diff --git a/alpha_def b/alpha_def
index 7c6d655f..0daf5c61 100644
--- a/alpha_def
+++ b/alpha_def
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@
 
 #==========================================================================
 # the following lines only for fortified version
-#DFORTIFY=-DFORTIFY
+#DFORTIFY=-DFORTIFY -I$(ROOT)/$(SRC)
 #FORTIFYOBJ=strdup.o fortify.o
 
 #----------------select proper Makefile
diff --git a/cd_obj b/cd_obj
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..62e62536
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cd_obj
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+# define an alias to 'source cd_obj' for switching quick to object directory
+cd obj/$SICS_VERSION
diff --git a/dummy/cd_obj b/dummy/cd_obj
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..94cfc954
--- /dev/null
+++ b/dummy/cd_obj
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+cd ../obj/$SICS_VERSION/dummy
diff --git a/dummy/make_gen b/dummy/make_gen
index 9d68b3ed..f3874952 100644
--- a/dummy/make_gen
+++ b/dummy/make_gen
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@
 .SUFFIXES: .c .o .f
 
 VPATH=$(SRC)
+ROOT=..
 
 OBJ=dummy.o
 
diff --git a/linux_def b/linux_def
index bcaf6b79..289d5b41 100644
--- a/linux_def
+++ b/linux_def
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
 # Mark Koennecke, July 2003
 #-------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
-#DFORTIFY= -DFORTIFY
+#DFORTIFY= -DFORTIFY -I$(ROOT)/$(SRC)
 #FORTIFYOBJ= fortify.o strdup.o
 
 MFLAGS=-f $(SRC)makefile_linux$(DUMMY) SRC=$(SRC)
diff --git a/make_forward b/make_forward
index 88d5ac21..fe05f8af 100644
--- a/make_forward
+++ b/make_forward
@@ -7,8 +7,10 @@ VERS_UNDEFINED=
 VERS_UNDEFINED$(SICS_VERSION)=version_undefined
 
 SICS_ROOT=$(PWD)/$(S_UP)
-MD=cd $(SICS_ROOT)/obj/$(SICS_VERSION)/$(S_DOWN); \
+OBJROOT=$(SICS_ROOT)/obj/$(SICS_VERSION)
+MD=cd $(OBJROOT)/$(S_DOWN); \
   make -f $(SRC)makefile_$(SICS_VERSION) SRC=$(SRC)
+TREE=$(OBJROOT)/tree
 
 # overwrite MD when SICS_VERSION undefined
 MD$(SICS_VERSION)=@ true
@@ -17,25 +19,34 @@ SRC=src/
 
 .SUFFIXES: .none
 
-default: $(VERS_UNDEFINED)
+default: $(VERS_UNDEFINED) $(TREE)
 	$(MD)
 
-%.o: $(VERS_UNDEFINED)
+%.o: $(VERS_UNDEFINED) $(TREE)
 	$(MD) $@
 
-%: $(VERS_UNDEFINED)
+%: $(VERS_UNDEFINED) $(TREE)
 	$(MD) $@
 
-.DEFAULT: $(VERS_UNDEFINED)
+.DEFAULT: $(VERS_UNDEFINED) $(TREE)
 	$(MD) $@
 
-tree:
+makefile:
+	@ echo makefile
+
+tree: $(TREE)
+	@ true
+
+$(TREE):
+	@ echo --- Make object tree ---
 	@ $(SICS_ROOT)/maketree .
 	@ $(SICS_ROOT)/maketree matrix
 	@ $(SICS_ROOT)/maketree dummy
 	@ $(SICS_ROOT)/maketree psi
 	@ $(SICS_ROOT)/maketree psi/hardsup
 	@ $(SICS_ROOT)/maketree psi/tecs
+	touch $(TREE)
+	@ echo --- End object tree ---
 
 cleanall:
 	$(MD:makfil=makefile_alpha) clean
@@ -56,13 +67,15 @@ version_undefined:
 	@ echo "Creating objects and targets in separate subdirectories"
 	@ echo ""
 	@ echo "    setenv SICS_VERSION version_xxx     (assume we are using tcsh)"
-	@ echo "    make tree                           (make the object directories)"
 	@ echo "    make [target]"
 	@ echo ""
 	@ echo "  where version_xxx is one of"
 	@ echo ""
 	@ ls -1 makefile_* | cut -b 10-99 | pr -t -o 4
 	@ echo ""
-	@ echo "  Tip: define the environment variables at login"
+	@ echo "  Remarks:"
+	@ echo "    All objects for alpha version will be created in subdirectory obj/alpha/,"
+	@ echo "    SICServer is also found there."
+	@ echo "    Tip: define SICS_VERSION at login"
 	@ echo ""
 
diff --git a/make_gen b/make_gen
index bf0a6fdf..86ba7ae1 100644
--- a/make_gen
+++ b/make_gen
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@
 #---------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
 VPATH=$(SRC)
+ROOT=.
 
 COBJ = Sclient.o network.o ifile.o   intcli.o $(FORTIFYOBJ)  
 SOBJ =  network.o ifile.o conman.o SCinter.o splitter.o passwd.o \
diff --git a/make_gen_dummy b/make_gen_dummy
index a0fd16b4..f8dfaf2e 100644
--- a/make_gen_dummy
+++ b/make_gen_dummy
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@
 #---------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
 VPATH=$(SRC)
+ROOT=.
 
 COBJ = Sclient.o network.o ifile.o   intcli.o $(FORTIFYOBJ)  
 SOBJ =  network.o ifile.o conman.o SCinter.o splitter.o passwd.o \
diff --git a/maketree b/maketree
index 7965767f..3f5f640e 100755
--- a/maketree
+++ b/maketree
@@ -9,7 +9,10 @@ if ("$SICS_VERSION" == "") then
 
 else
 
-  set SICS_ROOT=${0:h}
+  if (${0:h} != $0) then
+    cd ${0:h}
+  endif
+  set SICS_ROOT=$PWD
 
 # determine object directory
   set o="$SICS_ROOT/obj/$SICS_VERSION/$1"
@@ -27,6 +30,8 @@ else
     rm -f $o/src
     echo ln -s $SICS_ROOT/$1 $o/src
     ln -s $SICS_ROOT/$1 $o/src
+    rm -f $o/cd_obj
+    echo "cd $SICS_ROOT/$1" > $o/cd_obj
   endif
 endif
 
diff --git a/matrix/cd_obj b/matrix/cd_obj
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..45d42353
--- /dev/null
+++ b/matrix/cd_obj
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+cd ../obj/$SICS_VERSION/matrix
diff --git a/matrix/make_gen b/matrix/make_gen
index d7449dcf..ae2db2ac 100644
--- a/matrix/make_gen
+++ b/matrix/make_gen
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@
 #--------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
 VPATH=$(SRC)
+ROOT=..
 
 OBJ=   matadd.o matcreat.o matdet.o matdump.o matdurbn.o materr.o \
        matinv.o matmul.o matsolve.o matsub.o matsubx.o mattoepz.o \