Will Newton <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes: > I have a package that really needs to have a configurable location of it's > configuration files. This would be possible by putting them in $sysconfdir, > but for some reason I am yet to come close to understanding, $sysconfdir is > set to $prefix/etc which is not a good place to put config files in the > general case, so in adding configurability, I break the build for the average > user who justs wants to type ./configure without arguments.
"$prefix/etc" /is/ the correct behaviour. If $prefix="/usr/local" or "/opt/mkpkg" or "/usr/local/pkg/foobar", this is the correct behaviour. When configuring for a Debian package, and putting the conffiles in /etc, you should consider this /an exception to the/ /rule/, required to make the package comply with Debian Policy Sections 10.1 (FHS) and 11.7.2: "Any configuration files created or used by your package must reside in /etc. If there are several you should consider creating a subdirectory of /etc named after your package." The "average user" shouldn't be running configure with a prefix of / or /usr, and so the default is what they want. /etc and /usr are "owned" by dpkg, so nothing should be installed manually there. Running ./configure without arguments will default to /usr/local, and hence /usr/local/etc, which is entirely correct. > Is there a way of setting the default value of an argument to configure? It > seems that argument processing is forced before it is possible to set the > value of a variable. Only if you want to write hairy non-portable macros, using m4 diversions which are internal to autoconf and will break since there is no formal interface for the autoconf developers to preserve. No, basically. > Or if someone can explain to me another way of easily configuring a config > file path from configure. You should create a local "config.site" which tells configure what your local defaults/preferences are. autoconf.info documents this. HTH, -- Roger Leigh "Liberty and Livelihood" Support the Countryside Alliance www.march-info.org -- To UNSUBSCRIBE, email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with a subject of "unsubscribe". Trouble? Contact [EMAIL PROTECTED]
