I have a really confusing issue with my Makefile I am using it to

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Editorial Team

Asked: June 11, 20262026-06-11T17:59:07+00:00 2026-06-11T17:59:07+00:00

I have a really confusing issue with my Makefile I am using it to

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I have a really confusing issue with my Makefile

I am using it to build a unit-test executable with conditional compilation for linux and windows

For the rule where it is building the object files from the src code it is missing out certain files. There doesn’t seem to be a pattern to it such as all the missing files are from a specific directory – it just appears to randomly iss out some of my src files.

My Makefile looks like this:

TARGET := test_glamdring2
program_NAME := $(TARGET)

#WIN32 - need to install hg on WIN32 platform for this line to work
#HGVERSION:= $(shell hg parents --template 'hgid: {node|short}')

# Platform specific conditional compilation
UNAME := $(shell uname)

# specify dirs other then current dir to search for src files
VPATH = ../src ../../RESTRICTED/core/src ../../RESTRICTED/pulse_IO/src

# src code file locations realtive to test/ dir
# SRCS =  main.c \
#   test_utility.c \
#   ../src/utility.c \
#   test_tha.c \
#   ../src/tha.c \
#   ../src/minIni.c \
#   test_load_config.c \
#   ../src/load_config.c \
#   test_ddi.c \
#   ../src/ddi.c \
#   ../src/caa.c \
#   ../../RESTRICTED/core/src/mem.c \
#     ../../RESTRICTED/pulse_IO/src/pulse_IO.c \
#     test_caa.c \
#     test_save_library.c \
#   ../src/save_library.c \
#   ../../RESTRICTED/core/src/load_gnf.c \
#   ../../RESTRICTED/core/src/loadLibrary.c \
#   test_lib.c \
#   ../src/lib.c \
#   ../../RESTRICTED/core/src/init_tdd.c \
#   ../../RESTRICTED/core/src/tdd.c \
#   ../../RESTRICTED/core/src/bsd_offset.c \
#   test_utarray.c \
#   test_load_glf.c \
#   ../src/load_glf.c

# flattened src code file locations for use with VPATH
SRCS =  main.c \
    test_utility.c \
    utility.c \
    test_tha.c \
    tha.c \
    minIni.c \
    test_load_config.c \
    load_config.c \
    test_ddi.c \
    ddi.c \
    caa.c \
    mem.c \
    pulse_IO.c \
    test_caa.c \
    test_save_library.c \
    save_library.c \
    load_gnf.c \
    loadLibrary.c \
    test_lib.c \
    lib.c \
    init_tdd.c \
    tdd.c \
    bsd_offset.c \
    test_utarray.c \
    test_load_glf.c \
    load_glf.c


program_C_SRCS := $(SRCS)
program_C_OBJS := ${program_C_SRCS:.c=.o}
#program_OBJS := $(program_C_OBJS)



ifeq ($(UNAME), Linux)
# LINUX version
program_INCLUDE_DIRS := \
    /home/ben/projects/glamdring/RESTRICTED/core/src \
    /home/ben/projects/glamdring/RESTRICTED/pulse_IO/src \
    /home/ben/projects/glamdring/g2/src
BUILD_DIR = ../build/linux
endif

ifeq ($(UNAME), MINGW32_NT-6.1)
# WINDOWS ESROE-5 VirtualBox version
program_INCLUDE_DIRS := \
    E:/projects/glamdring/g2/src \
    E:/projects/glamdring/RESTRICTED/pulse_IO/src \
    E:/projects/glamdring/RESTRICTED/core/src
program_LIBRARY_DIRS :=C:/CUnit-2.1-2/lib
BUILD_DIR = ../build/windows
endif

# ensure object files are preceded by the correct build dir
program_OBJS := $(addprefix $(BUILD_DIR)/,${program_C_OBJS})

program_LIBRARIES := cunit m

CPPFLAGS += $(foreach includedir,$(program_INCLUDE_DIRS),-I$(includedir))
LDFLAGS += $(foreach librarydir,$(program_LIBRARY_DIRS),-L$(librarydir))
LDFLAGS += $(foreach library,$(program_LIBRARIES),-l$(library))

