Alex Kost writes: > Tomáš Čech (2016-08-27 09:57 +0300) wrote: > >> On Fri, Aug 26, 2016 at 09:48:36PM +0200, Roel Janssen wrote: >>>Dear Guix, >>> >>>Due to an old Automake version (1.13), running the `./configure' phase on >>>CentOS 7 fails with: >>> >>>> autoreconf: running: automake --add-missing --copy --force-missing >>>> configure.ac:21: warning: The 'AM_PROG_MKDIR_P' macro is deprecated, and >>>> its use is discouraged. >>>> configure.ac:21: You should use the Autoconf-provided 'AC_PROG_MKDIR_P' >>>> macro instead, >>>> configure.ac:21: and use '$(MKDIR_P)' instead of '$(mkdir_p)'in your >>>> Makefile.am files. >>>> Makefile.am:422: warning: AM_GNU_GETTEXT used but 'po' not in SUBDIRS >>>> automake: error: cannot open < ./%D%/guix.texi: No such file or directory >>>> autoreconf: automake failed with exit status: 1 >>> >>>(It does not replace %D% with the appropriate directory..) >>> >>>The attached patch replaces each instance of %D%, which I believe stands >>>for the current subdirectory from the project root, with the appropriate >>>directory. With these changes, I've been able to compile GNU Guix on >>>CentOS 7. >>> >>>I am not sure how this change impacts custom configure options, so I >>>would like to ask someone with more Automake knowledge and experience to >>>elaborate on the possible downsides of applying this patch. >>> >>>If this change is acceptable to the project, I will update the commit >>>message to a more detailed and conforming message. Suggestions are >>>welcome here though. >>> >>>What do you think about making Guix compilable on this "stable" >>>distribution? :-) >> >> I'd prefer to keep this patch in CentOS (or similar distribution with >> outdated software) as distro specific. I can assume that CentOS 8 >> won't need it and you can just drop it for newer releases. > > I also think this patch should stay on the CentOS side. Roel, what you > suggest is a revert of commit c0d2e7b: > > http://git.savannah.gnu.org/cgit/guix.git/commit/?id=c0d2e7b197a3c511eb1bf60b61ee6fdc673e36f4
Ha! I hadn't seen that commit. It is indeed a revert of this commit. Let me rephrase my thought: I don't see any good reason to break compatibility with well established distributions. And the commit message does not state why a macro is better than spelling out the relative path. Because the above commit shows that we used to be able to compile GNU Guix without the macro, I am more confident that it is harmless. Possibly Mathieu can elaborate on the necessity of the change. :) I don't see a way to apply this patch "on the CentOS side" except for waiting (another two or three years) until they upgrade Automake. Kind regards, Roel Janssen
