Problem with relative path in rule

[Torleif Sandnes]

Hi.

I have a problem with using relative pathnames in make rules.

This is the rule:
util.o: ../../utilities/util.c

This is the output from make

c:\programs\WinAVR\utils\bin\make.exe: *** No rule to make target 
`../utilities/util.c', needed by `util.o'.  Stop.

It seems make removes ../ from my prerequisite.

Is this a known problem, or am I doing something wrong?
I have tried googling for it and searched this newsgroup's archives without 
finding any information related to this issue.

I am using a mingw make on windows, but the make that comes with cygwin 
exhibited the same behaviour.

regards,
Torleif Sandnes

Relevant excerpt from make -d:

 Considering target file `util.o'.
     File `util.o' does not exist.
      Considering target file `../../utilities/util.c'.
       Looking for an implicit rule for `../../utilities/util.c'.
       Trying pattern rule with stem `util'.
       Trying implicit prerequisite `../../utilities/util.y'.
       Trying pattern rule with stem `util'.
       Trying implicit prerequisite `../../utilities/util.l'.
       Trying pattern rule with stem `util'.
       Trying implicit prerequisite `../../utilities/util.w'.
       Trying pattern rule with stem `util'.
       Trying implicit prerequisite `../../utilities/util.w'.
       Trying pattern rule with stem `util.c'.
       Trying implicit prerequisite `../../utilities/util.c,v'.
       Trying pattern rule with stem `util.c'.
       Trying implicit prerequisite `../../utilities/RCS/util.c,v'.
       Trying pattern rule with stem `util.c'.
       Trying implicit prerequisite `../../utilities/RCS/util.c'.
       Trying pattern rule with stem `util.c'.
       Trying implicit prerequisite `../../utilities/s.util.c'.
       Trying pattern rule with stem `util.c'.
       Trying implicit prerequisite `../../utilities/SCCS/s.util.c'.
       Trying pattern rule with stem `util'.
       Trying implicit prerequisite `../../utilities/util.y'.
       Looking for a rule with intermediate file `../../utilities/util.y'.
        Avoiding implicit rule recursion.
        Trying pattern rule with stem `util.y'.
        Trying implicit prerequisite `../../utilities/util.y,v'.
        Trying pattern rule with stem `util.y'.
        Trying implicit prerequisite `../../utilities/RCS/util.y,v'.
        Trying pattern rule with stem `util.y'.
        Trying implicit prerequisite `../../utilities/RCS/util.y'.
        Trying pattern rule with stem `util.y'.
        Trying implicit prerequisite `../../utilities/s.util.y'.
        Trying pattern rule with stem `util.y'.
        Trying implicit prerequisite `../../utilities/SCCS/s.util.y'.
       Trying pattern rule with stem `util'.
       Trying implicit prerequisite `../../utilities/util.l'.
       Looking for a rule with intermediate file `../../utilities/util.l'.
        Avoiding implicit rule recursion.
        Trying pattern rule with stem `util.l'.
        Trying implicit prerequisite `../../utilities/util.l,v'.
        Trying pattern rule with stem `util.l'.
        Trying implicit prerequisite `../../utilities/RCS/util.l,v'.
        Trying pattern rule with stem `util.l'.
        Trying implicit prerequisite `../../utilities/RCS/util.l'.
        Trying pattern rule with stem `util.l'.
        Trying implicit prerequisite `../../utilities/s.util.l'.
        Trying pattern rule with stem `util.l'.
        Trying implicit prerequisite `../../utilities/SCCS/s.util.l'.
       Trying pattern rule with stem `util'.
       Trying implicit prerequisite `../../utilities/util.w'.
       Looking for a rule with intermediate file `../../utilities/util.w'.
        Avoiding implicit rule recursion.
        Trying pattern rule with stem `util.w'.
        Trying implicit prerequisite `../../utilities/util.w,v'.
        Trying pattern rule with stem `util.w'.
        Trying implicit prerequisite `../../utilities/RCS/util.w,v'.
        Trying pattern rule with stem `util.w'.
        Trying implicit prerequisite `../../utilities/RCS/util.w'.
        Trying pattern rule with stem `util.w'.
        Trying implicit prerequisite `../../utilities/s.util.w'.
