Automake - distcheck fails on install-data-local

[Asaf Dalet]

Hi
I am trying to do a conditional sysconf_DATA, meaning, I want to install my
conf file into $(sysconfdir) only if it is not already installed.

i tried to use install-data-local and it seems to work on a real
installation, but 'make distcheck' fails.

I run the test like this:
> autoreconf --install
> ./configure
> make distcheck

this is my Makefile.am:

SUBDIRS = common
EXTRA_DIST = README conf

install-data-local:
        @if test -f "$(sysconfdir)/settings.conf"; then \
          echo settings.conf already exists at $(sysconfdir). not overriding.; \
        else \
          mkdir -p $(sysconfdir); \
          cp $(srcdir)/conf/settings.conf $(sysconfdir)/settings.conf; \
        fi
        echo "conf_dir=$(sysconfdir)" >> "$(sysconfdir)/settings.conf";


uninstall-local:
        rm -rf $(sysconfdir)
        rm -rf $(docdir)

the error I get is:
make[3]: Nothing to be done for 'install-exec-am'.
echo "conf_dir=/me/foo/_inst/etc/foo" >>
"/me/foo/_inst/etc/foo/_inst/etc/foo/settings.conf";
/bin/sh: /me/foo/_inst/etc/foo/_inst/etc/foo/settings.conf: Permission denied
Makefile:810: recipe for target 'install-data-local' failed


for some reason the file has no write permissions.

Now, if i add chmod after the copying of the file, like this:

install-data-local:
        @if test -f "$(sysconfdir)/settings.conf"; then \
          echo settings.conf already exists at $(sysconfdir). not overriding.; \
        else \
          mkdir -p $(sysconfdir); \
          cp $(srcdir)/conf/settings.conf $(sysconfdir)/settings.conf; \
*         chmod u+w $(sysconfdir)/settings.conf; \*
        fi
        echo "conf_dir=$(sysconfdir)" >> "$(sysconfdir)/settings.conf";


I get this:
make[3]: Nothing to be done for 'install-exec-am'.
mkdir: /me/foo/_inst/etc/foo: Permission denied
cp: /me/foo/_inst/etc/foo/settings.conf: No such file or directory
chmod: /me/foo/_inst/etc/foo/settings.conf: No such file or directory
Makefile:810: recipe for target 'install-data-local' failed

what's going on...?

Thanks,
Asaf