Re: patch 4: test for --help and --version (take 2)

[Akim Demaille]

>>>>> "bonzini" == bonzini  <address@hidden> writes:

>> I *need* it to make sure I install all the files.  Installcheck
>> makes sure that the program, once installed, behaves properly.
>> `check' per se is ridiculous: who cares to know that the program
>> works in the build tree?  (of course you want that before
>> installing, but that's not the point).

bonzini> You're right, when I started working under Unix I was bit by
bonzini> this quite a few times.  But I think that it is of dubious
bonzini> utility to have installcheck run the same developer-oriented
bonzini> regression tests or autotest test cases that are run in `make
bonzini> check', a different suite (INSTALLTESTS?) would be needed.

I don't understand why it ought to be different.  But anyway, as is,
Automake lets you have a different one.


bonzini> From the point of view of a developer making changes that can
bonzini> break things in trivial ways (trivial enough to show up in
bonzini> the build tree, I mean), or that need expected failures to
bonzini> remember something needs to be fixed urgently, `make check'
bonzini> is not ridiculous at all.

Nope, I know that.  I meant installcheck (via distcheck) is more
powerful than make check, so if one had to be kept, it's clearly
installeck.

But rest assured I know make check: I run it several times every day :)