LYNX-DEV problems with current auto-config

[Klaus Weide]

Some problems with the auto-config mechanism of the devel code in its
current form:

I found this in lynx_cfg.h after running configure without any
--disable-dired-* flags:
   #define ARCHIVE_ONLY 1
This shouldn't be set by default (and I believe it is unintentional).

The --enable-debug flag is useless (it just leads to a lot of compiler
warnings) and I think it should go away.  (I am aware it is marked as
"develop:"). It defines DEBUG, which is also defined thus in HTUtils.h:
#ifndef DEBUG
#define DEBUG   /* Noone ever turns this off as trace is too important */
#endif          /* Keep option for really small memory applications tho */

(I don't think having a configure flag to disable Lynx trace messages
would be a good idea.)


More generally, many of the compiler -D flags which were in Makefile
(now called Makefile.old) have disappeared from makefile[.in], since they
are now meant to be set by the configure script.  The (or, one) problem is
that the documentation of those flags is also disappearing... I don't
think the less-than-one-line explanation given by ./configure --help
is a good replacement (especially for some of the dired things).

I think even if auto-configuration works perfectly and takes account of
all the settings for which it makes sense, it should still be possible
to modify the generated makefile (especially the top one) and tweak it.
And it shouldn't become _more_ difficult to do this (for examples because
of missing explanations of flags that can be set).


       Klaus

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