desktop@transient:/tmp$ touch /tmp/foo.avi "/tmp/bar foo.avi" desktop@transient:/tmp$ rm /tmp/foo.m4v "/tmp/bar foo.m4v" rm: cannot remove '/tmp/bar foo.m4v': No such file or directory desktop@transient:/tmp$ make -r -R -d -f /tmp/av-recode.make /tmp/foo.m4v "/tmp/bar foo.m4v" GNU Make 4.1 Built for x86_64-pc-linux-gnu Copyright (C) 1988-2014 Free Software Foundation, Inc. License GPLv3+: GNU GPL version 3 or later This is free software: you are free to change and redistribute it. There is NO WARRANTY, to the extent permitted by law. Reading makefiles... Reading makefile '/tmp/av-recode.make'... Updating makefiles.... Considering target file '/tmp/av-recode.make'. Looking for an implicit rule for '/tmp/av-recode.make'. No implicit rule found for '/tmp/av-recode.make'. Finished prerequisites of target file '/tmp/av-recode.make'. No need to remake target '/tmp/av-recode.make'. Updating goal targets.... Considering target file '/tmp/foo.m4v'. File '/tmp/foo.m4v' does not exist. Looking for an implicit rule for '/tmp/foo.m4v'. Trying pattern rule with stem 'foo'. Trying implicit prerequisite '/tmp/foo.avi'. Found an implicit rule for '/tmp/foo.m4v'. Considering target file '/tmp/foo.avi'. Looking for an implicit rule for '/tmp/foo.avi'. No implicit rule found for '/tmp/foo.avi'. Finished prerequisites of target file '/tmp/foo.avi'. No need to remake target '/tmp/foo.avi'. Finished prerequisites of target file '/tmp/foo.m4v'. Must remake target '/tmp/foo.m4v'. touch "/tmp/foo.m4v" Putting child 0x562c9e797e30 (/tmp/foo.m4v) PID 19561 on the chain. Live child 0x562c9e797e30 (/tmp/foo.m4v) PID 19561 Reaping winning child 0x562c9e797e30 PID 19561 Removing child 0x562c9e797e30 PID 19561 from chain. Successfully remade target file '/tmp/foo.m4v'. Considering target file '/tmp/bar foo.m4v'. File '/tmp/bar foo.m4v' does not exist. Looking for an implicit rule for '/tmp/bar foo.m4v'. Trying pattern rule with stem 'bar foo'. Trying implicit prerequisite '/tmp/bar'. Trying pattern rule with stem 'bar foo'. Trying implicit prerequisite '/tmp/bar'. Looking for a rule with intermediate file '/tmp/bar'. Avoiding implicit rule recursion. No implicit rule found for '/tmp/bar foo.m4v'. Finished prerequisites of target file '/tmp/bar foo.m4v'. Must remake target '/tmp/bar foo.m4v'. make: *** No rule to make target '/tmp/bar foo.m4v'. Stop.