Re: Serial lines for Automake

[Peter Simons]

Hi Francesco,

 > [commit hook validation]

thank you for the explanation. This sounds to me like the #serial lines
would be added to the m4 files in the Git repository, but we'd use Git
to guarantee that the serial numbers are bumped every time a macro is
committed to. Is that right?

 >> Say the Archive distributes a macro AX_FOO at version X. Now Joe Doe
 >> downloads the file, patches AX_FOO, and re-distributes it on his
 >> homepage. How can Joe compute a serial "X + 1" that won't conflict
 >> with a version that the Archive might distribute some day?
 >
 > # NUMBER1.NUMBER2 COMMENT
 >
 > Where NUMBER1 is:
 >
 >  *) 0 for the archive macros
 >  *) >= 0 for third-party tweaks/changes/redistribution
 >
 > eg:
 >
 > # 0.XXXX  Please change 0.XXXX to 1.YYYY if you are going to change this 
 > macro

How does Automake interpret those numbers? Would 0.2 be considered
"newer" than 1.1? The Automake documentation is a little unclear in that
regard.

 > I don't see a full-fledged-fool-proof solution at the moment. The solution
 > could solve problems generated by some "misuse" of the archive itself (eg:
 > the archive installed system-wise and some user copies scattered in the
 > aclocal include path).

Yes, that's true. Serial lines probably won't provide reliable version
information for derived macros outside of the archive, but they would
provide good version information for the macros distributed by the
archive. It's a not perfect solution, but it's still useful.

Take care,
Peter