Re: [DotGNU]pnetlib and the VRS, SEE and other server concepts

[Barry Fitzgerald]

On Thu, 21 Mar 2002, Rhys Weatherley wrote:

> > On the other hand, $prefix could be undefined, in which case the target
> > would be /lib
>
> The $prefix Paolo is referring to here is the one selected
> by "configure" and used to install everything in.  Normally
> it is "/usr/local", but the programmer can override this at
> configure time.
>

I'm aware of that. :)

> It will never be undefined at runtime.  It's just easier to
> say "$prefix/something" than "/usr/local/something, where
> /usr/local may be different".
>

Sure it can be...

      # ./configure --prefix=

leaves the 'prefix = ' line in the Makefile.  I'm not sure if, strictly,
to Make this is an undefined variable, but it is technically undefined.
When you consider that most Makefiles base $bindir, $sbindir.. etc...
variables as $profile/bin, $profile/sbin, etc... $profile becomes a
powerful way to control the location of the entire package.  It has the
added bonus, IMO, of being easier to write. :)

However, it should be said that I'd never type the above line since it
doesn't really make sense.  The real 'literal' way of doing this is to
type:

     # ./configure --prefix=/

which then places files in, say, //bin -- which translates down to /bin

Both lines are, effectively, the same as far as the result goes on modern
GNU/Linux systems.  They may, however, produce different results on other
versions of Make. :)

        -Barry