Re: autoreconf 2.52e failure if aclocal need not be run...

[Ezra Peisach]

Here's the deal...  I like your idea - but I am forced into using
shell expansion in AC_CONFIG_SUBDIRS. Why may you ask? The tree I am
working on needs for the moment to work with autoconf 2.13 and I am
pushing for autoconf 2.5X.

In 2.5X, AC_CONFIG_SUBDIRS will DTRT if invoked multiple times in
conditionals, etc. - which is the clean fashion. In 2.13,
AC_CONFIG_SUBDIRS (if memory serves) - affects a global so that code
like:

a=1
b=2
if $a = 1; 
  AC_CONFIG_SUBDIRS(TEST1234)
fi
if $b = 1;
  AC_CONFIG_SUBDIRS(TEST456)
fi
AC_CONFIG_SUBDIRS(a b c)

Always configure is run in TEST1234 TEST456 a b c
Using autoconf 2.52 - configure is only run in (in this case)
TEST1234, a, b, c.

I suppose in my case - I could push the logic of deciding what to
compile into the TEST1234 directories, etc - and run configure there
anyways.

If I wasn't concerned about backwards compatibility it would be easy -
but too many developers working on this tree - autoconf 2.13 is the
lowest common denominator.

       Ezra