Here is rms's reply/query (and my mail to him for reference). ?
Date: Sun, 08 Sep 2013 12:26:22 -0400 From: Richard Stallman <[email protected]> To: [email protected] (Karl Berry) Subject: Re: --rundir for coding standards + The directory for installing data files which the programs modify + while they run, that pertain to one specific machine, and which need + not persist longer than the execution of the program. Those words are not clear to me. Are these temp files? If not, how do they differ from temp files? From: [email protected] (Karl Berry) To: [email protected] Subject: --rundir for coding standards The following additional $(rundir) directory (and corresponding --rundir option) has been proposed for the coding standards. The autoconf and automake maintainers support it (as do I). Is it ok with you? *** standards.texi 15 Aug 2013 23:56:35 -0000 1.231 --- standards.texi 7 Sep 2013 22:53:09 -0000 *************** *** 3909,3913 **** @example --prefix --exec-prefix --bindir --sbindir --libexecdir --sysconfdir ! --sharedstatedir --localstatedir --libdir --includedir --oldincludedir --datarootdir --datadir --infodir --localedir --mandir --docdir --htmldir --dvidir --pdfdir --psdir --- 3909,3914 ---- @example --prefix --exec-prefix --bindir --sbindir --libexecdir --sysconfdir ! --sharedstatedir --localstatedir --rundir ! --libdir --includedir --oldincludedir --datarootdir --datadir --infodir --localedir --mandir --docdir --htmldir --dvidir --pdfdir --psdir *** make-stds.texi 13 Jul 2012 17:00:17 -0000 1.64 --- make-stds.texi 7 Sep 2013 22:53:08 -0000 *************** *** 519,522 **** --- 519,531 ---- @file{$(prefix)/var}. (If you are using Autoconf, write it as @samp{@@localstatedir@@}.) + + @item rundir + The directory for installing data files which the programs modify + while they run, that pertain to one specific machine, and which need + not persist longer than the execution of the program. This should + normally be @file{/var/run}, but write it as + @file{$(localstatedir)/run}. (Having it as a separate variable allows + the use of @file{/run} if desired). (If you are using Autoconf 2.70 + or later, write it as @samp{@@rundir@@}.) @end table
