How to make the target depend on lib file, but exclude it from $^ (VPATH involved)?

Imagine this structure: ``` root/ | +-- include/ +-- src/ +-- build/ +-- lib/ +-- tests/ | +-- common +-- test1 +-- test2 +-- test3 ``` In `tests/`, the folder `common/` contains a couple of source files that generate data or read data from logged file etc, which are shared between all tests. Each test therefore has only one file; `main.c` (currently). The `Makefile` of each test looks like this: ``` .SUFFIXES: .SUFFIXES: .c .o TARGET := test # OS dependent stuff omitted for brevity CFLAGS += -I../../include -I../common LDFLAGS += -L../../lib -lname VPATH = ../common .phony: all clean all: $(TARGET) clean: -$(RM) *.o $(TARGET) # Other targets removed for brevity OBJECTS := main.o io.o read_str.o $(TARGET): $(OBJECTS) ../../lib/libname.a $(LD) -o $@ $(OBJECTS) $(LDFLAGS) %.o: %.c $(CC) -c $(CFLAGS) -o $@ $< main.o: main.c io.h $(wildcard ../../include/*.h) ``` At first I had the `common/` files copied in each test and everything was fine, but now that I put them in `common/` and used `VPATH`, I am facing an issue. Let me explain a few lines: ``` main.o: main.c io.h $(wildcard ../../include/*.h) ^^^^ VPATH correctly finds this file in common/ $(TARGET): $(OBJECTS) ../../lib/libname.a ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ If the library is rebuilt, the tests need to re-link $(LD) -o $@ $(OBJECTS) $(LDFLAGS) ^^^^^^^^^^ I can't use $^ because that also includes ../../lib/libname.a ``` As you may have already guessed, since the `common/*.o` files are not in this folder, `$(LD)` fails to find them. On the other hand, `make`, given `VPATH = ../common` has no problem finding them. If I could remove `../../lib/libname.a`, then with `$^`, I could give the correct paths to the object files. Removing the dependency to the lib file however, means that when I `make` at the top-level, the tests will not get updated if only the lib itself is being updated. So, my question is, how can I tell `make` there is a dependency to another file (a lib file) but it is not used in the command below it, given that the other dependencies are found using `VPATH`? I thought about removing the dependencies, and in the `Makefile` that builds `libname.a`, add a command after the library is made that tells the `Makefile`s of tests to remove their `TARGET`s: ``` lib/Makefile: .SUFFIXES: TARGET = libname.a VPATH = ../build .PHONY: all clean all: $(TARGET) clean: -$(RM) $(TARGET) $(TARGET): list.o of.o my.o library.o files.o $(AR) $(TARGET) $^ @$(MAKE) --no-print-directory -C ../tests remove_targets ``` This would force `$(LD)` to make them again. This solution however tends to make the `Makefile` relationships into a mess. The `Makefile` that builds the lib is unrelated to whether there are tests or not, and I prefer to keep them decoupled. I build and test a lot, that is why I try to get the dependencies complete, so that `make` takes the minimum possible actions to correctly build everything. A solution that says, clean and rebuild every time is not an option. I am also aware of this syntax, which could be used if I wanted to give the lib file directory to `gcc`, instead of using `-Lpath/to/lib -lname`. I am not sure however if that is a good idea (I mean, I always saw linking with `-L`, and I'm not sure if there is a disadvantage when directly giving the library file) By the way, if I am doing something horribly wrong, or if I am making it too difficult for myself, please tell me how this should be done correctly.