archive members always out of date

[ATD Hill, Bruce]

When I try to use the archive member syntax gnu make always decides

the prerequisite object is newer than the archive member and re-archives it.

 

I would expect make to determine that the archived object is uptodate

and not rearchive it.

 

Tools:

    GNU make v3.7.9

    Sparc running Solaris 7 (SunOS 5.7)

    GNU ar 2.9.1

 

The simplest example is to create a new directory and copy an object

module into it.  No makefile is needed.  Running

% make "foo.a(j.o)"

once creates the archive foo.a and adds j.o to it.  Running it again

reinstalls j.o in the archive.

 

 

760:test/% make --debug=b  "foo.a(j.o)"
GNU Make version 3.79, by Richard Stallman and Roland McGrath.
Built for sparc-sun-solaris2.7
Copyright (C) 1988, 89, 90, 91, 92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97, 98, 99
        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.

 

Report bugs to <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>.

 

Reading makefiles...
Updating goal targets....
 Prerequisite `j.o' is newer than target `foo.a(j.o)'.
Must remake target `foo.a(j.o)'.
/users1/bhill/tmp/binutils-2.9.1/binutils/ar rv foo.a j.o
r - j.o
Successfully remade target file `foo.a(j.o)'.

761:test/% !!
make --debug=b "foo.a(j.o)"
GNU Make version 3.79, by Richard Stallman and Roland McGrath.
Built for sparc-sun-solaris2.7
Copyright (C) 1988, 89, 90, 91, 92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97, 98, 99
        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.

 

Report bugs to <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>.

 

Reading makefiles...
Updating goal targets....
 Prerequisite `j.o' is newer than target `foo.a(j.o)'.
Must remake target `foo.a(j.o)'.
/users1/bhill/tmp/binutils-2.9.1/binutils/ar rv foo.a j.o
r - j.o
Successfully remade target file `foo.a(j.o)'.