Re: src/Makefile.in out of date

[Pavel Roskin]

Hi, Bruno!

> "touch configure.in", then "./configure; make" and the files should
> get into a stable state.

I know that, newcomers may not.  Besides, there is more than one
configure.in in gettext.  Also there are timestamps (such as stamp-h.in),
which are not on CVS.

That's the "bootstrap" script that works for me.  Consider adding it to
CVS:

============================
#!/bin/sh

# Run this file if you are building from CVS and don't have the right
# versions of the auto* tools (currently: Autoconf 2.52, Automake 1.5)

find . -name aclocal.m4 | xargs touch
sleep 2

find . -name config.h.in | xargs touch
find . -name configure | xargs touch
sleep 2

find . -name Makefile.in | xargs touch
find . -name 'stamp*' | xargs touch
============================

> If I removed all generated files from CVS (including */Makefile.in,
> aclocal.m4 and configure) newcomers would have big problems building
> the checked-out CVS.

True.  I had to compile your versions of Autoconf and Automake and install
them to a separate directory.

> > Dependent files are kept on CVS for convenience, so that the
> > developers don't have to uce certain versions of the auto* tools.
> 
> Anyone who checks out a CVS needs the auto* tools.

True again.  You make two seemingly contradicting statements, both of
which are true.  You would be a great politician or diplomat :-)

The problem is that CVS gettext requires not just some auto* tools, it
requires certain versions, which are not even those "latest and greatest".  
Having those versions available in PATH is exactly the "hard" thing.  Not
for me, but for some people getting all that stuff, installing it to a
separate directory and adding it to PATH is a significant effort.

The only reason I can see why it's easier for newcomers if generated files
are on CVS is because it relieves them from the need to have the right
auto* tools.  If you require even them to have those tools, you are not 
making it easier for them to use CVS.

Please don't think that I feel very strongly about it - everything that 
works is fine.

> Only people using tar.gz files generated through "make dist" receive a
> set of files with appropriate dates and timestamps that ensure that no
> auto*,makeinfo tools will be needed.

I know that.

By the way, if I run "make dist" on the current gettext CVS, the file 
misc/archive.tar.gz in the tarball only has versions until 0.11.2.

> This is a makeinfo-4.2 stupidity: it doesn't allow to refer implicitly
> to the Top node of a file. But this is done in the $prefix/info/dir
> file everywhere.
> 
> Thanks for reporting this.

Thanks for fixing this!

> > Finally, I cannot use autoconf 2.54 to regenerate configure:
> 
> This is normal; switching to a different autoconf or automake version
> usually needs some tweaks.

Please keep in mind that if you force people to use a certain version of a
tool, you are in a better position if you force everybody to upgrade, not 
downgrade.  Just a thought.

-- 
Regards,
Pavel Roskin