Re: Multiple subdirectories with non-similar configure needs

[Stefano Lattarini]

Hello autoconfers. Just my 2 cents about the issue ...

On Tuesday 29 March 2011, NightStrike  wrote:
> On Tue, Mar 29, 2011 at 2:35 AM, Ralf Wildenhues <address@hidden> wrote:
> > Hello Jim,
> >
> > * Jim Galarowicz wrote on Mon, Mar 28, 2011 at 09:08:02PM CEST:
> >> I was wondering if anyone can point me to any information on how to
> >> configure from a top-level directory multiple sub-directories with
> >> different configure requirements.
> >
> > Well, you can just write code yourself that calls the sub configure
> > scripts with the arguments you intend for it.  Basically your own
> > version of AC_CONFIG_SUBDIRS, if you like.
> >
> > GCC does this in its own tree (except the code is partly in the
> > makefile, not only the toplevel configure script).
> >
> > For simple things, it often suffices to adjust $ac_configure_args during
> > configure (beware of the eval quoting though!).
> >
> > However, you haven't written what kind of adjustments you need at all,
> > so it's not clear how to help more.
> >
> >> My subdirectories are: libcbtf, libcbtf-xml, libcbtf-mrnet.  Each
> >> subdirectory has different package requirements and has been set up
> >> to use autoconf, automake, libtool, m4, etc..
> >
> > Wait.  If it's just about different package requirements, then you don't
> > need to mess with toplevel at all.  All --with-* and
> > --enable-*/--disable-* flags are passed down to each sub configure
> > script.  Each of the configure scripts can just choose to adhere to the
> > flags it knows, and ignore the rest, no?
> 
> What if options conflict?  For instance, say you have a sub package
> that should be enable-shared disable-static, and another that should
> be enable-static and disable-shared?  Or one that needs --with-foo and
> one that needs --without-foo?  Or any other type of conflicting
> options?
> 
Do you think it would be viable/useful to enahnace AC_CONFIG_SUBDIRS (or
write a brand new macro) to allow the "parent" configure script to pass
different options to different "sub" configure scripts?  I know one can
use the `configure.gnu' hack, but that does not seem clear or natural as
using e.g.:
  AC_CONFIG_SUBDIRS([foo], [--with-zardoz])
  AC_CONFIG_SUBDIRS([bar], [--without-zardoz])

Regards,
  Stefano