full VPATH search followed even if prerequisites found in the first entry

[Mark Galeck (CW)]

Hello,

 

The GNU make manual says:  “ In the VPATH variable, directory names are separated by colons or blanks. The order in which directories are listed is the order followed by make in its search.”

 

This does not work for me: 

 

 I have a target that depends on several hundred prerequisites, and a VPATH that is several hundred directories long.  However, all the prerequisites for that target are found in the current directory “.”, which  is VPATH first entry. 

 

To make the target, takes half a minute, where make is finding and checking those prerequisites.  I can’t wait that long.  But, if I cut off VPATH so that it only lists “.”, it is immediate.  Apparently, make is checking those further directories in VPATH, even though all the prerequisites are found. 

 

 

Why is this happening?  How to force make to check VPATH in order and abandon checking once the prerequisite is found?? 

 

Thank you for any insight. 

 

Mark