        Trying pattern rule with stem `util.w'.
        Trying implicit prerequisite `../../utilities/SCCS/s.util.w'.
       Trying pattern rule with stem `util'.
       Rejecting impossible implicit prerequisite `../../utilities/util.w'.
       No implicit rule found for `../../utilities/util.c'.
       Finished prerequisites of target file `../../utilities/util.c'.
      No need to remake target `../../utilities/util.c'.
      Considering target file `../utilities/util.c'.
       File `../utilities/util.c' does not exist.
       Looking for an implicit rule for `../utilities/util.c'.
       Trying pattern rule with stem `util'.
       Trying implicit prerequisite `../utilities/util.y'.
       Trying pattern rule with stem `util'.
       Trying implicit prerequisite `../utilities/util.l'.
       Trying pattern rule with stem `util'.
       Trying implicit prerequisite `../utilities/util.w'.
       Trying pattern rule with stem `util'.
       Trying implicit prerequisite `../utilities/util.w'.
       Trying pattern rule with stem `util.c'.
       Trying implicit prerequisite `../utilities/util.c,v'.
       Trying pattern rule with stem `util.c'.
       Trying implicit prerequisite `../utilities/RCS/util.c,v'.
       Trying pattern rule with stem `util.c'.
       Trying implicit prerequisite `../utilities/RCS/util.c'.
       Trying pattern rule with stem `util.c'.
       Trying implicit prerequisite `../utilities/s.util.c'.
       Trying pattern rule with stem `util.c'.
       Trying implicit prerequisite `../utilities/SCCS/s.util.c'.
       Trying pattern rule with stem `util'.
       Trying implicit prerequisite `../utilities/util.y'.
       Looking for a rule with intermediate file `../utilities/util.y'.
        Avoiding implicit rule recursion.
        Trying pattern rule with stem `util.y'.
        Trying implicit prerequisite `../utilities/util.y,v'.
        Trying pattern rule with stem `util.y'.
        Trying implicit prerequisite `../utilities/RCS/util.y,v'.
        Trying pattern rule with stem `util.y'.
        Trying implicit prerequisite `../utilities/RCS/util.y'.
        Trying pattern rule with stem `util.y'.
        Trying implicit prerequisite `../utilities/s.util.y'.
        Trying pattern rule with stem `util.y'.
        Trying implicit prerequisite `../utilities/SCCS/s.util.y'.
       Trying pattern rule with stem `util'.
       Trying implicit prerequisite `../utilities/util.l'.
       Looking for a rule with intermediate file `../utilities/util.l'.
        Avoiding implicit rule recursion.
        Trying pattern rule with stem `util.l'.
        Trying implicit prerequisite `../utilities/util.l,v'.
        Trying pattern rule with stem `util.l'.
        Trying implicit prerequisite `../utilities/RCS/util.l,v'.
        Trying pattern rule with stem `util.l'.
        Trying implicit prerequisite `../utilities/RCS/util.l'.
        Trying pattern rule with stem `util.l'.
        Trying implicit prerequisite `../utilities/s.util.l'.
        Trying pattern rule with stem `util.l'.
        Trying implicit prerequisite `../utilities/SCCS/s.util.l'.
       Trying pattern rule with stem `util'.
       Trying implicit prerequisite `../utilities/util.w'.
       Looking for a rule with intermediate file `../utilities/util.w'.
        Avoiding implicit rule recursion.
        Trying pattern rule with stem `util.w'.
        Trying implicit prerequisite `../utilities/util.w,v'.
        Trying pattern rule with stem `util.w'.
        Trying implicit prerequisite `../utilities/RCS/util.w,v'.
        Trying pattern rule with stem `util.w'.
        Trying implicit prerequisite `../utilities/RCS/util.w'.
        Trying pattern rule with stem `util.w'.
        Trying implicit prerequisite `../utilities/s.util.w'.
        Trying pattern rule with stem `util.w'.
        Trying implicit prerequisite `../utilities/SCCS/s.util.w'.
       Trying pattern rule with stem `util'.
       Rejecting impossible implicit prerequisite `../utilities/util.w'.
       No implicit rule found for `../utilities/util.c'.
       Finished prerequisites of target file `../utilities/util.c'.
      Must remake target `../utilities/util.c'.