Re: minor error and a question

[Stefano Lattarini]

Hi Joakim, thanks for the report.

On Wednesday 30 November 2011, Joakim Tjernlund wrote:
> 
> Noticed this in my automake(1.10.3) generated Makefile:
>
> install-binPROGRAMS: $(bin_PROGRAMS)
>       @$(NORMAL_INSTALL)
>       test -z "$(bindir)" || $(MKDIR_P) "$(DESTDIR)$(bindir)"
> 
> Should not that be: test -z "$(DESTDIR)$(bindir)" || $(MKDIR_P) 
> "$(DESTDIR)$(bindir)" ?
>
No, the automake-generated rule is correct.  The `test -z "$(bindir)"' test
is meant to ensure that stuff destind to $(bindir) is not installed if 
$(bindir) expands to the empty string.  This should not depend on wheteher
we are doing a "normal" install or a "DESTDIR" install.

> Question: "make install" always install all targets, even if some of
> then haven't been rebuilt since last install. Is it possible to have
> some dependency sensitive install so only rebuilt targets are reinstalled?
>
Currently, it is not possible; and honestly it is very unlikely that such a
a feature is going to ever be implemented, as its usefulness seems very small
at best, and automake already have various pending bug reports and important
feature requests that should be tackled first.

Regards,
  Stefano