Qmake: how to create dependencies without TEMPLATE = subdirs

TL; DR: Is there a way to create a target from a .pro file in another project without using TEMPLATE = subdirs?

Long version:

I have a complex project ( mycomplexproject

) with a lot of sub-files and * .pro files. One module ( moduleA

) depends on a DLL built in another project outside of that project ( anotherproject

). Since I cant create a * .pro file with subdirs template in somerootdir

. Is there a way to add a dependency in moduleA.pro

, so it anotherproject

gets created on build moduleA

and anotherproject.dll

doesn't exist without having to create a * .pro file in somerootdir

?

somerootdir /
    anotherproject / // must be independent of mycomplexproject
        anotherproject.pro
        lib /
            anotherproject.dll // the result of building anotherproject
    [...]      
    mycomplexproject /
        core /
            core.pro
        modules /
            moduleA /
                moduleA.pro // depends on anotherproject.dll built from anotherproject.pro
            moduleB /
                moduleB.pro     
            modules.pro // uses subdir template
        mycomplexproject.pro // uses subdir template

PS: moduleA

only created under certain circumstances, and building anotherproject

is only needed when building moduleA

.