RE: this is embarrasing... prerequisiste gets updated, but make still says it is older than target

[Mark Galeck (CW)]

Paul, you can disagree with me, but I believe the manual is grossly misleading 
here.  None of what you describe is actually in the manual.

Instead, the manual says first in section 2.3. by way of an example, and then 
in Section 4.2:

"After recompiling whichever object files need it, make decides whether to 
relink edit. This must be done if the file edit does not exist, or if any of 
the object files are newer than it. If an object file was just recompiled, it 
is now newer than edit, so edit is relinked."

"A target is out of date if it does not exist or if it is older than any of the 
prerequisites (by comparison of last-modification times).       "


The above, clearly suggests, the checking of the timestamp is done after the 
updates of the prerequisites.  Not at any other time.


OK, you are saying that is not the case.  Please state clearly exactly when and 
how make checks the timestamps of prerequisites of the target of a rule, for 
the purpose of deciding whether to update the target.  


Thank you,

Mark