Re: conditionally compiling C++ code

[Ronald Landheer-Cieslak]

On Wed, 23 Apr 2003, Thomas Dickey wrote:
> On Wed, Apr 23, 2003 at 09:27:36AM +0200, Ronald Landheer-Cieslak wrote:
> > AC_PROG_CXX checks whether it can find a working C++ compiler. Is it a 
> > problem to *know* this if you're not going to use it?
> sure - given that it used to only check, but now errors out if it
> cannot. That was obvious from his question; there's no point in blaming
> the user for defects in the code.
I wasn't blaming anyone for anything (mine is not to assign blame) and I 
do agree that the macro should allow to be run optionally.

That being said, I should also say that I've never tried running 
AC_PROG_CXX without a C++ compiler being available, so whether it errors 
out or not - I don't know. If it does, IMHO, it's a misfeature (or a bug): 
the choice of exiting with an error should belong to the persion writing 
the configure.ac file.

Other than that, the mere knowledge of a compiler being available should 
not, IMHO, have any impact on the behaviour of any program - especially if 
the user specified that it should not be used. As a result, AC_PROG_CXX 
not being optionnal is a bug, but so is depending on it being optionnal 
and using the resulting variables to see whether you should be using C++.

rlc