Re: So, honestly, is GNUStep a viable development option?

[Nicola Pero]

>> "3) Eliminate the need for GNUstep.sh..."
>>
>> Well, this one wasn't a biggie for me... but I still had to run the
>> GNUStep.sh to get things to compile.
>
> GNUstep.sh is still needed to compile, but not to run GNUstep  
> applications.  The new GNUstep.conf contains the configuration files  
> needed to run things.  Getting rid of GNUstep.sh completely would be  
> nice, but as long as it only affects developers, not users, I don't  
> consider it a major problem.

Technically, it's all done, even if we need packagers/everyone to take advantage
of it and present/document it nicely for users.  At the moment, for a confused 
user
trying to get started quickly, sourcing GNUstep.sh might be simpler than
editing PATH or library paths.

Anyway I suppose this is using the default flattened GNUstep filesystem layout 
? :-)

In which case, the following comment (from core/make/FilesystemLayouts/gnustep)
applies:

# If the layout is flattened, it's still a good idea to source
# GNUstep.sh if it's not too much trouble for you, else you can
# manually add /usr/GNUstep/System/Tools and /usr/GNUstep/Local/Tools
# to your PATH, /usr/GNUstep/System/Library/Libraries and
# /usr/GNUstep/Local/Library/Libraries to your LD_LIBRARY_PATH (or
# /etc/ld.so.conf + ldconfig).
#
# To use gnustep-make in this environment, source GNUstep.sh or use
# 'export GNUSTEP_MAKEFILES=/usr/GNUstep/System/Library/Makefiles'.

In other words, you can avoid sourcing GNUstep.sh if you add your program paths 
to your PATH, add your library paths to your LD_LIBRARY_PATH (or equivalent on 
your operating system), and use

export GNUSTEP_MAKEFILES=/usr/GNUstep/System/Library/Makefiles

before compiling.  Btw, if the GNUmakefile has been updated to use 
gnustep-config,
this last step is not even required.

Thanks

PS: If you use the fhs layout, then you don't even need to set PATH or 
LD_LIBRARY_PATH,
but you need to remember to run ldconfig (or equivalent on your operating 
system)
each time you compile a library.  If gnustep-config is also used in the 
GNUmakefiles,
then you have to do absolutely nothing - everything should just work (except for
having to run ldconfig after you compile a library)