[help-texinfo] ../tools/info/makedoc: No such file or directory [solved]

[Graham Reitz]

I struggled with the particular build error (mentioned in the link below) for a 
few days while building a cross compiling setup (clfs) for an ARM based single 
board computer.

http://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/bug-texinfo/2013-11/msg00017.html

Build environment:  Stock Debian 7.x VM under Vmware Fusion.

The solution is to install a tex system such as texlive.  It can be installed 
using Debian’s Synaptic Package Manager (GUI) or using apt-get from the command 
line, 'sudo apt-get install texlive’.

If I understood correctly while digging into this:

It appears when the tools (e.g. from texlive) are not available texinfo 
attempts to build them as part its build process.  Since this is a cross 
compile the tools are built for the target architecture, or not present.  The 
texinfo build fails with makedoc not present.  

It would have been convenient if this was flagged during the configure process. 
 If it was flagged, the configure warning isn't easy to spot for the unseasoned.

Hopefully this will help anyone that encounters this particular build error.  

Regards,
Graham