RE: AWKPATH and AWKLIBPATH: default values different from documentation (gawk 5.0.1)

[Jannick]

Hi Andy,

Apologies for the delayed reply.

On Sun, 23 Feb 2020 09:55:58 -0500, Andrew J. Schorr wrote:
> On Sun, Feb 23, 2020 at 12:39:42PM +0100, Jannick wrote:
> > I think the usual way is - as you point out - that prefix is set once
> > at
> > configure-time: either explicitly on the command line or CONFIG_SITE
> > does it for you or configure sets the default value '/usr/local' if no
one does
> it.
> > In this case everything is consistent. Running ./configure -h shows
> > you the values ./configure uses if prefix is not given on the command
> > line.  What I am trying to say is that prefix as at configure-time
> > COULD be overridden in the two steps afterwards (make && make install
> > - if you wish to split them
> > up):
> > - make prefix=/path1 ... compiles AWKPATH and AWKLIBPATH into gawk
> > using
> > path1
>
> OK, yes, you could also change prefix at the make stage, although it's not
> clear to me why that's appealing.

This is not the question here, it rather is how a consistent configuration
could be spoiled. And apparently it is easily possible.

> In general, the directory scheme is
> designed so that the locations referenced by AWKPATH and AWKLIBPATH
> should make sense relative to where the binaries are installed.

Exactly, especially if the application is installed in the *bin* directory
which is presumably the standard case.

> > - make install DESTDIR=/destdir prefix=/path2 ... sets the parent
> > directory of the bin directory gawk will be installed into
>
> I think that's too late. At this point, the default AWKPATH and AWKLIBPATH
> values have already been compiled into the gawk binary.

Agree.  I belief I mentioned this in one of my prior postings.

>  You can certainly
> choose to install it wherever you want, but that won't change the default
> environment variable values. And gawk will not then be able to find the
> bundled libraries and program files properly.

... unless AWKPATH and AWKLIBPATH are appropriately set as environment
variables.

Last but not least, it could be helpful for the manual reader if it was
outlined as to how the compile configuration impacts the default values of
AWKPATH and AWKLIBPATH.

> Regards,
> Andy

I think we are good now.  Thanks again for your time.

Regards,
J.