Re: Autoconf on new platforms

[Dan Kalowsky]

On Thu, 17 Jul 2003, Paul Eggert wrote:

> > - there is no native shell environment yet, so everything needs to use
> >   cross build tools.  Besides setting the CC flag, is there some way to
> >   automate this?
>
> Setting CC etc. is the usual way.

Alright, well it looks like that is the best way to accomplish this.

> > - Under config.sub, what options will need to be added?  My current belief
> >   is that adding an entry to the "First accept basic system types" list of
> >   -eros* is enough.
>
> config.sub is supposed to be self-explanatory *cough*.

There is nothing to suggest that it isn't self-explanatory, and that I
might just be at fault here.

>
> When you have a patch you like, please send it to <address@hidden>.

This was the plan all along.  Best way to have someone else review it, and
ensure I don't have to maintain it :)

> > - Is it possible to disable many of the compile tests?  Due to the nature
> >   of the EROS system, many of these checks will fail unless specifically
> >   given/granted a capability by the user.
>
> I don't know what a "capability" is here, but the basic idea of "configure"
> is that you're supposed to be querying the compiler by running the compiler.
> If that doesn't match what you're doing, then perhaps you're using the
> wrong tool (or the wrong approach).

The capability idea being that no application can perform a task without
specifically being granted that capability, as defined within a series of
maps (we call it a volmap).  For GCC (slightly hacked) to build a binary
and execute it (as per many of the resulting autoconf tests do) will
require a user to specifically grant an end configure script a write and
execute capability.

The question becomes is there a way to add the option to search for the
capability map within autoconf's configure creation process?  I.E. for
each compile test, have it specifically look for (and use) a volmap for
EROS systems only (can be required to be in same directory).


>---------------------------------------------------------------<
Dan Kalowsky                    "I thought you died alone,
http://www.deadmime.org/~dank    a long long time ago."
address@hidden   - "The Man Who Sold the World"
address@hidden                  David Bowie