Re: Two problems for autoconf(1.NEC SX 2.Cray)

[Jeroen van den Muyzenberg]

On Fri, 22 Feb 2002, Paul Eggert wrote:

> > From: Jeroen van den Muyzenberg <address@hidden>
> > Date: Fri, 22 Feb 2002 20:18:54 +1100 (EST)
>
> > > In this case it appears to me that configure is doing the right thing.
> > > If -g changes the semantics of the compiler, then a default build should
> > > not use -g.
> >
> > The use of -g to a compiler is often the only "first clue" to porting an
> > app to a "non-standard" architecture. If possible it shouldn't be thwarted
> > at the autoconf stage.
>
> We are only talking about the default heuristic here.  You can
> override the heuristic by setting CFLAGS in the environment.
>
> I don't see why the default heuristic is incorrect here.  As far as I
> can tell, the generated code runs correctly, and (presumably) is
> optimized more than it would be without -g.  That's a reasonable
> default.  The default heuristic can't be perfect, and it doesn't have
> to be perfect; it only has to be reasonable.

Agreed, though the "default heuristic" is geared towards common systems.

>
> > Seems to me that there has been a great deal of effort into dealing with
> > "brain-damaged" compilers. Why stop now?
>
> Because the code is working now.  In the case of the other compilers I
> mentioned, the resulting code didn't work.

Well, some of us are willing to put in the effort. Are we going to be
rejected simply because the "code is working as of now".
>
> > > > there is no environment variable specification allowed for sed.
> > >
> > > Yes there is: you can set PATH so that the 'sed' you want is first in
> > > the path.
> >
> > This suggestion is not viable, changing PATH will also remove references
> > to too many other utilities.
>
> You can create a directory that has only 'sed' in it, and prepend that
> to your PATH.  That won't change any other utility.
>
> A better fix in this case is to fix your package's aclocal.m4 or
> whatever so that it uses only portable sed commands.  But if you can't
> do that for some reason, you can work around the glitch by setting
> PATH.

Also agreed. Though it does take the meaning out of "auto".

Cheers,
Jeroen
Jeroen van den Muyzenberg
CSIRO Mathematical and Information Sciences
CSIRO/Bureau of Meteorology -
High Performance Computing and Communications Centre
Ph: +61 3 9669 8111 Fax: +61 3 9669 8112
address@hidden