***BOGO*** Re: [Mingw-users] configure error

[Soren Andersen <somian@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

In response to message of Fri, 10 Oct 2008 00:34:42 +0100 wherein Keith
Marshall wrote:

> On Thursday 09 October 2008 17:14:23 Robert wrote:
> > ah, hehe, thanks, knew it was something blatantly obvious, im only
> > a first year comp sci student, i know i have a lot to learn...
> 
> Not least of it being that you shouldn't top post on mailing lists.

Amen.

>> JonY:
>>> Robert:
>>>> Hi, I am following the wiki (http://www.mingw.org/wiki/msys) to
>>>> install msys+mingw,
>>>> ...
>>>> 
>>>> ./configure --prefix=/mingw&& __make&& __make install"
>>>>
>>>> [...]
>>>
>>> did you "cd" into the unpacked directories? Sorry if it wasn't
>>> obvious in the guide.
 
> (Keith:)
> With recent autoconf, make sure you read the comments attached to
> that wiki article -- in particular the one about *not* configuring
> and building in the source directory.  If you have updated your MSYS
> make to version 3.81, it exposes a bug in autoconf, (which I know
> afflicts autoconf-2.61 through 2.63), and which makes it impossible
> to build using the above commands.
> 
> You should build in a separate directory, outside of the source 
> hierarchy; that's actually good practice to adopt for *any* package, 
> unless it absolutely does not support such a building method, (known 
> as a VPATH build, and supported by any autoconfiscated package).

Thank you for clarifying this, Keith.  I am inspired to
elaborate a little further ;-):

For reference, the term "VPATH build" is also known colloquially
as "an out of src build".  Readers may encounter this other
usage from time to time.

> FTR, here's the sequence of commands I recommend, for building 
> autoconf-2.63:--
> 
>   $ tar xzf autoconf-2.63.tar.gz
>   $ mkdir -p build/autoconf-2.63

It is a very good thing to become aware of the existence of the
"VPATH build" or "out of src build" as early as possible in
one's programming career (whether that career turns out to be
just an adjunct or hobby, or one's main profession).  There's a
reason that some of the central GNU development tools not only
support but *require* out of src building.  One is that they
(GNU developers) wish to emphasize that this is a standard
practice which users ought to be well-aware of.  Another is that
it allows non-priviledged users to build from a readonly source
tree easily.  A third is that it supports the easy production of
binaries for multiple distinct computer architectures from one
source tree on one or many machines (many, if the src tree is
existing on a remote filesystem like NFS or SAMBA which is
mounted by many users' individual boxen).

I've had the unpleasant experience of offering to test-build
project code for people promoting their pet projects, on a
OS/platform that they don't possess, only to be scolded for
"doing something weird" when their build apparatus won't work
for doing an out of src build.  It's these people who are
clueless and don't even _document_ their sub-standard approach
to creating project kits, that make life a little less enjoyable
for the avid developer/hacker.

   Regards,
       Soren 'somian' Andersen

-- 
Blame it on Caradhras the Cruel.

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