Implicit rule chain problem

[Nagy Tibor]

The attached very simple makefile does not work properly. Chaining of
implicit rules does not work. 'a.ccc' will be not created from 'a.aaa'
only if I explicitly 'make' it through 'a.bbb'.

See the command sequense below:

address@hidden:~/b2000/core(560)>cat Makefile
%.bbb :: %.aaa
        cp $< $@
%.ccc :: %.bbb
        cp $< $@
address@hidden:~/b2000/core(561)>rm a.*
address@hidden:~/b2000/core(562)>touch a.aaa
address@hidden:~/b2000/core(563)>make -f Makefile a.ccc
make: *** No rule to make target `a.ccc'.  Stop.
address@hidden:~/b2000/core(564)>make -f Makefile a.bbb
cp a.aaa a.bbb
address@hidden:~/b2000/core(565)>make -f Makefile a.ccc
cp a.bbb a.ccc
address@hidden:~/b2000/core(566)>make -f Makefile a.ccc
make: `a.ccc' is up to date.
address@hidden:~/b2000/core(566)>

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

My make version:

address@hidden:~/b2000/core(559)>make --version
GNU Make version 3.77, by Richard Stallman and Roland McGrath.
Copyright (C) 1988, 89, 90, 91, 92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97, 98
        Free Software Foundation, Inc.
This is free software; see the source for copying conditions.
There is NO warranty; not even for MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A
PARTICULAR PURPOSE.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Please inform me, what to do.

Thanks

Tibor


------------------------------------------------------------------------
Tibor Nagy
Card and Core Banking Systems Development Project
National Savings and Commercial Bank Ltd (OTP Bank)
H-1051 Budapest Nador u. 16.
Tel: 00 36 1 374 6990   Fax: 00 36 1 374 6981   E-mail: address@hidden
------------------------------------------------------------------------

%.bbb :: %.aaa
        cp $< $@
%.ccc :: %.bbb
        cp $< $@