# Non debug version
#CFLAGS += -O2 -Wallx

# Debug version (with -g)
# NB do not use optimisation (-O2) for debugging with gdb
#CFLAGS += -g -Wall -DHGVERSION="\"${HGVERSION}\"" -DDEBUG=0
CFLAGS += -g -Wall -DDEBUG=0

# NB $(LDFLAGS) moved from LINK.c to after $(programOBJS) below
# does not work if -lcunit appears before *.o files
LINK.c := $(CC) $(CFLAGS) $(CPPFLAGS) $(TARGET_ARCH)

.PHONY: all clean distclean
all: $(program_NAME)

# $(program_NAME): $(program_OBJS)
#   $(LINK.c) $(program_OBJS) $(LDFLAGS) -o $(program_NAME)

$(program_NAME): $(program_OBJS)
    $(LINK.c) $(program_OBJS) $(LDFLAGS) -o $(BUILD_DIR)/$@

# rule to build object files (replaces implicit rule)
# ensures object files go to the platform conditional dir
# ../build/linux ro ../build/linux
$(BUILD_DIR)/%.o: %.c
    echo $@
    $(LINK.c) $< -c -o $@

clean:
    @- $(RM) $(program_NAME)
    @- $(RM) $(program_OBJS)

distclean: clean

valgrind:   $(program_NAME)
    valgrind --tool=memcheck --leak-check=yes ./$(program_NAME)

when I do a dry-run (make -n) I get the following output:

