Re: Fwd: Feature request: Force ignore prerequisites with CLI flag

On Mon, 2025-11-24 at 07:47 +0100, Basile Starynkevitch wrote:
> On Sun, 2025-11-23 at 15:33 -0500, Joe Flack wrote:
> > Hi!
> > 
> > I have a feature request. Sorry, I was told to mail here, as opposed to a different list or a ticketing system.
> > 
> > Me and others using make have frequently wanted this simple feature:
> > 
> > "Run a goal, but ignore prerequisites. Act as if they don't exist."
> > 
> > Please consider adding!
> 
> Well, if a prerequisite don't exist, how can a given rule be fired?
> 
> However, make --help tells us:
>   -o FILE, --old-file=FILE, --assume-old=FILE
>                               Consider FILE to be very old and don't remake it.
> 
> Isn't it equivalent to the feature you ask?
> 
> Otherwise, at least give a use case with sample GNUmakefile (e.g. for POSIX system)

Notice also that GNU make 4.4 can be extended with Python or Guile. Perhaps coding that feature in them is easier?
-- 

Basile STARYNKEVITCH                    basile AT starynkevitch DOT net
8 rue de la Faïencerie                       http://starynkevitch.net/Basile/  
92340 Bourg-la-Reine                         https://github.com/bstarynk
France                                https://github.com/RefPerSys/RefPerSys
                  https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0908-5250