Re: BUILT_SOURCES automagically made MAINTAINERCLEANFILES

[Ralf Wildenhues]

Hello Benoit,

* Benoit Sigoure wrote on Fri, Mar 30, 2007 at 10:30:43PM CEST:
> 
> I've searched in the manual but the following behavior is not documented:
[...]
>   # Built sources are automatically removed by maintainer-clean.
>   $clean_files{'$(BUILT_SOURCES)'} = MAINTAINER_CLEAN
>     if var ('BUILT_SOURCES');
> ...
> 
> I see many, many people who manually list their BUILT_SOURCES in CLEANFILES or
> MAINTAINERCLEANFILES.  Actually even the manual shows an example in which
> BUILT_SOURCES are listed in CLEANFILES.

Side note: the example isn't completely redundant: upgrading a file from
being cleaned by `maintainer-clean' to `clean' may be a useful thing.
Of course that doesn't refute your general point.

> Since this behavior isn't documented, can we considere that it's simply an
> omission and rely on it, or has it been done on purpose for some reason?

Frankly, I don't know.  I see two sides of it here:  First, the
automatic adding to maintainer-clean is consistent with the notion of
what the several `*clean' targets should do (see @node{Clean}).  Second,
can there be a useful setup in which it is harmful if `maintainer-clean'
removes the file?  If no, then a patch to document the existing behavior
(manual + NEWS file) would be best.  ;-)

Cheers,
Ralf