Re: configure bug in make-3.79.1

[Paul D. Smith]

%% address@hidden (Jimi X) writes:

  >>>>>> "PDS" == Paul D Smith <address@hidden> writes:

  PDS> Thanks; this has been fixed in the sources for a while.

  jx> Sorry 'bout that.. is that on sourceware?

No.  GNU tools are available via CVS on the FSF's subversions server.
Start here:

  http://www.gnu.org/software/devel.html

  PDS> There are certain tests that configure must run which won't work
  PDS> in a cross-compiled environment, because they require actually
  PDS> invoking the resulting program and seeing its output.  Obviously
  PDS> you can't invoke a cross-compiled program on the host system.

  jx> Agreed, but aborting seems a little extreme, no?

This is how autoconf works.  There's little that can be done about it
from make's perspective.  All cross-compile handling like this is done
by the autoconf tool.

  jx> Besides, configure could be a little smarter, as an example..

  jx> configure:3899: checking whether setvbuf arguments are reversed

  jx> I can understand that with a K&R Compiler you would have to execute,
  jx> but if the compiler in ANSI then execution is not necessary to test
  jx> for this, the compiler should warn.

This doesn't have anything to do with the compiler, it has to do with
the C runtime library.  The compiler could very well conform to the ISO
standard, but the C runtime doesn't.  The only way to really test for
this problem is to actually run the program on the target platform.

For example, you might be running GCC on an older SunOS box, where
you're using Sun's old libc.

  jx> I would be happy to discuss ( and even contribute to a fix) for this
  jx> and other cross issues.

I think you want to get involved with the autoconf effort and discuss
cross-compiler issues for autoconf in general; special-case fixes for
GNU make are probably not the right way to go.

-- 
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 Paul D. Smith <address@hidden>          Find some GNU make tips at:
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 "Please remain calm...I may be mad, but I am a professional." --Mad Scientist