RE: auto-dep cannot possibly work?

[Paul Smith]

On Sun, 2009-11-15 at 19:52 -0800, Mark Galeck (CW) wrote:
> But now a developer decides they want to modify config.h, to make it
> better suited for the directory /include.  So they put a new modified
> version:  /include/config.h (and don't do anything else)
> 
> If you disagree that this is a reasonable change, not extremely
> bizarre, and that I should be able to handle it with my dependencies,
> then I will stop arguing, I will humbly take your opinion and not
> spend any more of your very valuable time.

So, they are going to add a new header file to this directory.  Now
EVERY source file that used to include /include1/config.h, and worked
fine and expected that, will start using /include/config.h the next time
it's compiled.

And that's OK?  Not a problem?  No other changes need to be made to the
source code?  It just seems unlikely to me.  If it really is the case
that you can just add this new header and have no effect on the files
that use that header, then what's the point anyway?

You are talking about the technical process by which this problem is
introduced.  That's not the question.  What I haven't seen is a
reasonable justification for WHY someone would do it.  Certainly not for
why it might be a reasonable and relatively common thing to do.

-- 
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Paul D. Smith <address@hidden>          Find some GNU make tips at:
 http://www.gnu.org                      http://make.mad-scientist.net
 "Please remain calm...I may be mad, but I am a professional." --Mad Scientist