Re: [PATCH] docs: more details about make VPATH rewriting woes

[Stefano Lattarini]

Hi Ralf.

On Wednesday 14 September 2011, Ralf Wildenhues wrote:
> Hi Stefano,
> 
> * Stefano Lattarini wrote on Tue, Sep 13, 2011 at 03:15:04PM CEST:
> > * doc/autoconf.texi (Automatic Rule Rewriting): Solaris make
> > VPATH rewriting might apply also to shell variables, functions
> > and keywords (and automake has already tripped on this once);
> > document this, with an example.  Since we are at it, do some
> > minor reformatting of existing text.
> 
> It applies to any word that is surrounded by whitespace (or beginning or
> end of command line), regardless of shell syntax.  Please don't
> formulate it like Solaris make would understand shell syntax when
> rewriting rules, IMHO that's confusing and makes it harder to understand
> the issue.
>
You're right, my previous formulation was somewhat confusing in this
regard.  What about the squash-in below?

Thanks,
  Stefano

diff --git a/ChangeLog b/ChangeLog
index 0439db0..01df9ad 100644
--- a/ChangeLog
+++ b/ChangeLog
@@ -1,8 +1,9 @@
-2011-09-13  Stefano Lattarini  <stefano.lattar...@gmail.com>
+2011-09-14  Stefano Lattarini  <stefano.lattar...@gmail.com>
 
        docs: more details about make VPATH rewriting woes
        * doc/autoconf.texi (Automatic Rule Rewriting): Solaris make
-       VPATH rewriting might apply also to shell variables, functions
+       VPATH rewriting applies to any whitespace-separated word in a
+       rule, so it might apply also to shell variables, functions
        and keywords (and automake has already tripped on this once);
        document this, with an example.  Since we are at it, do some
        minor reformatting of existing text.
diff --git a/doc/autoconf.texi b/doc/autoconf.texi
index 17b4e01..48c0ed5 100644
--- a/doc/autoconf.texi
+++ b/doc/autoconf.texi
@@ -20256,8 +20256,10 @@ However, this rule leads to real problems in practice. 
 For example, if
 the source directory contains an ordinary file named @file{test} that is
 used in a dependency, Solaris @command{make} rewrites commands like
 @samp{if test -r foo; @dots{}} to @samp{if ../pkg/src/test -r foo;
-@dots{}}, which is typically undesirable.  The same might happen also
-to shell functions, variables and keywords.
+@dots{}}, which is typically undesirable.  In fact, @command{make} is
+completely unaware of shell syntax used in the rules, so the VPATH
+rewrite can potentially apply to @emph{any} whitespace-separated word
+in a rule -- including shell variables, functions, and keywords.
 
 @example
 $ @kbd{mkdir build}