Desired feature: Conscript-uptodate targets

[Zachary Deretsky]

> > input*.txt contain a list of directories with Conscripts
> > where python files are generated and Installed.
> >
> > I am generating python_files.txt with the list of those
> > files, but these files HAVE to be built and installed BEFORE
> > proceeding further.
>
> > Maybe, the easiest is to ensure that those sibling Conscripts
> > are built before the current one. It is against cons philosopy
> > to prescribe the order of builds and installs, but is there a
> > trick to do that? Depends on PHONEY targets?
>
> What you essentially need is a way to read up a subset of the
> Conscript
> files, build one or more targets, and then read other Conscript files.
> There isn't any way to do this; the right solution to it is
> Gary's AfterBuild
>


I do not see how AfterBuild can force files from the sibling projects to be
built and Installed. Will it do that?

What is your opinion on the following idea:

For every #/foo/bar/Conscript establish internal "Conscript-uptodate" target
foo_bar_Conscript.

Let foo_bar_Conscript implicitly depend on all other targets within
its Conscript file and be uptodate once all these targets are uptodate.

Then
Depends <target> 'foo_bar_Conscript';

in a sibling Conscript would force everything in #/foo/bar/Conscript to
be built and installed before <target> is built.


This would allow, for example, to use cons to run regression tests, i.e.
to make sure that certain projects are built and installed completely
before regression tests are run on them.

"Conscript-uptodate" targets would allow human control which make does
allow without sacrificing the static dependency tree approach used in cons.

By removing some rigidity this HIGHLY DESIRED FEATURE will make
development with cons easier and more pleasant.

I realize implementing this feature requires development effort.
It seems to me, though, that "Conscript-uptodate" targets are in
tune with existing architecture and no drastic changes are necessary.

Am I far off the mark?

Zach.