From: Thomas Tanner <tanner@gmx.de>
  To  : ggi-develop@eskimo.com
  Date: Sat, 06 Feb 1999 19:27:00 +0100

Re: I have seen the stars... at Creative!

becka@rz.uni-duesseldorf.de wrote:
> > * The libtool/autoconf/automake dependency thing is a *MAJOR* headache to
> 
> >       * Write "you need libtool v.x, autoconf v.y and automake v.c to
> >       build LibGGI and friends.  Here's where they are" in big neon
> >       letters (metaphorically speaking) somewhere prominent (like degas/
> 
> Yes, and we should put the packages on our FTP. Someone send me pointers
> to painlessly installing and newest versions, and I'll put it up there.

 autoconf 2.13 and automake 1.4 can be found on every GNU mirror:

 ftp://ftp.gnu.org/pub/gnu/autoconf/autoconf-2.13.tar.gz 
 ftp://ftp.gnu.org/pub/gnu/automake/automake-1.4.tar.gz

 I'll upload a libtool 1.2e snapshot to ftp.ggi-project.org
   
 It would be a good idea to put a link to Ian Taylors
 autotools introduction on the webpages:
 http://www.cygnus.com/~ian/

> >       * Somehow, we need to check for those version dependencies in
> >       autogen.sh and fail the config/build process cleanly if the
> >       required tool versions are not installed.  Currently the config
> >       process fails with uninformative and confusing error messages
> >       (usually from an old libtool), which are no help unless you
> >       already know what's going on.  This seems to be causing a lot
> >       of unnecessary mails to the mailing list, and it gave *me* a lot
> >       of stress too.  Before my irritation fades, I'd like to stress
> >       how much of a turn-off it is to potential developers to fight
> >       with a balky config/build system for hours.

 In order to check for the versions add 

 AUTOMAKE_OPTIONS = 1.4

 to the toplevel Makefile.am and 

 AC_PREREQ(2.13)

 to configure.in

-- 
Thomas Tanner ----------------------------------------
email: tanner@(gmx.de|ggi-project.org|gnu.org|mucl.de)
web:   http://home.pages.de/~tanner
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