[m-dev.] diff: Installation changes for easier packaging.

[Tyson Richard DOWD]

Fergus Henderson wrote:
> Tyson Richard DOWD, you wrote:
> > 
> > +# FINAL_INSTALL_PREFIX is provided so that you can install to
> > +# a particular directory, with the intention to move that install
> > +# to a different location at a later time. 
> > +# This makes it easier for packaging tools to install.
> > +# (As a consequence, if you want to override INSTALL_PREFIX on
> > +# the command line, you should override FINAL_INSTALL_PREFIX too,
> > +# unless you actually want to move the files to a final destination
> > +# later).
> > +# Note: Other FINAL_INSTALL_* variables have a similar meaning.
> > +
> >  INSTALL_PREFIX		= @prefix@
> > +FINAL_INSTALL_PREFIX	= @prefix@
> 
> I suggest you change that to
> 
> 	FINAL_INSTALL_PREFIX	= $(INSTALL_PREFIX)
> 
> and delete the comment in parentheses above.
> 

No, that won't work because if I do

	make INSTALL_PREFIX=/tmp/foo/bar/dir/

then FINAL_INSTALL_PREFIX will be overridden also, which is exactly
the sort of behaviour I don't want.

Perhaps the comments should be re-written.

+# FINAL_INSTALL_PREFIX describes the directory that the installation
+# will finally end up in. It should only be set by the configure 
+# script.  Other FINAL_INSTALL_* variables have a similar meaning.
+#
+# If you want to install to a different directory temporarily (e.g.
+# to build a package, or if you don't have the permissions to install
+# to a final directory), override INSTALL_PREFIX on the command-line.
+# If you have previously configured to the directory you want to
+# finally install to, you will then be able to move the files safely,
+# since any hard-coded paths will be set to their final destination
+# already (note that the installation in the temporary directory may
+# not work until moved into its final destination).
+# e.g.
+# 	configure --prefix /usr
+# 	make INSTALL_PREFIX=/some/temporary/directory/usr

+# If you don't intend to install to a temporary directory, rather than
+# overriding INSTALL_PREFIX you should reconfigure using the configure
+# script, since there are some hardcoded paths created by the configure
+# script (e.g. in the shell scripts mmc, ml, mmake, etc) that will not
+# be updated simply by overriding INSTALL_PREFIX.

-- 
       Tyson Dowd           #          Another great idea from the 
                            #            people who brought you
      trd at .cs.mu.oz.au      #               Beer Milkshakes!
http://www.cs.mu.oz.au/~trd #	         Confidence --- Red Dwarf