bug#37499: Wrong location of deps directory when using AC_SUBST

[Hans-Bernhard Bröker]

Am 24.11.2020 um 21:09 schrieb Fabrizio Bertocci:
> Karl,
> It took me a while to remember what this issue was about... but I 
> managed to get to my old reproducer.
>
> Ok, let me do one step back. The root problem is how do I ensure that 
> paths passed through ./configure command line are valid when building 
> source code under 'src' (for example).
>
> Look at the two attached .tar.gz. and un-tar the one called 
> 'autotool-bug-rel.tar.gz'.
> In this project I have:
> /proj             <- Here is where is the configure script
> /proj/src       <- Here is the source code
> /lib               <- This is another location of some lib I want to be 
> able to define through ./configure
>
> Enter the `proj/src` and generate the configure script (./bootstrap.sh 
> or just use autoreconf).

How is that possible, given the configure script is supposed to be in 
'proj', not 'proj/src'?

> Launch it with:
> ./configure --with-mylib=../lib

Similar problem here.  If you are where you say, in proj/src, that would 
have to be ../../lib.

So let's assume you meant to say that CWD is 'proj'.

Well, I don't think it was ever meant to be possible that sources lie 
outside the subtree configure itself is in.

IOW, $(top_srcdir) is, by definition, the location of the ./configure 
script, and it actually has to be what it says in the name: the _top_ 
source directory for stuff built by that configure and its resulting 
Makefile.

The source tree should thus be

proj         configury here
proj/src     sources here
proj/lib     other sources here

This may actually be related to my ancient bug entry #20699.