autoreconf --help (was: Libtool release plan)

[Ralf Wildenhues]

Hi Olly,

* Olly Betts wrote on Tue, May 16, 2006 at 01:38:05PM CEST:
> 
> I'm guessing the issue is that the tarball builder reuses the same
> SVN checkout and just reruns "autoreconf" without "--force".  The
> output from "autoreconf --help" says:
> 
>   Run `autoconf' (and `autoheader', `aclocal', `automake', `autopoint'
>   (formerly `gettextize'), and `libtoolize' where appropriate)
>   repeatedly to remake the GNU Build System files in the DIRECTORIES or
>   the directory trees driven by CONFIGURE-AC (defaulting to `.').
> 
>   By default, it only remakes those files that are older than their
>   predecessors.  If you install new versions of the GNU Build System,
>   running `autoreconf' remakes all of the files by giving it the
>   `--force' option.
>     
> I had read that as saying "if you upgrade autoconf, automake, or libtool
> then running autoreconf implicitly uses the `--force' option", but
> rereading it I think it probably isn't saying that.
> 
> And the info manual makes this totally clear:
*snip*

> I suggest that autoreconf's --help should follow the info version -
> in particular "sources" is better than "predecessors" and the
> last sentence is a lot clearer in the info version.

Yes, that is a good idea IMHO.  At the same time let's get rid of the
CONFIGURE-AC argument we're suggesting there but which didn't work right
anyway.  But let's not actually change the functionality, so that what
works continues to.  (A bit fragile, I know; I think the long term goal
should be to implement that functionality properly, in all autotools;
but I don't want to do that now.)

OK to apply?  Do you think we need to announce this change in NEWS?

Cheers,
Ralf

        * bin/autoreconf.in ($help): Reword according to the manual.
        Suggested by Olly Betts.

Index: bin/autoreconf.in
===================================================================
RCS file: /cvsroot/autoconf/autoconf/bin/autoreconf.in,v
retrieving revision 1.132
diff -u -r1.132 autoreconf.in
--- bin/autoreconf.in   17 May 2006 02:20:15 -0000      1.132
+++ bin/autoreconf.in   17 May 2006 17:11:21 -0000
@@ -55,16 +55,16 @@
 
 # $HELP
 # -----
-$help = "Usage: $0 [OPTION] ... [CONFIGURE-AC or DIRECTORY] ...
+$help = "Usage: $0 [OPTION] ... [DIRECTORY] ...
 
 Run `autoconf' (and `autoheader', `aclocal', `automake', `autopoint'
 (formerly `gettextize'), and `libtoolize' where appropriate)
-repeatedly to remake the GNU Build System files in the DIRECTORIES or
-the directory trees driven by CONFIGURE-AC (defaulting to `.').
+repeatedly to remake the GNU Build System files in specified
+DIRECTORIES and their subdirectories (defaulting to `.').
 
 By default, it only remakes those files that are older than their
-predecessors.  If you install new versions of the GNU Build System,
-running `autoreconf' remakes all of the files by giving it the
+sources.  If you install new versions of the GNU Build System,
+you can make `autoreconf' remake all of the files by giving it the
 `--force' option.
 
 Operation modes: