From: Jon M. Taylor <taylorj@ecs.csus.edu>
  To  : ggi-develop@eskimo.com
  Date: Thu, 9 Jul 1998 15:20:25 -0700 (PDT)

Re: Degas cleanups

On Thu, 9 Jul 1998, Marcus Sundberg wrote:

> Jon M. Taylor wrote:
> > degas/lib
> > degas/lib/libggi
> > degas/lib/libggi/include
> > degas/lib/libggi/extensions
> > degas/lib/libggi/extensions/libggi2d
> > degas/lib/svgalib
> > 
> >         Mostly OK right now, except for deciding where libggi2d should
> > go.  IMHO it is a LibGGI extension (and hence part of LibGGI) and so the
> > above directory structure would be correct.  However, it is currently
> > also present in degs/lib/libggi2d.  We need to resolve this.
> 
> We have already decided to have libggi2d in degas/lib/libggi2d
> In my eyes libggi2d is not an extension to libggi, even though
> it happens to use the libggi extension mechanism.
> libggi2d is a separate library with an entirely different purpose
> than libggi, it just uses libggi as an interface to the underlying
> subsystem.

	OK, then I was wrong and it should go in lib/libggi2d.

> >         I therefore propose that the above three installation steps be
> > moved to their respective subsections' Makefiles and integrated with the
> > rest of those subsections' install options.  The top-level Makefile of any
> > class of subsections and its associated config system should only be a
> > convenient way to group config and install/uninstall options (and READMEs)
> > for whatever subsections are present - it should not be doing
> > subsection-specific tasks itself.
> > 
> >         Finally, to make the above really modular, the use of hardcoded
> > dialog options should be deprecated in favor of a universal, generic
> > configure menu script to be placed in degas/scripts and a text-based
> > config option database system somewhat similar to Linux's Config.in files.
> > Again, the current .configure system makes it quite painful to add/delete
> > options and subsections.  This should be possible by simply adding a new
> > line to a .config-options (or something similar) file and adding/deleting
> > the appropriate directory.
> 
> It's very annoying that you can't use the
> configuration-system unless you have a working "dialog" utility
> (except in the degas/lib directory).

	Separate interface from implementation - always a good programming
practice |->

> And the Makefiles DO need som major cleanup. Escecially the libggi
> ones which is a royal PITA of the worst degree...
> Sigh, I really which we could have those 127^3 hour days soon.

	If I come up with a working system for KGI, will you guys use it 
for LibGGI?

Jon

---
'Cloning and the reprogramming of DNA is the first serious step in 
becoming one with God.'
	- Scientist G. Richard Seed