Re: [PATCH] docs: more details about make VPATH rewriting woes

[Stefano Lattarini]

Hi Ralf.

On Wednesday 14 September 2011, Ralf Wildenhues wrote:

> Hi Stefano,

>

> * Stefano Lattarini wrote on Tue, Sep 13, 2011 at 03:15:04PM CEST:

> > * doc/autoconf.texi (Automatic Rule Rewriting): Solaris make

> > VPATH rewriting might apply also to shell variables, functions

> > and keywords (and automake has already tripped on this once);

> > document this, with an example. Since we are at it, do some

> > minor reformatting of existing text.

>

> It applies to any word that is surrounded by whitespace (or beginning or

> end of command line), regardless of shell syntax. Please don't

> formulate it like Solaris make would understand shell syntax when

> rewriting rules, IMHO that's confusing and makes it harder to understand

> the issue.

>

You're right, my previous formulation was somewhat confusing in this

regard. What about the squash-in below?

Thanks,

Stefano

diff --git a/ChangeLog b/ChangeLog

index 0439db0..01df9ad 100644

--- a/ChangeLog

+++ b/ChangeLog

@@ -1,8 +1,9 @@

-2011-09-13 Stefano Lattarini <address@hidden>

+2011-09-14 Stefano Lattarini <address@hidden>

docs: more details about make VPATH rewriting woes

* doc/autoconf.texi (Automatic Rule Rewriting): Solaris make

- VPATH rewriting might apply also to shell variables, functions

+ VPATH rewriting applies to any whitespace-separated word in a

+ rule, so it might apply also to shell variables, functions

and keywords (and automake has already tripped on this once);

document this, with an example. Since we are at it, do some

minor reformatting of existing text.

diff --git a/doc/autoconf.texi b/doc/autoconf.texi

index 17b4e01..48c0ed5 100644

--- a/doc/autoconf.texi

+++ b/doc/autoconf.texi

@@ -20256,8 +20256,10 @@ However, this rule leads to real problems in practice. For example, if

the source directory contains an ordinary file named @file{test} that is

used in a dependency, Solaris @command{make} rewrites commands like

@samp{if test -r foo; @dots{}} to @samp{if ../pkg/src/test -r foo;

address@hidden, which is typically undesirable. The same might happen also

-to shell functions, variables and keywords.

address@hidden, which is typically undesirable. In fact, @command{make} is

+completely unaware of shell syntax used in the rules, so the VPATH

+rewrite can potentially apply to @emph{any} whitespace-separated word

+in a rule -- including shell variables, functions, and keywords.

@example

$ @kbd{mkdir build}