Makefile with different source directories than object directory

Question

I'm devloping application on nRf51 for that i'm using:

• Compiler: GNU ARM C cross compiler[gcc]
• SDK: nRF51_SDK_7.2.0_cf547b5
• Tool chain: GNU tools arm Embedded [arm-none-eabi version 4.9.3]

I'm trying to create a makefile in which all source file directories and object directories are different. My makefile needs rules to target *.o files whose source files are on different directories than the project directory. How should I modify the makefile, so that it can compile a C source file from a different directory?

after executing make in cmd.exe, I get:

 rm -rf _build
    makefile
    mkdir _build
    make: *** No rule to make target `_build/system_nrf51.o', needed by    `nrf51422_xxac'.  Stop.

My Makefile looks something like:

`PROJECT_NAME := blinky_blank_pca10028

export OUTPUT_FILENAME
#MAKEFILE_NAME := $(CURDIR)/$(word $(words $(MAKEFILE_LIST)),$(MAKEFILE_LIST))
MAKEFILE_NAME := $(MAKEFILE_LIST)
MAKEFILE_DIR := $(dir $(MAKEFILE_NAME) ) 

TOOLCHAIN_PATH = C:/nRF51_SDK_7.2.0_cf547b5
TEMPLATE_PATH = $(TOOLCHAIN_PATH)/components/toolchain/gcc
ifeq ($(OS),Windows_NT)
include $(TEMPLATE_PATH)/Makefile.windows
else
include $(TEMPLATE_PATH)/Makefile.posix
endif

MK := mkdir
RM := rm -rf

#echo suspend
ifeq ("$(VERBOSE)","1")
NO_ECHO := 
else
NO_ECHO := @
endif

# Toolchain commands
CC              := "$(GNU_INSTALL_ROOT)/bin/$(GNU_PREFIX)-gcc"
AS              := "$(GNU_INSTALL_ROOT)/bin/$(GNU_PREFIX)-as"
AR              := "$(GNU_INSTALL_ROOT)/bin/$(GNU_PREFIX)-ar" -r
LD              := "$(GNU_INSTALL_ROOT)/bin/$(GNU_PREFIX)-ld"
NM              := "$(GNU_INSTALL_ROOT)/bin/$(GNU_PREFIX)-nm"
OBJDUMP         := "$(GNU_INSTALL_ROOT)/bin/$(GNU_PREFIX)-objdump"
OBJCOPY         := "$(GNU_INSTALL_ROOT)/bin/$(GNU_PREFIX)-objcopy"
SIZE            := "$(GNU_INSTALL_ROOT)/bin/$(GNU_PREFIX)-size"

#function for removing duplicates in a list
remduplicates = $(strip $(if $1,$(firstword $1) $(call remduplicates,$(filter-out $(firstword $1),$1))))

#source common to all targets
C_SOURCE_FILES += \
$(TOOLCHAIN_PATH)/components/toolchain/system_nrf51.c \
../../../Main.c \
$(TOOLCHAIN_PATH)/components/drivers_nrf/hal/nrf_delay.c \

#assembly files common to all targets
ASM_SOURCE_FILES  = $(TOOLCHAIN_PATH)/components/toolchain/gcc/gcc_startup_nrf51.s

#includes common to all targets
INC_PATHS  = -I../../../
INC_PATHS += -I$(TOOLCHAIN_PATH)/components/toolchain/gcc
INC_PATHS += -I$(TOOLCHAIN_PATH)/components/toolchain
INC_PATHS += -I$(TOOLCHAIN_PATH)/components/drivers_nrf/hal
INC_PATHS += -I$(TOOLCHAIN_PATH)/examples/peripheral/bsp

OBJECT_DIRECTORY = _build
LISTING_DIRECTORY = $(OBJECT_DIRECTORY)
OUTPUT_BINARY_DIRECTORY = $(OBJECT_DIRECTORY)

# Sorting removes duplicates
BUILD_DIRECTORIES := $(sort $(OBJECT_DIRECTORY) $(OUTPUT_BINARY_DIRECTORY) $(LISTING_DIRECTORY) )

#flags common to all targets
CFLAGS  = -DNRF51
CFLAGS += -DBSP_DEFINES_ONLY
CFLAGS += -DBOARD_PCA10028
CFLAGS += -mcpu=cortex-m0
CFLAGS += -mthumb -mabi=aapcs --std=gnu99
CFLAGS += -Wall -Werror -O3
CFLAGS += -mfloat-abi=soft
# keep every function in separate section. This will allow linker to dump unused functions
CFLAGS += -ffunction-sections -fdata-sections -fno-strict-aliasing
CFLAGS += -flto -fno-builtin

# keep every function in separate section. This will allow linker to dump unused functions
LDFLAGS += -Xlinker -Map=$(LISTING_DIRECTORY)/$(OUTPUT_FILENAME).map
LDFLAGS += -mthumb -mabi=aapcs -L $(TEMPLATE_PATH) -T$(LINKER_SCRIPT)
LDFLAGS += -mcpu=cortex-m0
# let linker to dump unused sections
LDFLAGS += -Wl,--gc-sections
# use newlib in nano version
LDFLAGS += --specs=nano.specs -lc -lnosys

# Assembler flags
ASMFLAGS += -x assembler-with-cpp
ASMFLAGS += -DNRF51
ASMFLAGS += -DBSP_DEFINES_ONLY
ASMFLAGS += -DBOARD_PCA10028
#default target - first one defined
default: clean nrf51422_xxac

