backward compatability of tools

[Dr. David Kirkby]

Hi,
        I've found in the past bugs in software are often found on one
platform that don't seem to get noticed on another. For this reason I
just tried to build gcc-2.0 on an old Sun SPARCstation 20 running
SunOs 4.1.4 (ie hardware/software about 10 years old) to test some
software. 

gcc-2.0 needed bison, so I built bison-1.25 (1996 era) first, using
Sun's C compiler. That used a 'configure' script and was quick, fast
and built without any hassle. 

Then I tried gcc-2.0 again. While the configure script was less
intelligent than those built with newer versions of autoconf (i.e.
needed to specify the host), it worked with no hassle. 

However, trying to run configure scripts built with autoconf today on
this older software results in failure. The first thing one notices is
that there is a long delay (a minute or so) before a single line of
output appears from a relatively small configure script. This is not
just due to the age of the computer. Then there are a list of tmp
files it can't find. Finally the configure script says gcc can't
create executables (it did incidentally say the same about Sun's C
compiler, despite the fact I used Sun's compiler to build gcc-2.0).

Given I thought the aim of autoconf/automake was to allow easy
configuration of software, does one not think supporting older
hardware useful? I'd certainly like to be able to configure my
software so it runs on new and old hardware, if that is possible. 

One thing that is clear is that version 2.0 of gcc will not accept the
--version option, but does accept -v to print the version number:

crow# /usr/local/bin/gcc -v
Reading specs from /usr/local/lib/gcc/sun4/2.0/specs
gcc version 2.0

This seems to throw the configure script. I note that the newer
gcc-3.2 I normally use on my newer Sun does take the -v option, but
gives a bit different information to the --version one. However both
methods print the version number. 

Anyway, here is the output from 'configure'. Below that is the
config.log and finally at the end is the configure.in. A row of
******'s sepparates the 3 sets of information. 

Do others think I'm totally mad and we should just ignore older
software/hardware? 



crow# configure CC=/usr/local/bin/gcc
configure: /tmp/sh54215: No such file or directory
configure: /tmp/sh54216: No such file or directory
configure: /tmp/sh54217: No such file or directory
configure: /tmp/sh54218: No such file or directory
configure: /tmp/sh54219: No such file or directory
configure: /tmp/sh542110: No such file or directory
configure: /tmp/sh542111: No such file or directory
configure: /tmp/sh542112: No such file or directory
configure: loading cache /dev/null
checking for a BSD-compatible install... /bin/install -c
checking whether build environment is sane... yes
configure: /tmp/sh542113: No such file or directory
sed: conftest.sed: No such file or directory
rm: conftest.sed: No such file or directory
checking for gawk... no
checking for mawk... no
checking for nawk... nawk
checking whether make sets ${MAKE}... configure: /tmp/sh542114: No
such file or directory
no
checking for gcc... /usr/local/bin/gcc
configure: /tmp/sh542115: No such file or directory
checking for C compiler default output... configure: error: C compiler
cannot create executables

*************************************************************
The config.log is shown below. 


crow# more config.log
PATH: /bin
PATH: /usr/bin
PATH: /usr/ucb
PATH: /etc
PATH: /usr/etc
PATH: .
configure:1138: loading cache /dev/null
configure:1271: checking for a BSD-compatible install
configure:1325: result: /bin/install -c
configure:1336: checking whether build environment is sane
configure:1379: result: yes
configure:1412: checking for gawk
configure:1441: result: no
configure:1412: checking for mawk
configure:1441: result: no
configure:1412: checking for nawk
configure:1428: found /bin/nawk
configure:1438: result: nawk
configure:1448: checking whether make sets ${MAKE}
configure:1472: result: no
configure:1651: checking for gcc
configure:1677: result: /usr/local/bin/gcc
configure:1921: checking for C compiler version
configure:1924: /usr/local/bin/gcc --version </dev/null >&5
/usr/local/bin/gcc: unrecognized option `--version'
/usr/local/bin/gcc: No input files specified.
configure:1927: $? = 1
configure:1929: /usr/local/bin/gcc -v </dev/null >&5
Reading specs from /usr/local/lib/gcc/sun4/2.0/specs
gcc version 2.0
configure:1932: $? = 0
configure:1934: /usr/local/bin/gcc -V </dev/null >&5
/usr/local/bin/gcc: argument to `-V' is missing
configure:1937: $? = 1
configure:1963: checking for C compiler default output
configure:1966: /usr/local/bin/gcc    conftest.c  >&5
ld: Undefined symbol 
   _main 
configure:1969: $? = 1
configure: failed program was:
configure:1996: error: C compiler cannot create executables

