On 2021-8-25 10:14 , Karl Berry wrote:
Ok, I guess we'll have to revert the Python change and make another
release. I was worried about the change. But I am not sure of how best
to deal with the intended benefits.
Joshua, can you please take a look at these reports and advise?
https://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/automake/2021-08/msg00007.html
https://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/automake/2021-08/msg00006.html
I guess the fundamental question is: Why are we asking python where it
wants modules installed? If it's so we can install modules in a place
where python will find them, it makes sense that $PYTHON_PREFIX may be
distinct from $prefix. If it's so that we can install modules in a
consistent subdir relative to the prefix, then we run into the problem
that what python gives you is not always relative to the prefix (and
isn't necessarily consistent). It seems like using a fixed subdir would
solve that problem better than asking python.
If reliance on the previous behaviour is widespread enough that the
change is unacceptable, some alternatives might be to have different
behaviour depending on whether the discovered python is in the
configured prefix or not, or depending on whether or not python is a
framework build. The downside is more special cases and more potential
for confusion.
Whatever else you decide to do, please keep the --with-python_prefix
option. Having that makes it at least possible to install in the right
place for framework builds, even if the defaults go back to being
incorrect for that case.
- Josh
