Re: AM_PATH_PYTHON bug

[Stepan Kasal]

Hallo Alexandre,

On Fri, Nov 05, 2004 at 11:07:36AM +0100, Alexandre Duret-Lutz wrote:
> If so, why does tests/python8.test work?

good question, thank you for it.  You were almost right when you wrote:

>  >> I believe you are confusing AC_PATH_PROGS with AC_PATH_PROG.

Actually, I was confusing AC_CHECK_PROG with AC_PATH_PROG.

AC_CHECK_PROG does nothing if the variable is already set.
AC_PATH_PROG does nothing if the variable is set and looks like full path.

So, if I set PYTHON=python2.1 then AC_CHECK_PROG(S) respects it, but
AC_PATH_PROG(S) would ignore it and proceed as if the variable were empty.

This behaviour contradicts to the autoconf manual which says:

 - Macro: AC_PATH_PROG (VARIABLE, PROG-TO-CHECK-FOR,
          [VALUE-IF-NOT-FOUND], [PATH])
     Like `AC_CHECK_PROG', but set VARIABLE to the entire path of
     PROG-TO-CHECK-FOR if found.

I'll submit this to bug-autoconf and we'll see.

With kind regards,
        Stepan Kasal