Re: [Automake-NG] [PATCH v2 2/2] dist: add back support for obsolete dist-* options

[Stefano Lattarini]

On 08/22/2012 01:53 PM, Paolo Bonzini wrote:
> Il 22/08/2012 13:47, Stefano Lattarini ha scritto:
>> Hi Paolo.
>>
>> Since I still have some gripes with the preparatory [PATCH 1/2], I'm
>> thinking about reworking this patch to make is independent from that.
>> Find my ideas below.  Do you think they would be a good move?  If
>> yes, would you mind re-working you patch accordingly?
> 
> I prefer to wait for 1/2 to be sorted out.
>
OK.  Review coming up soon I hope ...

>
> [SNIP]
> 
> I wanted to minimize the Automake changes.
> 
> I'm a bit confused as to where to draw the line between Automake and GNU
> make...
>
It depends.  A rule of thumb is that, when Automake *must* process something
at automake runtime (as is certainly the case with options!), and want to pass
it in the generated Makefiles as well (for possible further processing there),
it can as well "massage" it in a form that make its use in those Makefiles
as simple and natural as possible.

For example, take a look at this fragment in '&generate_makefile' :

    # Must come after invocation of handle_programs, handle_libraries and
    # handle_ltlibraries, so that %known_programs and %known_libraries are
    # up-to-date.
    define_variable 'am.all-progs',  INTERNAL, sort keys %known_programs;
    define_variable 'am.all-libs',   INTERNAL, sort keys %known_libraries;
    define_variable 'am.all-ltlibs', INTERNAL, sort keys %known_ltlibraries;

Those variables could as well be defined purely at make runtime, by
peeking into $(.VARIABLES) and munging it properly.  But since we
currently *need* '%known_programs' etc. at automake runtime anyway,
we make life simpler and pass on that knowledge directly into the
generated Makefiles.

Regards,
  Stefano