Re: [PATCH] Some Haiku Patches

[Bruno Haible]

Ingo Weinhold wrote:
> >   - configure packages with
> >     "./configure --host=i586-pc-beos --build=i586-pc-beos 
> >     --prefix=/boot/home/config"
> 
> As of revision 28582 Haiku comes with the latest versions of autoconf, 
> automake and friends. So after a "./bootstrap" or "automake --add-missing 
> --force-missing" (whatever is appropriate) configuring should be done with:
>   ./configure --prefix=/boot/common

But GNU packages (i.e. tarballs distributed on ftp.gnu.org) are meant to be
configured with a single "./configure" command, without other commands to
be executed before. And the GNU packages ship with a config.guess that
does not support Haiku; they bail out like this:

------------------------------------------------------------------------------
checking build system type... build-aux/config.guess: unable to guess system 
type

This script, last modified 2008-01-08, has failed to recognize
the operating system you are using. It is advised that you
download the most up to date version of the config scripts from

  http://savannah.gnu.org/cgi-bin/viewcvs/*checkout*/config/config/config.guess
and
  http://savannah.gnu.org/cgi-bin/viewcvs/*checkout*/config/config/config.sub

If the version you run (build-aux/config.guess) is already up to date, please
send the following data and any information you think might be
pertinent to <address@hidden> in order to provide the needed
information to handle your system.

config.guess timestamp = 2008-01-08

uname -m = BePC
uname -r = 1
uname -s = Haiku
uname -v = r28555 Nov  8 2008 09:15:59

/usr/bin/uname -p = 
/bin/uname -X     = 

hostinfo               = 
/bin/universe          = 
/usr/bin/arch -k       = 
/bin/arch              = 
/usr/bin/oslevel       = 
/usr/convex/getsysinfo = 

UNAME_MACHINE = BePC
UNAME_RELEASE = 1
UNAME_SYSTEM  = Haiku
UNAME_VERSION = r28555 Nov  8 2008 09:15:59
configure: error: cannot guess build type; you must specify one
------------------------------------------------------------------------------

There is definitely a problem with the 'uname' command on Haiku: "uname -m"
should return something like "i586", not "BePC". Currently the output of
"uname -a" gives no hint at all regarding the CPU type - I had to run "gcc -v"
to retrieve this information.

I have not yet investigated whether this is best fixed in the uname() function
or in the 'uname' program. The latter comes from coreutils, with relies on
gnulib. Therefore I think it's reasonable to progress in this order:
  - port gnulib,
  - port coreutils so that at least 'uname' compiles,
  - find out whether the uname() function or the 'uname' program needs to
    be fixed,
  - then only, once this is settled, send a mail to config-patches at gnu.org
    requesting the inclusion of support for Haiku in config.guess.

Bruno