Ralf Hemmecke <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes: | > Based on the feedback I got, I implemented the Autoconf-based | > configuration stuff as a pamphlet file (see below). | | I think, Bill's suggestion is the right one. We have a pure ./configure | file that is distributed with the Axiom sources and a configure.ac.pamphlet.
from the outset, the project aimed at shipping ./configure. However, that file must be generated from somewhere. For Autoconf, that must be something like configure.ac. The debate was whether configure.ac is sufficient by itself as literate or whether it must come from a pamphlet file. My opinion is that it is sufficient. Others disagree. So, I implemented the solution others suggested -- even though I disagree with it. | We have two ways to compile Axiom: | | 1) For ordinary users who want to download and compile and run axiom | | > ./configure | > make | > make install | axiom | | should be enough. | | 2) For developers who want to compile Axiom change it and test their | stuff. (Same commands as above.) | | 3) For developers who want to work on the build process and need to | change configure.ac.pamphlet. Here | | ./configure | make configure That is too circular and too complicated. It is a good recipe for subtle bugs. We don't want to be too clever at that level. | autoconf configure.ac > configure | ./configure | make | make install Currently, here is the sequence I propose -- and I'm using right now (1) modify configure.ac.pamphlet (2) run ./build-setup.sh -- you don't need to know what -- it does, except it does the -- right thing for you (3) ./configure && make && make install | | should do the compilation. The first configure (that comes with Axiom) | checks for noweb and generates a simple Makefile that enables a | "make configure". "make configure" could then call notangle to | generate configure.ac (It could even include "autoconf configure.ac > | configure".) Would that be a bad bootstrapping? | | Gaby, it is only you who must run | | notangle configure.ac.pamphlet > configure.ac | autoconf configure.ac > configure I do expect other developers making changes to configure.ac.pamphlet (and later to any Makefile.am.pamphlet) to run equivalent commands. Fortunately, that is all taken care of by build-setup.sh. :-) build-setup.sh is not an end-user stuff. It is only for maintainers of the build machinery. End users just follow the scenario at 1) Mainitainers are required to have noweb installed -- so I proceeded to install noweb myself. Bill suggested we don't keep configure.ac. I fear we must kepp it -- for the purpose of preventing the build machinery maintainers from introducing subtle bugs. Components of Autotools have dependency on such files in several circumstances. -- Gaby _______________________________________________ Axiom-developer mailing list Axiom-developer@nongnu.org http://lists.nongnu.org/mailman/listinfo/axiom-developer