Re: [PATCHES] Better error messages if obsolete macros are used

[Stefano Lattarini]

On 12/31/2012 11:04 AM, Paolo Bonzini wrote:
> Il 31/12/2012 10:05, Stefano Lattarini ha scritto:
>> On 12/30/2012 07:08 PM, Paolo Bonzini wrote:
>>> Il 30/12/2012 11:23, Stefano Lattarini ha scritto:
>>>> +AC_DEFUN([AM_CONFIG_HEADER],
>>>> +[AC_FATAL(['$0': this macro is obsolete.
>>>> +    You should use the 'AC][_CONFIG_HEADERS' macro instead.])])
>>>> +
>>>
>>> What's the point in doing this instead of
>>>
>>> m4_defun([AM_CONFIG_HEADER], [AC_CONFIG_HEADERS])
>>>
>>> or something like that?
>>>
>> Issuing a fatal error will force users to upgrade to AC_CONFIG_HEADERS,
>> thus allowing us to remove AM_CONFIG_HEADER altogether in future
>> Automake versions (probably 1.15). 4, or maybe 1.15).
> 
> Again: it does not do any harm.  Move it to m4/obsolete.m4, and nobody
> will ever care about it again (including deleting it).
> 
It is indeed possible that the real reason that pushed me to remove
AM_CONFIG_HEADER was the fact that I got caught in a "cleanup frenzy"
when I was removing other (real) cruft.  You are starting to partly
convince me of that.

That said, I still believe that old cruft, even if completely harmless
as in this case, should be removed eventually (and that macro has been
cruft for almost 10 yars now).  The real issue with the removal is that
it is has been too abrupt, with no transition from doc deprecation to
runtime warnings to error message to complete removal (despite the fact
we had all the time to implement this transition, and not doing so has
been 100% my fault).  These patches tries to remedy this situation.

Regards,
  Stefano