In particular, suggesting that $PACKAGE and $VERSION should be aliases of the $PACKAGE_TARNAME and $PACKAGE_VERSION definitions coming from AC_INIT, and not be defined via an obsolete 2-argument invocation of AM_INIT_AUTOMAKE; and why that is the best default, given all our historical baggage.
See discussion in http://debbugs.gnu.org/16623 for more information and background. * doc/automake.texi: Adjust. * THANKS: Update. Signed-off-by: Stefano Lattarini <stefano.lattar...@gmail.com> --- Will push this tomorrow evening (CET). THANKS | 1 + doc/automake.texi | 31 +++++++++++++++++++++---------- 2 files changed, 22 insertions(+), 10 deletions(-) diff --git a/THANKS b/THANKS index 6be803e..7f84850 100644 --- a/THANKS +++ b/THANKS @@ -156,6 +156,7 @@ Ian Lance Taylor i...@cygnus.com Ignacy Gawedzki i...@lri.fr Илья Н. Голубев g...@mo.msk.ru Imacat ima...@mail.imacat.idv.tw +Infirit infi...@gmail.com Inoue in...@ainet.or.jp Jack Kelly j...@jackkelly.name James Amundson amund...@users.sourceforge.net diff --git a/doc/automake.texi b/doc/automake.texi index 736d61d..913dee4 100644 --- a/doc/automake.texi +++ b/doc/automake.texi @@ -3914,12 +3914,15 @@ This usage is mostly obsolete because the @var{package} and @var{version} can be obtained from Autoconf's @code{AC_INIT} macro. However, differently from what happens for @code{AC_INIT} invocations, this @code{AM_INIT_AUTOMAKE} invocation supports shell variables' expansions -in the @code{PACKAGE} and @code{VERSION} arguments, and this can be -still be useful in some selected situations. Our hope is that future -Autoconf versions will improve their support for package versions -defined dynamically at configure runtime; when (and if) this happens, -support for the two-args @code{AM_INIT_AUTOMAKE} invocation will likely -be removed from Automake. +in the @code{PACKAGE} and @code{VERSION} arguments (which otherwise +defaults, respectively, to the @code{PACKAGE_TARNAME} and +@code{PACKAGE_VERSION} defined via the @code{AC_INIT} invocation; +@pxref{AC_INIT, , The @code{AC_INIT} macro, autoconf, The Autoconf Manual}); +and this can be still be useful in some selected situations. +Our hope is that future Autoconf versions will improve their support +for package versions defined dynamically at configure runtime; when +(and if) this happens, support for the two-args @code{AM_INIT_AUTOMAKE} +invocation will likely be removed from Automake. @anchor{Modernize AM_INIT_AUTOMAKE invocation} If your @file{configure.ac} has: @@ -8381,9 +8384,13 @@ We recommend that you follow this same set of heuristics in your The @code{dist} rule in the generated @file{Makefile.in} can be used to generate a gzipped @code{tar} file and other flavors of archive for distribution. The file is named based on the @code{PACKAGE} and -@code{VERSION} variables defined by @code{AM_INIT_AUTOMAKE} -(@pxref{Macros}); more precisely the gzipped @code{tar} file is named -@samp{@var{package}-@var{version}.tar.gz}. +@code{VERSION} variables automatically defined by either the +@code{AC_INIT} invocation or by a @emph{deprecated} two-arguments +invocation of the @code{AM_INIT_AUTOMAKE} macro (see @ref{Public Macros} +for how these variables get their values, from either defaults or explicit +values -- it's slightly trickier than one would expect). +More precisely the gzipped @code{tar} file is named +@samp{$@{PACKAGE@}-$@{VERSION@}.tar.gz}. @vindex GZIP_ENV You can use the @command{make} variable @code{GZIP_ENV} to control how gzip is run. The default setting is @option{--best}. @@ -10151,7 +10158,11 @@ brittle. @opindex no-define This option is meaningful only when passed as an argument to @code{AM_INIT_AUTOMAKE}. It will prevent the @code{PACKAGE} and -@code{VERSION} variables from being @code{AC_DEFINE}d. +@code{VERSION} variables from being @code{AC_DEFINE}d. But notice +that they will remain defined as shell variables in the generated +@code{configure}, and as make variables in the generated +@code{Makefile}; this is deliberate, and required for backward +compatibility. @item @option{no-dependencies} @cindex Option, @option{no-dependencies} -- 2.1.3
