[lug] OT: Makefile oddity

[D. Stimits]

Ed Hill wrote:
> 
> On Fri, 2002-04-19 at 13:03, D. Stimits wrote:
> > Tom Tromey wrote:
> > >
> > > Let me throw in a good word for autoconf here.  Autoconf isn't as hard
> > > to learn as you've all heard.  The `autoscan' tool can help a lot.
> > > There is a lot of documentation on Autoconf available on the web,
> > > including a few tutorials, the reference manual, and of course the
> > > autobook.
> 
> +1!
> 
> If you already understand make and sh, then automake/autoconf is fairly
> easy to get working.  And there are *so* many great examples out there
> (think of all the packages that are built with the autotools).
> 
> > Due to symbolic links and a number of other reasons, the code is too
> > much of a mess to even think about it. The fact is that I don't own this
> > code, and aside from a near guaranteed failure due to current state
> > (which this arrangement will drastically improve), there is a zero
> > chance of autoconf or m4 or any other tools aside from make being
> > accepted.
> 
> Don't be too hasty to dismiss them!  Have you actually tried them?

Since I don't own the code, it is irrelevant, going straight to autoconf
would be outright rejected. First it must be simplified just to prove
there are better ways. And to get it in cvs.

D. Stimits, stimits at idcomm.com

> 
> While its easier to rely on the common "pre-made" automake/autocongf m4
> macros for simple builds, you can put arbitrary complex shell scripts
> within your configure.in and thus do all sorts of gyrations including
> the handling of complicated soft-links.  Autoconf/automake have ALL the
> functionality of hand-written makefiles and a lot more.
> 
> As a bonus, there are a number of folks on this list with experience
> that you can ask for help.  I hear Tom has used them a bit...  ;-)
> 
> Ed
> 
> --
> Edward H. Hill III, PhD
> Post-Doctoral Researcher   |  Email:       ed at eh3.com, ehill at mines.edu
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