Re: Question on standard targets for a library

[John Darrington]

[ bug-standards is a list primarily concerned with discussing  proposed changes
  to the GNU Coding Standards.  So I think your message is not strictly on topic
  here.  But anyway .... ]

So your test program is of interest only to developers.  It is not a
deliverable that is normally shipped.  In such circumstances, my recommendation
would be:

1.  The install target should NOT install the test program.

2.  The test program should be arranged such that it can work from the build
    directory.   It should not be necessary to install it.

3.  Optionally, you can provide a target (eg: install-test-program) to install
    the test prog.

The GNU Coding Standards are a set of guidelines for which GNU programs should
follow.  Other programs are free to follow them also.


J'



On Sat, May 05, 2018 at 04:12:38AM -0400, Jeffrey Walton wrote:
     Hi Everyone,
     
     I have a question on the GNU Coding Standards and the Standard Targets
     detailed at 7.2.6 Standard Targets for Users
     (https://www.gnu.org/prep/standards/html_node/Standard-Targets.html).
     
     We are a C++ class library and not a program
     (https://www.cryptopp.com/). The primary artifacts are library
     headers, a static archive and a shared object. We offer a test program
     to exercise the library but I don't think anyone uses it.
     
     We recently received a request for a make recipe that installs the
     library only, which would be the primary artifacts of headers, a
     static archive and a shared object. The request wants to avoid the
     test program and the test data files. Looking at the coding standards
     I don't see a standard target for the recipe.
     
     What is the convention for installing (1) the library only and (2) the
     library with a test program? How should we align the targets?
     
     Thanks in advance,
     
     Jeffrey Walton
     Baltimore, MD US

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