echo ../build/linux/main.o
cc -g -Wall -DDEBUG=0 -I/home/ben/projects/glamdring/RESTRICTED/core/src -I/home/ben/projects/glamdring/RESTRICTED/pulse_IO/src -I/home/ben/projects/glamdring/g2/src  main.c -c -o ../build/linux/main.o
echo ../build/linux/test_utility.o
cc -g -Wall -DDEBUG=0 -I/home/ben/projects/glamdring/RESTRICTED/core/src -I/home/ben/projects/glamdring/RESTRICTED/pulse_IO/src -I/home/ben/projects/glamdring/g2/src  test_utility.c -c -o ../build/linux/test_utility.o
echo ../build/linux/utility.o
cc -g -Wall -DDEBUG=0 -I/home/ben/projects/glamdring/RESTRICTED/core/src -I/home/ben/projects/glamdring/RESTRICTED/pulse_IO/src -I/home/ben/projects/glamdring/g2/src  ../src/utility.c -c -o ../build/linux/utility.o
echo ../build/linux/test_tha.o
cc -g -Wall -DDEBUG=0 -I/home/ben/projects/glamdring/RESTRICTED/core/src -I/home/ben/projects/glamdring/RESTRICTED/pulse_IO/src -I/home/ben/projects/glamdring/g2/src  test_tha.c -c -o ../build/linux/test_tha.o
echo ../build/linux/tha.o
cc -g -Wall -DDEBUG=0 -I/home/ben/projects/glamdring/RESTRICTED/core/src -I/home/ben/projects/glamdring/RESTRICTED/pulse_IO/src -I/home/ben/projects/glamdring/g2/src  ../src/tha.c -c -o ../build/linux/tha.o
echo ../build/linux/test_load_config.o
cc -g -Wall -DDEBUG=0 -I/home/ben/projects/glamdring/RESTRICTED/core/src -I/home/ben/projects/glamdring/RESTRICTED/pulse_IO/src -I/home/ben/projects/glamdring/g2/src  test_load_config.c -c -o ../build/linux/test_load_config.o
echo ../build/linux/load_config.o
cc -g -Wall -DDEBUG=0 -I/home/ben/projects/glamdring/RESTRICTED/core/src -I/home/ben/projects/glamdring/RESTRICTED/pulse_IO/src -I/home/ben/projects/glamdring/g2/src  ../src/load_config.c -c -o ../build/linux/load_config.o
echo ../build/linux/test_ddi.o
cc -g -Wall -DDEBUG=0 -I/home/ben/projects/glamdring/RESTRICTED/core/src -I/home/ben/projects/glamdring/RESTRICTED/pulse_IO/src -I/home/ben/projects/glamdring/g2/src  test_ddi.c -c -o ../build/linux/test_ddi.o
echo ../build/linux/caa.o
cc -g -Wall -DDEBUG=0 -I/home/ben/projects/glamdring/RESTRICTED/core/src -I/home/ben/projects/glamdring/RESTRICTED/pulse_IO/src -I/home/ben/projects/glamdring/g2/src  ../src/caa.c -c -o ../build/linux/caa.o
echo ../build/linux/test_caa.o
cc -g -Wall -DDEBUG=0 -I/home/ben/projects/glamdring/RESTRICTED/core/src -I/home/ben/projects/glamdring/RESTRICTED/pulse_IO/src -I/home/ben/projects/glamdring/g2/src  test_caa.c -c -o ../build/linux/test_caa.o
echo ../build/linux/test_save_library.o
cc -g -Wall -DDEBUG=0 -I/home/ben/projects/glamdring/RESTRICTED/core/src -I/home/ben/projects/glamdring/RESTRICTED/pulse_IO/src -I/home/ben/projects/glamdring/g2/src  test_save_library.c -c -o ../build/linux/test_save_library.o
echo ../build/linux/save_library.o
cc -g -Wall -DDEBUG=0 -I/home/ben/projects/glamdring/RESTRICTED/core/src -I/home/ben/projects/glamdring/RESTRICTED/pulse_IO/src -I/home/ben/projects/glamdring/g2/src  ../src/save_library.c -c -o ../build/linux/save_library.o
