If we add an option to pspp-putput such that html is produced without a header and body tags, then we won't have to rely on sed to delete these:
That is: .spv.html: $(AM_V_GEN)utilities/pspp-output convert $< - -O format=html \ | $(SED) -e '\%</body%,$$d' -e '0,/<body/d' > $@.tmp $(AM_V_at)mv $@.tmp $@ could become: .spv.html: $(AM_V_GEN)utilities/pspp-output convert $< $@ -O format=html-bare which I think would be faster, more reliable and simpler. J'