## ---------------- ##
## Cache variables. ##
## ---------------- ##

ac_cv_env_CC_set='set'
ac_cv_env_CC_value='/usr/local/bin/gcc'
ac_cv_env_CFLAGS_set=''
ac_cv_env_CFLAGS_value=''
ac_cv_env_CPPFLAGS_set=''
ac_cv_env_CPPFLAGS_value=''
ac_cv_env_CPP_set=''
ac_cv_env_CPP_value=''
ac_cv_env_CXXCPP_set=''
ac_cv_env_CXXCPP_value=''
ac_cv_env_CXXFLAGS_set=''
ac_cv_env_CXXFLAGS_value=''
ac_cv_env_CXX_set=''
ac_cv_env_CXX_value=''
ac_cv_env_LDFLAGS_set=''
ac_cv_env_LDFLAGS_value=''
ac_cv_env_build_alias_set=''
ac_cv_env_build_alias_value=''
ac_cv_env_host_alias_set=''
ac_cv_env_host_alias_value=''
ac_cv_env_target_alias_set=''
ac_cv_env_target_alias_value=''
ac_cv_path_install='/bin/install -c'
ac_cv_prog_AWK='nawk'
ac_cv_prog_ac_ct_CC='/usr/local/bin/gcc'
ac_cv_prog_make_make_set='no'

## ----------- ##
## confdefs.h. ##
## ----------- ##


configure: exit 77



***********************************************************
more configure.in
dnl Process this file with autoconf to produce a configure script.

dnl Order of itmes is suggested in the autoconf documentation to be
that
dnl below, to be as below. Let's try to stick to it.

dnl AC_INIT(file)
dnl checks for programs
dnl checks for libraries
dnl checks for header files
dnl checks for typedefs
dnl checks for structures
dnl checks for compiler characteristics
dnl checks for library functions
dnl checks for system services
dnl AC_OUTPUT([file...])

AC_INIT(atlc, 5.0.0, address@hidden)
AM_INIT_AUTOMAKE(atlc, 5.0.0, address@hidden)

dnl Checks for programs.
AC_PROG_CC
AC_PROG_CXX
AC_PROG_CXXCPP
AC_PROG_RANLIB
AC_ISC_POSIX

dnl AC_OUTPUT_COMMANDS([exit])

dnl Checks for libraries.
AC_CHECK_LIB(m,main)
AC_CHECK_LIB(c,memalign, AC_DEFINE(HAVE_MEMALIGN))

dnl check for optimised math library on SPARC
dnl AC_CHECK_LIB(mopt,main)
dnl check for the optimised
dnl AC_CHECK_LIB(copt,main)


gsl_libgsl=1
gsl_libcblas=1
AC_CHECK_LIB(gslcblas,cblas_scasum,,gsl_libcblas=0)
AC_CHECK_LIB(gsl,main,,gsl_libgsl=0)


dnl Checks for header files.

dnl AC_STDC_HEADERS
AC_HAVE_HEADERS(stdio.h math.h errno.h stdlib.h string.h thread.h
pthread.h pthreads.h mpi.h)
gsl_ellint=1
gsl_bessel=1
AC_HAVE_HEADERS(gsl/gsl_sf_ellint.h,,gsl_ellint=0)
AC_HAVE_HEADERS(gsl/gsl_sf_bessel.h,,gsl_bessel=0)

dnl checks for typedefs (none need to be tested)

dnl checks for structures (none need to be tested)

dnl checks for compiler characteristics
AC_C_BIGENDIAN
AC_CHECK_SIZEOF(int)
AC_CHECK_SIZEOF(long)
AC_CHECK_SIZEOF(size_t)


dnl checks for system services

dnl Check if the user wants a GUI. If so makes sure GTK and wxWindows
are around.
dnl The macro is in the file gtk.m4, so it must be read it here. 
sinclude(gtk.m4)
AC_ARG_WITH(gui, AC_HELP_STRING([--with-gui=[no]],[Add a GUI (needs
GTK >= 1.2.7 installed) but the GUI does not work!! ]))
if test "x$with_gui" = "xyes"; then
        AC_PATH_GTK(1.2.7, GTK127=1)
        if test "$GTK127" != 1; then
            AC_MSG_ERROR([
                Please check that gtk-config is in path, the directory
                where GTK+ libraries are installed (returned by
                'gtk-config --libs' command) is in LD_LIBRARY_PATH or
                equivalent variable and GTK+ is version 1.2.7 or
above.
            ])
        fi
        AC_CHECK_PROG(WXWINDOWS,wx-config, 1, 0)   
        if test "$WXWINDOWS" != 1; then
            AC_MSG_ERROR([
               wxWindows must be installed to use the GUI version of atlc
        ])
        fi
        AC_SUBST(EXTRA_WXWINDOWS_LIBS,`wx-config --libs`)
        AC_SUBST(EXTRA_WXWINDOWS_CFLAGS,`wx-config --cflags`)
        AC_SUBST(GUI_DIRECTORY,gui)
fi

