd + ,
  2. Search for Insert Spaces
  3. Uncheck the box for Editor: Insert Spaces

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