Re: aclocal question (AM_ICONV)

[Duncan Gibson]

address@hidden said:
> BTW -- the reasons for all these messages is that I'm trying to
> convert our (working) configure based project to use automake and
> libtool.  Does everyone find this a steep learning curve? ;) 

I've been using plain Makefiles for a long time, and I'm a great
believer in the KISS principle (Keep It Simple, Stupid!). A year
ago I struggled to convert a single directory project to a minimal
autoconf and automake configuration. This year I'm having to re-read
all of the manualsand the "Gnu Autoconf, Automake and Libtool" book
before I start on setting up a multi-directory project.

The problem is that there is no obvious starting point when you
convert to these tools, and this isn't helped by the "reference"
type documentation. Sure, you can set up autoconf to use plain
Makefiles and libraries, but then you have to revisit everything
if you want to use automake instead, supplying AM or AC macros
that you don't yet know about or understand. The same applies when
you switch to using libtool, except now you have to update both
the autoconf setup files and the automake setup files.

As an end user of many packages, I'm impressed by the ease of
installation. As a newbie to using autoconf, automake and libtool
I'm rather dubious as to whether I will ever manage to set up the
developer's end of the configuration to achieve that end user
satisfaction.

Cheers
Duncan