Re: distributions build with autoconf are not re-locatable

[C.J. Adams-Collier]

Alrighty.  I'll put something together.  Thanks for the links.

On 9/29/07, Eric Blake <address@hidden> wrote:
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> According to C.J. Adams-Collier on 9/28/2007 7:02 PM:
> > Hey all,
> >
> > Since we allow multiple absolute paths to be specified as arguments to
> > ./configure, there is no easy way to re-locate a distribution, short
> > of finding a relative path between --prefix and other paths specified
> > as absolute.
>
> This sounds like a good use case for the relocatable-{lib,prog,script}
> modules in gnulib; here's the texinfo source for the documentation
> regarding their use:
>
> http://git.sv.gnu.org/gitweb/?p=gnulib.git;a=blob;f=doc/relocatable.texi;h=b79fb18;hb=HEAD
> http://git.sv.gnu.org/gitweb/?p=gnulib.git;a=blob;f=doc/relocatable-maint.texi;h=c743d4a;hb=HEAD
>
> >
> > To allow autoconf to participate in the generation of relocatable
> > distributions, I propose that except in the case of --prefix, the use
> > of absolute paths by path args be deprecated.
>
> You would have to propose this change to the GNU Coding Standards first,
> address@hidden, since this would be a change to:
> http://www.gnu.org/prep/standards/html_node/Directory-Variables.html#Directory-Variables
>
> >
> > Current functionality:
> >
> > Specification of an absolute path is allowed for all path args.
> >
> > Proposed post-deprecation functionality:
> >
> > Specification of an absolute path is only allowed for --prefix.   If
> > an absolute path is specified for a path arg other than --prefix, the
> > absolute path will be converted to a path relative to the value of
> > --prefix.
>
> Not always possible (consider people who do --prefix=/usr
> - --sysconfdir=/etc).  But if you care to write a patch, we will certainly
> take a look at it.
>
> As it is, the documentation for autoconf _already_ recommends using
> relative paths - for example, bindir defaults to '$(exec_prefix)/bin', so
> that it appears relative to --exec-prefix.
>
> - --
> Don't work too hard, make some time for fun as well!
>
> Eric Blake             address@hidden
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-- 
moo.