echo ../build/linux/load_gnf.o
cc -g -Wall -DDEBUG=0 -I/home/ben/projects/glamdring/RESTRICTED/core/src -I/home/ben/projects/glamdring/RESTRICTED/pulse_IO/src -I/home/ben/projects/glamdring/g2/src  ../../RESTRICTED/core/src/load_gnf.c -c -o ../build/linux/load_gnf.o
echo ../build/linux/loadLibrary.o
cc -g -Wall -DDEBUG=0 -I/home/ben/projects/glamdring/RESTRICTED/core/src -I/home/ben/projects/glamdring/RESTRICTED/pulse_IO/src -I/home/ben/projects/glamdring/g2/src  ../../RESTRICTED/core/src/loadLibrary.c -c -o ../build/linux/loadLibrary.o
echo ../build/linux/test_lib.o
cc -g -Wall -DDEBUG=0 -I/home/ben/projects/glamdring/RESTRICTED/core/src -I/home/ben/projects/glamdring/RESTRICTED/pulse_IO/src -I/home/ben/projects/glamdring/g2/src  test_lib.c -c -o ../build/linux/test_lib.o
echo ../build/linux/init_tdd.o
cc -g -Wall -DDEBUG=0 -I/home/ben/projects/glamdring/RESTRICTED/core/src -I/home/ben/projects/glamdring/RESTRICTED/pulse_IO/src -I/home/ben/projects/glamdring/g2/src  ../../RESTRICTED/core/src/init_tdd.c -c -o ../build/linux/init_tdd.o
echo ../build/linux/tdd.o
cc -g -Wall -DDEBUG=0 -I/home/ben/projects/glamdring/RESTRICTED/core/src -I/home/ben/projects/glamdring/RESTRICTED/pulse_IO/src -I/home/ben/projects/glamdring/g2/src  ../../RESTRICTED/core/src/tdd.c -c -o ../build/linux/tdd.o
echo ../build/linux/test_utarray.o
cc -g -Wall -DDEBUG=0 -I/home/ben/projects/glamdring/RESTRICTED/core/src -I/home/ben/projects/glamdring/RESTRICTED/pulse_IO/src -I/home/ben/projects/glamdring/g2/src  test_utarray.c -c -o ../build/linux/test_utarray.o
echo ../build/linux/test_load_glf.o
cc -g -Wall -DDEBUG=0 -I/home/ben/projects/glamdring/RESTRICTED/core/src -I/home/ben/projects/glamdring/RESTRICTED/pulse_IO/src -I/home/ben/projects/glamdring/g2/src  test_load_glf.c -c -o ../build/linux/test_load_glf.o
echo ../build/linux/load_glf.o
cc -g -Wall -DDEBUG=0 -I/home/ben/projects/glamdring/RESTRICTED/core/src -I/home/ben/projects/glamdring/RESTRICTED/pulse_IO/src -I/home/ben/projects/glamdring/g2/src  ../src/load_glf.c -c -o ../build/linux/load_glf.o
cc -g -Wall -DDEBUG=0 -I/home/ben/projects/glamdring/RESTRICTED/core/src -I/home/ben/projects/glamdring/RESTRICTED/pulse_IO/src -I/home/ben/projects/glamdring/g2/src  ../build/linux/main.o ../build/linux/test_utility.o ../build/linux/utility.o ../build/linux/test_tha.o ../build/linux/tha.o ../build/linux/minIni.o ../build/linux/test_load_config.o ../build/linux/load_config.o ../build/linux/test_ddi.o ../build/linux/ddi.o ../build/linux/caa.o ../build/linux/mem.o ../build/linux/pulse_IO.o ../build/linux/test_caa.o ../build/linux/test_save_library.o ../build/linux/save_library.o ../build/linux/load_gnf.o ../build/linux/loadLibrary.o ../build/linux/test_lib.o ../build/linux/lib.o ../build/linux/init_tdd.o ../build/linux/tdd.o ../build/linux/bsd_offset.o ../build/linux/test_utarray.o ../build/linux/test_load_glf.o ../build/linux/load_glf.o  -lcunit -lm -o ../build/linux/test_glamdring2

