How does this change to the doc look? --thanks, karl.
--- a/doc/automake.texi
+++ b/doc/automake.texi
@@ -8885,8 +8885,16 @@ example,
AM_DISTCHECK_DVI_TARGET = pdf
@end example
-To make @code{dvi} into a do-nothing target, see the example for
-@code{EMPTY_AUTOMAKE_TARGETS} in @ref{Third-Party Makefiles}.
+To make @code{dvi} into a do-nothing target, add it to your
+@file{Makefile.am} with no commands:
+
+@example
+dvi:
+@end example
+
+@noindent
+As usual with Automake, your user-defined target will override
+Automake's target (@pxref{Extending}).
@trindex distcheck-hook
@subheading distcheck-hook