dnl Multi-Processor Support
AC_ARG_WITH(threads, AC_HELP_STRING([--with-threads=[no]],[support
multiple processors (needs pthreads or similar installed)]))
if test "x$with_threads" = "xyes"; then
AC_DEFINE(ENABLE_MP)
AC_DEFINE(_REENTRANT)
AC_DEFINE(_THREAD_SAFE)
AC_CHECK_LIB(thread,  pthread_create)
AC_CHECK_LIB(pthread,  pthread_create)
dnl thr_setconcurrency is only needed on Solaris as far as I know. 
AC_CHECK_LIB(thread, thr_setconcurrency,
[AC_DEFINE(HAVE_THR_SETCONCURRENCY)])
fi

dnl MPI and MPE Support
AC_ARG_WITH(mpi,
AC_HELP_STRING([--with-mpi=[mpi_install_prefix]],[support MPI-based
parallel computation (needs MPICH installed)]))
AC_ARG_WITH(mpe,
AC_HELP_STRING([--with-mpe=[mpi_install_prefix]],[implies --with-mpi
and additionally links in MPE logging support]))

if test "x$with_mpi" != "x" \
|| test "x$with_mpe" != "x"; then

  if test "x$with_mp" = "xyes"; then
    AC_MSG_ERROR([it does not make sense to use --with-mp with
--with-mpi or --with-mpe])
  fi  


  AC_DEFINE(ENABLE_MPI)
  AC_CHECK_LIB(socket, getsockopt)
  AC_CHECK_LIB(nsl, xdr_void)
  AC_CHECK_LIB(rt, sched_yield)
  if test "x$with_mpe" != "x"; then 
    if test "x$with_mpe" = "xyes"; then
        path_to_mpe=/usr/local
    else
        path_to_mpe=$with_mpe
    fi  
    CFLAGS="$CFLAGS -I$path_to_mpe/include -L$path_to_mpe/lib"
    AC_CHECK_LIB(pmpich,  MPI_Init , , [AC_MSG_ERROR([Could not link
test program with libpmpich.a])])
    AC_CHECK_LIB(mpe,  MPE_Init_log , , [AC_MSG_ERROR([Could not link
test program with libmpe.a])])
    AC_CHECK_LIB(lmpe,  MPE_Init_log , ,[AC_MSG_ERROR([Could not link
test program with liblmpe.a])] , -lmpe)
  else
    if test "x$with_mpi" = "xyes"; then
        path_to_mpi=/usr/local
    else
        path_to_mpi=$with_mpi
    fi  
    CFLAGS="$CFLAGS -I$path_to_mpi/include -L$path_to_mpi/lib"
    AC_CHECK_LIB(mpich,  MPI_Init, , [AC_MSG_ERROR([Could not link
test program with libmpich.a])])
  fi
fi

dnl Check for a functioning gsl installation. 

if test $gsl_ellint = 1 && test $gsl_bessel = 1 && test $gsl_libcblas
= 1 && test $gsl_libgsl = 1; then
  AC_DEFINE(HAVE_GSL)
elif test $gsl_ellint = 0 || test $gsl_bessel = 0 || test
$gsl_libcblas = 0 || test $gsl_libgsl = 0; then
  AC_MSG_WARN([To get full functionality you should install the GNU 
  scientific library (gsl) available at http://sources.redhat.com/gsl.
Without
  gsl it will be impossible to evaluate the theoretical impedance of a
coupler
  using \"design_coupler\" or of a stripline using 
  \"usage_create_bmp_for_symmetrical_stripline\". Some self tests will
fail too.  However, much of the atlc package will work without gsl.])
else                 
dnl some libraries/headers exist, but not all of them. 
  AC_MSG_WARN([Some of the gsl headers and libraries were found, but
  others were not. Since the installation appears to be broken, the
use of
  gsl will be disabled. Without gsl, it will be impossible to evaluate
the 
  theoretical impedance of a coupler using \"design_coupler\" or of a
stripline
  using \"usage_create_bmp_for_symmetrical_stripline\". Some self
tests will 
  fail too. However, much of the atlc package will work without gsl.])
fi

AC_OUTPUT([\
Makefile                                        \
src/Makefile                                    \
src/non_gui/Makefile                            \
src/gui/Makefile                                \
man/Makefile                                    \
man/man1/Makefile                               \
examples/Makefile                               \
tools/Makefile                                  \
tools/src/Makefile                              \
tests/Makefile                                  \
docs/html-docs/Makefile                         \
docs/html-docs/jpgs/Makefile                    \
docs/qex-december-1996/Makefile                 \
docs/theory/Makefile                            \
docs/Makefile                                   ])

-- 
Dr. David Kirkby,
Senior Research Fellow,
Department of Medical Physics,
University College London,
11-20 Capper St, London, WC1E 6JA.
Tel: 020 7679 6408 Fax: 020 7679 6269
Internal telephone: ext 46408
e-mail address@hidden