Re: SCO/buffix patch 6 of 10: AC_PROG_NM fixes

[Ralf Wildenhues]

Hi Tim, Kean,

* Tim Rice wrote on Thu, Nov 03, 2005 at 06:13:35PM CET:
> On Wed, 2 Nov 2005, Ralf Wildenhues wrote:
> > * Kean Johnston wrote on Tue, Nov 01, 2005 at 05:56:58PM CET:
> > > 
> > > keats:~% /usr/ccs/bin/elf/nm -B /dev/null
> > > /usr/ccs/bin/elf/nm: ERROR: Illegal option -- B
> > > i386/usr/ccs/bin/elf/nm: Usage: i386/usr/ccs/bin/elf/nm [-?CVhnopruvx] 
> > > file(s) .
> > *snip*
> > 
> > OK.  What's the output with -p?
> 
> UnixWare 7.1.4, OpenServer 6
> UX:nm: ERROR: illegal file type: /dev/null
> 
> UnixWare 2.03, UnixWare 7.1.1, OpenServer 5.0.4, OpenServer 5.0.7
> nm: /dev/null: invalid file type

Now then I don't understand why the test we have now (without the
proposed patch) failed in the first place?  With -B,
| */dev/null* | *'Invalid file or object type'*

is not matched in the first line, with -p,
| */dev/null*
_is_ matched in the first line.  All should be well.

Then AFAICS there's only the /usr/ccs/bin/elf path issue left, and the
$ac_tool_prefix one.  Regarding the latter, I should add that CVS
Autoconf has the following description for AC_CHECK_TOOL:

| -- Makro: AC_CHECK_TOOL (VARIABLE, PROG-TO-CHECK-FOR,
|          [VALUE-IF-NOT-FOUND], [PATH])
|     Like `AC_CHECK_PROG', but first looks for PROG-TO-CHECK-FOR with a
|     prefix of the host type as determined by `AC_CANONICAL_HOST',
|     followed by a dash (*note Canonicalizing::).  For example, if the
|     user runs `configure --host=i386-gnu', then this call:
|          AC_CHECK_TOOL([RANLIB], [ranlib], [:])
|     sets `RANLIB' to `i386-gnu-ranlib' if that program exists in
|     `PATH', or otherwise to `ranlib' if that program exists in `PATH',
|     or to `:' if neither program exists.
|
|     In the future, when cross-compiling this macro will _only_ accept
|     program names that are prefixed with the host type.  For more
|     information, see *Note Specifying the system type: Specifying
|     Names.

It may be a good idea for libtool as well not to use the unprefixed name
in the cross-compiling case (or, more appropriately: document that such
a change will happen eventually).

Cheers,
Ralf