Note that minIni.c, ddi.c, mem.c, pulseIO.c, lib.c and bsd_offset.c are not compiled into their repsective object files

I have triple checked that the src code files are actually present in the relevant directories so I must be doing something wrong in the Makefile here but I just can’t spot what it is…

UPDATE

have changed the line:

$(BUILD_DIR)/%.o: %.c

for:

$(program_OBJS): $(program_C_SRCS)

this brings in all the *.o files but uses main.c in every instance, i.e. output looks liek this:

echo ../build/linux/main.o
cc -g -Wall -DDEBUG=0 -I/home/ben/projects/glamdring/RESTRICTED/core/src -I/home/ben/projects/glamdring/RESTRICTED/pulse_IO/src -I/home/ben/projects/glamdring/g2/src  main.c -c -o ../build/linux/main.o
echo ../build/linux/test_utility.o
cc -g -Wall -DDEBUG=0 -I/home/ben/projects/glamdring/RESTRICTED/core/src -I/home/ben/projects/glamdring/RESTRICTED/pulse_IO/src -I/home/ben/projects/glamdring/g2/src  main.c -c -o ../build/linux/test_utility.o
echo ../build/linux/utility.o
cc -g -Wall -DDEBUG=0 -I/home/ben/projects/glamdring/RESTRICTED/core/src -I/home/ben/projects/glamdring/RESTRICTED/pulse_IO/src -I/home/ben/projects/glamdring/g2/src  main.c -c -o ../build/linux/utility.o
echo ../build/linux/test_tha.o
cc -g -Wall -DDEBUG=0 -I/home/ben/projects/glamdring/RESTRICTED/core/src -I/home/ben/projects/glamdring/RESTRICTED/pulse_IO/src -I/home/ben/projects/glamdring/g2/src  main.c -c -o ../build/linux/test_tha.o
echo ../build/linux/tha.o
cc -g -Wall -DDEBUG=0 -I/home/ben/projects/glamdring/RESTRICTED/core/src -I/home/ben/projects/glamdring/RESTRICTED/pulse_IO/src -I/home/ben/projects/glamdring/g2/src  main.c -c -o ../build/linux/tha.o
echo ../build/linux/minIni.o
cc -g -Wall -DDEBUG=0 -I/home/ben/projects/glamdring/RESTRICTED/core/src -I/home/ben/projects/glamdring/RESTRICTED/pulse_IO/src -I/home/ben/projects/glamdring/g2/src  main.c -c -o ../build/linux/minIni.o
echo ../build/linux/test_load_config.o
cc -g -Wall -DDEBUG=0 -I/home/ben/projects/glamdring/RESTRICTED/core/src -I/home/ben/projects/glamdring/RESTRICTED/pulse_IO/src -I/home/ben/projects/glamdring/g2/src  main.c -c -o ../build/linux/test_load_config.o
echo ../build/linux/load_config.o
cc -g -Wall -DDEBUG=0 -I/home/ben/projects/glamdring/RESTRICTED/core/src -I/home/ben/projects/glamdring/RESTRICTED/pulse_IO/src -I/home/ben/projects/glamdring/g2/src  main.c -c -o ../build/linux/load_config.o
echo ../build/linux/test_ddi.o
cc -g -Wall -DDEBUG=0 -I/home/ben/projects/glamdring/RESTRICTED/core/src -I/home/ben/projects/glamdring/RESTRICTED/pulse_IO/src -I/home/ben/projects/glamdring/g2/src  main.c -c -o ../build/linux/test_ddi.o
echo ../build/linux/ddi.o
cc -g -Wall -DDEBUG=0 -I/home/ben/projects/glamdring/RESTRICTED/core/src -I/home/ben/projects/glamdring/RESTRICTED/pulse_IO/src -I/home/ben/projects/glamdring/g2/src  main.c -c -o ../build/linux/ddi.o
echo ../build/linux/caa.o
cc -g -Wall -DDEBUG=0 -I/home/ben/projects/glamdring/RESTRICTED/core/src -I/home/ben/projects/glamdring/RESTRICTED/pulse_IO/src -I/home/ben/projects/glamdring/g2/src  main.c -c -o ../build/linux/caa.o
echo ../build/linux/mem.o
cc -g -Wall -DDEBUG=0 -I/home/ben/projects/glamdring/RESTRICTED/core/src -I/home/ben/projects/glamdring/RESTRICTED/pulse_IO/src -I/home/ben/projects/glamdring/g2/src  main.c -c -o ../build/linux/mem.o
echo ../build/linux/pulse_IO.o
cc -g -Wall -DDEBUG=0 -I/home/ben/projects/glamdring/RESTRICTED/core/src -I/home/ben/projects/glamdring/RESTRICTED/pulse_IO/src -I/home/ben/projects/glamdring/g2/src  main.c -c -o ../build/linux/pulse_IO.o
echo ../build/linux/test_caa.o
cc -g -Wall -DDEBUG=0 -I/home/ben/projects/glamdring/RESTRICTED/core/src -I/home/ben/projects/glamdring/RESTRICTED/pulse_IO/src -I/home/ben/projects/glamdring/g2/src  main.c -c -o ../build/linux/test_caa.o
echo ../build/linux/test_save_library.o
cc -g -Wall -DDEBUG=0 -I/home/ben/projects/glamdring/RESTRICTED/core/src -I/home/ben/projects/glamdring/RESTRICTED/pulse_IO/src -I/home/ben/projects/glamdring/g2/src  main.c -c -o ../build/linux/test_save_library.o
