srcdir == objdir build issues [SC take note]

[Phil Edwards]

On Fri, May 09, 2003 at 01:55:52PM -0400, DJ Delorie wrote:
> I keep noting that every other source
> package besides gcc is build with "./configure; make" and we'd only be
> surprising the users if we don't allow it.

Very true.

> So here's an idea.  Let's ask the Steering Committee what we should
> support.  Whatever we choose to not support, I'll modify configure to
> detect and just plain fail, so there will be no doubts about the
> situation any more.

There's no reason to make it gratuitously fail.  I implemented a patch
that would solve both problems:  configury only has to deal with out-srcdir
builds, plus the users can do "./configure; make" with no surprises.

You rejected it because it would confuse a user who wanted to debug a
problem but would be confused when objects weren't in the same place as
the sources.  Which means, a user who

 - was proficient enough with computers to be building a compiler from scratch
 - cared enough to investigate the causes of a failed build
 - knew about ".c" files turning into ".o" files

but

 - hadn't read the documentation where we point out separate objdir builds,
 - didn't know how to type "ls" and notice brand new subdirs named "build-*"

I disbelieve such a user exists.


Phil

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