Re: po/Makevars doc infelicities

[Bruno Haible]

Hi Karl,

Thanks for reporting this.

Karl Berry wrote:
> In gettext 0.14.5, the po/Makevars node in the manual says this:
> 
>     Only packages which have multiple `po/' directories at different
>     locations need to adjust the three variables defined in `Makevars'.
> 
> 1) there are more three variables in Makevars these days (happily).
> 2) there are reasons to adjust them other than multiple po directories.

Yes, Makevars started out with 3 variables, long ago. The main purpose
of Makevars has indeed changed.

> Also, I wonder whether changes to Makevars variables are preserved
> across gettextize updates.  Perhaps it could be mentioned here.

gettextize describes itself:

    "As a migration tool, for upgrading the GNU `gettext' support in a
     package from a previous to a newer version of GNU `gettext'."

Note also:
    "The `gettextize' program makes backup files for all files it
     replaces or changes, and also write ChangeLog entries about these
     changes."

You can therefore assume that your modifications of the po/Makevars file
will be preserved.

> Also, the po/Makevars node ends with a paragraph about Rules-quot.  This
> seems unrelated to Makevars to me, perhaps it could be included with the
> other address@hidden stuff currently in the po/LINGUAS node.

Yes, thanks, this paragraph belongs in a new section about how to extend
po/Makefile.

I'm doing the appended changes. Thanks for the suggestions.

Bruno


***************
*** 6643,6663 ****
  in the @file{po/} directory.  You can copy them from GNU gettext's @file{po/}
  directory; they are also installed by running @code{gettextize}.
  
! @node po/Makevars, configure.in, po/LINGUAS, Adjusting Files
  @subsection @file{Makevars} in @file{po/}
  @cindex @file{Makevars} file
  
! The @file{po/} directory also has a file named @file{Makevars}.
! It can be left unmodified if your package has a single message domain
! and, accordingly, a single @file{po/} directory.  Only packages which
! have multiple @file{po/} directories at different locations need to
! adjust the three variables defined in @file{Makevars}.
! 
! @file{po/Makevars} gets inserted into the @file{po/Makefile} when the
! latter is created.  At the same time, all files called @file{Rules-*} in the
! @file{po/} directory get appended to the @file{po/Makefile}.  They present
! an opportunity to add rules for special PO files to the Makefile, without
! needing to mess with @file{po/Makefile.in.in}.
  
  @cindex quotation marks
  @vindex address@hidden, environment variable}
--- 6645,6674 ----
  in the @file{po/} directory.  You can copy them from GNU gettext's @file{po/}
  directory; they are also installed by running @code{gettextize}.
  
! @node po/Makevars, po/Rules-*, po/LINGUAS, Adjusting Files
  @subsection @file{Makevars} in @file{po/}
  @cindex @file{Makevars} file
  
! The @file{po/} directory also has a file named @file{Makevars}.  It
! contains variables that are specific to your project.  @file{po/Makevars}
! gets inserted into the @file{po/Makefile} when the latter is created.
! The variables thus take effect when the POT file is created or updated,
! and when the message catalogs get installed.
! 
! The first three variables can be left unmodified if your package has a
! single message domain and, accordingly, a single @file{po/} directory.
! Only packages which have multiple @file{po/} directories at different
! locations need to adjust the three first variables defined in
! @file{Makevars}.
! 
! @node po/Rules-*, configure.in, po/Makevars, Adjusting Files
! @subsection Extending @file{Makefile} in @file{po/}
! @cindex @file{Makefile.in.in} extensions
! 
! All files called @file{Rules-*} in the @file{po/} directory get appended to
! the @file{po/Makefile} when it is created.  They present an opportunity to
! add rules for special PO files to the Makefile, without needing to mess
! with @file{po/Makefile.in.in}.
  
  @cindex quotation marks
  @vindex address@hidden, environment variable}