Re: 65-install-am.patch

[Tom Tromey]

>>>>> "Akim" == Akim Demaille <address@hidden> writes:

Parts of this patch I like, but parts I don't like so much.

Akim>   (&file_contents): Be able to grow Automake macros with `+='.

This is a nice idea, but it is problematic.  Suppose the user defines
a variable that a .am file tries to +=.  This will fail (I think).  I
think it will fail worse if they only defined the variable
conditionally.

One approach would be to only ever `+=' private variables -- and then
maybe add an error if the user tries to override a private variable.
Also this would mean adding a programming error condition if a .am
file tries to += a non-private macro.

Akim>   (&handle_texinfo, &handle_man_pages, &am_install_var): Let your
Akim>   files define INSTALLDIRS.

I think we should have a clean separation between internal and
external variables here.  So how about renaming this as
`_am_installdirs' or something like that?  I have a slight preference
for lower case internal macro names.

Akim>   (&handle_factored_dependencies): Uniq dependencies.

This I like.

Akim>   (&transform): Also call &transform_cond on your arguments.

This I like.

Tom