Re: when gnu-make is missing a dependency

[Randy Yates]

"Paul D. Smith" <psmith@gnu.org> writes:

> %% Randy Yates <randy.yates@sonyericsson.com> writes:
>
>   ry> I have a goal that has "lpc.o" as a dependency. When
>   ry> I make that goal, the goal rules attempt to run even
>   ry> though "lpc.o" does not exist. When I "make lpc.o"
>   ry> I get a "Nothing to be done" response, even though
>   ry> lpc.o does not exist. 
>
>   ry> Why don't I get a "No rule to build lpc.o needed
>   ry> by <goal>" error when I build for the goal???
>   ry> And why do I get a "Nothing to be done" response
>   ry> when the lpc.o target does not exist?
>
> Make thinks it knows how to build this target, or that it's already
> built.
>
> Possible reasons are (a) that file does exist, maybe on VPATH, or (b)
> you have a target "lpc.o" in your makefile with no rule or
> prerequisites (see the section "Rules without Commands or Prerequisites"
> in the GNU make manual).

Thanks for the timely response, Paul. If (a) were the case, then why
wouldn't I get a "Target is up-to-date" response instead of "nothing
to be done" when I "make lpc.o"?
-- 
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