Changing the grd files in chrome.gyp to be compiled to seprate directories to...

app/app.gyp

 # Copyright (c) 2009 The Chromium Authors. All rights reserved.
 # Use of this source code is governed by a BSD-style license that can be
 # found in the LICENSE file.
 
 {
   'variables': {
     # TODO: remove this helper when we have loops in GYP
     'apply_locales_cmd': ['python', '../chrome/tools/build/apply_locales.py',],
     'chromium_code': 1,
+    'grit_info_cmd': ['python', '../tools/grit/grit_info.py',],
+    'grit_out_dir': '<(SHARED_INTERMEDIATE_DIR)/app',
+    'grit_cmd': ['python', '../tools/grit/grit.py'],
+    'localizable_resources': [
+      'resources/app_locale_settings.grd',
+      'resources/app_strings.grd',
+    ],
   },
   'target_defaults': {
     'sources/': [
       ['exclude', '/(cocoa|gtk|win)/'],
       ['exclude', '_(cocoa|gtk|linux|mac|posix|skia|win|x)\\.(cc|mm?)$'],
       ['exclude', '/(gtk|win|x11)_[^/]*\\.cc$'],
     ],
     'conditions': [
       ['OS=="linux"', {'sources/': [
         ['include', '/gtk/'],
@@ skipping 214 matching lines @@
     },
     {
       'target_name': 'app_strings',
       'msvs_guid': 'AE9BF4A2-19C5-49D8-BB1A-F28496DD7051',
       'type': 'none',
       'rules': [
         {
           'rule_name': 'grit',
           'extension': 'grd',
           'inputs': [
-            '../tools/grit/grit.py',
+            '<!@(<(grit_info_cmd) --inputs <(localizable_resources))',
           ],
-          'variables': {
-            'grit_out_dir': '<(SHARED_INTERMEDIATE_DIR)/app',
-          },
           'outputs': [
-            '<(SHARED_INTERMEDIATE_DIR)/app/grit/<(RULE_INPUT_ROOT).h',
+            '<(grit_out_dir)/<(RULE_INPUT_ROOT)/grit/<(RULE_INPUT_ROOT).h',
             # TODO: remove this helper when we have loops in GYP
-            '>!@(<(apply_locales_cmd) \'<(SHARED_INTERMEDIATE_DIR)/app/<(RULE_INPUT_ROOT)_ZZLOCALE.pak\' <(locales))',
+            '>!@(<(apply_locales_cmd) \'<(grit_out_dir)/<(RULE_INPUT_ROOT)/<(RULE_INPUT_ROOT)_ZZLOCALE.pak\' <(locales))',
           ],
-          'action': ['python', '<@(_inputs)', '-i', '<(RULE_INPUT_PATH)',
-            'build', '-o', '<(grit_out_dir)'],
+          'action': ['<@(grit_cmd)', '-i', '<(RULE_INPUT_PATH)',
+            'build', '-o', '<(grit_out_dir)/<(RULE_INPUT_ROOT)'],
           'message': 'Generating resources from <(RULE_INPUT_PATH)',
           'conditions': [
             ['use_titlecase_in_grd_files==1', {
               'action': ['-D', 'use_titlecase'],
             }],
           ],
         },
       ],
       'sources': [
-        # Localizable resources.
-        'resources/app_locale_settings.grd',
-        'resources/app_strings.grd',
+        '<@(localizable_resources)',
       ],
       'direct_dependent_settings': {
         'include_dirs': [
-          '<(SHARED_INTERMEDIATE_DIR)/app',
+          '<(grit_out_dir)/app_locale_settings',
+          '<(grit_out_dir)/app_strings',
         ],
       },
       'conditions': [
         ['OS=="win"', {
           'dependencies': ['../build/win/system.gyp:cygwin'],
         }],
       ],
     },
     {
       'target_name': 'app_resources',
       'type': 'none',
       'msvs_guid': '3FBC4235-3FBD-46DF-AEDC-BADBBA13A095',
-      'variables': {
-        'grit_path': '../tools/grit/grit.py',
-        'grit_out_dir': '<(SHARED_INTERMEDIATE_DIR)/app',
-      },
       'actions': [
         {
           'action_name': 'app_resources',
           'variables': {
             'input_path': 'resources/app_resources.grd',
           },
           'inputs': [
-            '<(input_path)',
+            '<!@(<(grit_info_cmd) --inputs <(input_path))',
           ],
           'outputs': [
-            '<(grit_out_dir)/grit/app_resources.h',
-            '<(grit_out_dir)/app_resources.pak',
-            '<(grit_out_dir)/app_resources.rc',
+            '<!@(<(grit_info_cmd) --outputs \'<(grit_out_dir)/app_resources\' <(input_path))',
           ],
-          'action': ['python', '<(grit_path)', '-i', '<(input_path)', 'build', '-o', '<(grit_out_dir)'],
+          'action': ['<@(grit_cmd)',
+                     '-i', '<(input_path)', 'build',
+                     '-o', '<(grit_out_dir)/app_resources'],
           'message': 'Generating resources from <(input_path)',
         },
       ],
       'direct_dependent_settings': {
         'include_dirs': [
-          '<(SHARED_INTERMEDIATE_DIR)/app',
+          '<(grit_out_dir)/app_resources',
         ],
       },
       'conditions': [
         ['OS=="win"', {
           'dependencies': ['../build/win/system.gyp:cygwin'],
         }],
       ],
     },
     {
       'target_name': 'app_id',
       'type': 'none',
       'msvs_guid': '83100055-172B-49EA-B422-B1A92B627D37',
       'conditions': [
-        ['OS=="win"', 
+        ['OS=="win"',
           {
             'actions': [
               {
                 'action_name': 'appid',
                 'variables': {
                   'appid_py': '../chrome/tools/build/appid.py',
                 },
                 'conditions': [
                   [ 'branding=="Chrome"', {
                     'variables': {
                       'appid_value': '<(google_update_appid)',
                     },
-                  }, { # else 
+                  }, { # else
                     'variables': {
                       'appid_value': '',
                     },
                   }],
                 ],
                 'inputs': [
                   '<(appid_py)',
                 ],
                 'outputs': [
                   '<(SHARED_INTERMEDIATE_DIR)/chrome/appid.h',
                   'tools/build/_always_run_appid_py.marker',
                 ],
                 'action': [
                   'python',
                   '<(appid_py)',
                   '-a', '<(appid_value)',
                   '-o', '<(SHARED_INTERMEDIATE_DIR)/chrome/appid.h',
                 ],
                 'process_outputs_as_sources': 1,
                 'message': 'Generating appid information in <(SHARED_INTERMEDIATE_DIR)/chrome/appid.h'
               },
             ],
           },
         ],
       ],
     },
   ],
 }