~/.emacs

(setq last-target "all")

(defun call-make (&optional target) "Call `make' with specified target"
  (if (eq target nil)
      (progn
        (setq last-target (read-from-minibuffer "Build target: " last-target))
        (compile (concat "make -k " last-target))
        )
    (progn (compile "make -k all tags")
           (visit-tags-table "./TAGS"))))

;; Automatic build package in working directory
;; invoke "make" if Makefile is found
;; or do "configure" first if script found
(defun build() "Call configure; make in current directory."
(interactive)
(progn
  (if (get-buffer "*compilation*")
      (kill-buffer "*compilation*"))
  (setq output-buf (get-buffer-create "*compilation*"))
  (princ (type-of output-buf))
  (if (file-exists-p (expand-file-name "Makefile"))
      (call-make)
    (if (file-exists-p (expand-file-name "./configure"))
        (set-process-sentinel
         (start-process "configure" output-buf (expand-file-name "./configure"))
         (lambda (proc event)
           (if (string= event "finished/n")
               (progn (call-make "all tags")
                      (visit-tags-table "./TAGS"))
         )))
      (call-make) ; intended for calling default targets
      ))))

启动时自动检测当前目录是否有 Makefile 或 configure。如果存在其中之一则尝试构建软件包。使用异步进程 start-process 命令
其中 set-process-sentinel 为第一个进程（configure）设置一个事件句柄，当这个进程结束的时候（事件为 "finished/n"），自动调用 lambda 表达式指定的响应过程，既开始执行 make。
第一次写 elisp 脚本，似乎也不是那么难：）