echo ../build/linux/save_library.o
cc -g -Wall -DDEBUG=0 -I/home/ben/projects/glamdring/RESTRICTED/core/src -I/home/ben/projects/glamdring/RESTRICTED/pulse_IO/src -I/home/ben/projects/glamdring/g2/src  main.c -c -o ../build/linux/save_library.o
echo ../build/linux/load_gnf.o
cc -g -Wall -DDEBUG=0 -I/home/ben/projects/glamdring/RESTRICTED/core/src -I/home/ben/projects/glamdring/RESTRICTED/pulse_IO/src -I/home/ben/projects/glamdring/g2/src  main.c -c -o ../build/linux/load_gnf.o
echo ../build/linux/loadLibrary.o
cc -g -Wall -DDEBUG=0 -I/home/ben/projects/glamdring/RESTRICTED/core/src -I/home/ben/projects/glamdring/RESTRICTED/pulse_IO/src -I/home/ben/projects/glamdring/g2/src  main.c -c -o ../build/linux/loadLibrary.o
echo ../build/linux/test_lib.o
cc -g -Wall -DDEBUG=0 -I/home/ben/projects/glamdring/RESTRICTED/core/src -I/home/ben/projects/glamdring/RESTRICTED/pulse_IO/src -I/home/ben/projects/glamdring/g2/src  main.c -c -o ../build/linux/test_lib.o
echo ../build/linux/lib.o
cc -g -Wall -DDEBUG=0 -I/home/ben/projects/glamdring/RESTRICTED/core/src -I/home/ben/projects/glamdring/RESTRICTED/pulse_IO/src -I/home/ben/projects/glamdring/g2/src  main.c -c -o ../build/linux/lib.o
echo ../build/linux/init_tdd.o
cc -g -Wall -DDEBUG=0 -I/home/ben/projects/glamdring/RESTRICTED/core/src -I/home/ben/projects/glamdring/RESTRICTED/pulse_IO/src -I/home/ben/projects/glamdring/g2/src  main.c -c -o ../build/linux/init_tdd.o
echo ../build/linux/tdd.o
cc -g -Wall -DDEBUG=0 -I/home/ben/projects/glamdring/RESTRICTED/core/src -I/home/ben/projects/glamdring/RESTRICTED/pulse_IO/src -I/home/ben/projects/glamdring/g2/src  main.c -c -o ../build/linux/tdd.o
echo ../build/linux/bsd_offset.o
cc -g -Wall -DDEBUG=0 -I/home/ben/projects/glamdring/RESTRICTED/core/src -I/home/ben/projects/glamdring/RESTRICTED/pulse_IO/src -I/home/ben/projects/glamdring/g2/src  main.c -c -o ../build/linux/bsd_offset.o
echo ../build/linux/test_utarray.o
cc -g -Wall -DDEBUG=0 -I/home/ben/projects/glamdring/RESTRICTED/core/src -I/home/ben/projects/glamdring/RESTRICTED/pulse_IO/src -I/home/ben/projects/glamdring/g2/src  main.c -c -o ../build/linux/test_utarray.o
echo ../build/linux/test_load_glf.o
cc -g -Wall -DDEBUG=0 -I/home/ben/projects/glamdring/RESTRICTED/core/src -I/home/ben/projects/glamdring/RESTRICTED/pulse_IO/src -I/home/ben/projects/glamdring/g2/src  main.c -c -o ../build/linux/test_load_glf.o
echo ../build/linux/load_glf.o
cc -g -Wall -DDEBUG=0 -I/home/ben/projects/glamdring/RESTRICTED/core/src -I/home/ben/projects/glamdring/RESTRICTED/pulse_IO/src -I/home/ben/projects/glamdring/g2/src  main.c -c -o ../build/linux/load_glf.o
cc -g -Wall -DDEBUG=0 -I/home/ben/projects/glamdring/RESTRICTED/core/src -I/home/ben/projects/glamdring/RESTRICTED/pulse_IO/src -I/home/ben/projects/glamdring/g2/src  ../build/linux/main.o ../build/linux/test_utility.o ../build/linux/utility.o ../build/linux/test_tha.o ../build/linux/tha.o ../build/linux/minIni.o ../build/linux/test_load_config.o ../build/linux/load_config.o ../build/linux/test_ddi.o ../build/linux/ddi.o ../build/linux/caa.o ../build/linux/mem.o ../build/linux/pulse_IO.o ../build/linux/test_caa.o ../build/linux/test_save_library.o ../build/linux/save_library.o ../build/linux/load_gnf.o ../build/linux/loadLibrary.o ../build/linux/test_lib.o ../build/linux/lib.o ../build/linux/init_tdd.o ../build/linux/tdd.o ../build/linux/bsd_offset.o ../build/linux/test_utarray.o ../build/linux/test_load_glf.o ../build/linux/load_glf.o  -lcunit -lm -o ../build/linux/test_glamdring2

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1 Answer

Editorial Team · Answer 1 · 2026-06-11T17:59:08+00:00

Editorial Team

2026-06-11T17:59:08+00:00Added an answer on June 11, 2026 at 5:59 pm

If a input file is older than the output file, then make won’t build it.
So make will not compile unchaged C files between builds. That speeds up the compilation.

Try the following:

make clean all

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