feature request

[stan]

Hi,

I am using the libsndfile package in my program as a library for 
conditional static linking.  The official release is broken with regard 
to FLAC support because the FLAC api changed, so I have patched it (I 
submitted the patches to the developer, but he isn't interested).  This 
works fine.  I can build the program with the static library if I pass 
the option to configure.  The problem comes when I want to install.  I 
cannot find a way to prevent the library from installing.  It would be 
great if I could define an option to configure and use a conditional to 
put the library in either SUBDIRS as I do now or a new variable called 
noinst_SUBDIRS.  The former would work just like now, the latter would 
build the library as it does as if it was in SUBDIRS, but would not 
install it.  The noinst_SUBDIRS would of course be built before anything 
in SUBDIRS.  Contents of both would go into dist_SUBDIRS automatically.

But perhaps there is a way to already do the equivalent with the 
autotools.  I've read the documentation and tried many ways, all without 
success.  The workaround is to build and install with no static 
library.  Then build with the static library option to configure and 
copy the executable only into the install directory manually.  Workable 
but clumsy.

Thanks for any suggestions.