#building all targets
all: clean
    $(NO_ECHO)$(MAKE) -f $(MAKEFILE_NAME) -C $(MAKEFILE_DIR) -e cleanobj
    $(NO_ECHO)$(MAKE) -f $(MAKEFILE_NAME) -C $(MAKEFILE_DIR) -e nrf51422_xxac 

#target for printing all targets
help:
    @echo following targets are available:
    @echo   nrf51422_xxac


C_SOURCE_FILE_NAMES = $(notdir $(C_SOURCE_FILES))
C_PATHS = $(call remduplicates, $(dir $(C_SOURCE_FILES) ) )
C_OBJECTS = $(addprefix $(OBJECT_DIRECTORY)/, $(C_SOURCE_FILE_NAMES:.c=.o) )

ASM_SOURCE_FILE_NAMES = $(notdir $(ASM_SOURCE_FILES))
ASM_PATHS = $(call remduplicates, $(dir $(ASM_SOURCE_FILES) ))
ASM_OBJECTS = $(addprefix $(OBJECT_DIRECTORY)/, $(ASM_SOURCE_FILE_NAMES:.s=.o) )

vpath %.c $(C_PATHS)
vpath %.s $(ASM_PATHS)

OBJECTS = $(C_OBJECTS) $(ASM_OBJECTS)

nrf51422_xxac: OUTPUT_FILENAME := nrf51422_xxac
nrf51422_xxac: LINKER_SCRIPT=$(TOOLCHAIN_PATH)/components/toolchain/gcc/gcc_nrf51_blank_xxac.ld
nrf51422_xxac: $(BUILD_DIRECTORIES) $(OBJECTS)
    @echo Linking target: $(OUTPUT_FILENAME).out
    $(NO_ECHO)$(CC) $(LDFLAGS) $(OBJECTS) $(LIBS) -o $(OUTPUT_BINARY_DIRECTORY)/$(OUTPUT_FILENAME).out
    $(NO_ECHO)$(MAKE) -f $(MAKEFILE_NAME) -C $(MAKEFILE_DIR) -e finalize

## Create build directories
$(BUILD_DIRECTORIES):
    @echo $(MAKEFILE_NAME)
    $(MK) $@

# Create objects from C SRC files
$(OBJECT_DIRECTORY)/%.o: %.c
    @echo Compiling file: $(notdir $<)
    $(NO_ECHO)$(CC) $(CFLAGS) $(INC_PATHS) -c -o $@ $<

# Assemble files
$(OBJECT_DIRECTORY)/%.o: %.s
    @echo Compiling file: $(notdir $<)
    $(NO_ECHO)$(CC) $(ASMFLAGS) $(INC_PATHS) -c -o $@ $<


# Link
$(OUTPUT_BINARY_DIRECTORY)/$(OUTPUT_FILENAME).out: $(BUILD_DIRECTORIES) $(OBJECTS)
    @echo Linking target: $(OUTPUT_FILENAME).out
    $(NO_ECHO)$(CC) $(LDFLAGS) $(OBJECTS) $(LIBS) -o $(OUTPUT_BINARY_DIRECTORY)/$(OUTPUT_FILENAME).out


## Create binary .bin file from the .out file
$(OUTPUT_BINARY_DIRECTORY)/$(OUTPUT_FILENAME).bin: $(OUTPUT_BINARY_DIRECTORY)/$(OUTPUT_FILENAME).out
    @echo Preparing: $(OUTPUT_FILENAME).bin
    $(NO_ECHO)$(OBJCOPY) -O binary $(OUTPUT_BINARY_DIRECTORY)/$(OUTPUT_FILENAME).out $(OUTPUT_BINARY_DIRECTORY)/$(OUTPUT_FILENAME).bin

## Create binary .hex file from the .out file
$(OUTPUT_BINARY_DIRECTORY)/$(OUTPUT_FILENAME).hex: $(OUTPUT_BINARY_DIRECTORY)/$(OUTPUT_FILENAME).out
    @echo Preparing: $(OUTPUT_FILENAME).hex
    $(NO_ECHO)$(OBJCOPY) -O ihex $(OUTPUT_BINARY_DIRECTORY)/$(OUTPUT_FILENAME).out $(OUTPUT_BINARY_DIRECTORY)/$(OUTPUT_FILENAME).hex

finalize: genbin genhex echosize

genbin:
    @echo Preparing: $(OUTPUT_FILENAME).bin
    $(NO_ECHO)$(OBJCOPY) -O binary $(OUTPUT_BINARY_DIRECTORY)/$(OUTPUT_FILENAME).out $(OUTPUT_BINARY_DIRECTORY)/$(OUTPUT_FILENAME).bin

## Create binary .hex file from the .out file
genhex: 
    @echo Preparing: $(OUTPUT_FILENAME).hex
    $(NO_ECHO)$(OBJCOPY) -O ihex $(OUTPUT_BINARY_DIRECTORY)/$(OUTPUT_FILENAME).out $(OUTPUT_BINARY_DIRECTORY)/$(OUTPUT_FILENAME).hex

echosize:
    -@echo ""
    $(NO_ECHO)$(SIZE) $(OUTPUT_BINARY_DIRECTORY)/$(OUTPUT_FILENAME).out
    -@echo ""

clean:
    $(RM) $(BUILD_DIRECTORIES)

cleanobj:
    $(RM) $(BUILD_DIRECTORIES)/*.o

flash: $(MAKECMDGOALS)
    @echo Flashing: $(OUTPUT_BINARY_DIRECTORY)/$<.hex
    nrfjprog --reset --program $(OUTPUT_BINARY_DIRECTORY)/$<.hex`    

Thank you in advance.