[debhelper-devel] `dh --with autotools_dev` and `dh_update_autotools_config`
Niels Thykier
niels at thykier.net
Tue Aug 1 19:09:00 UTC 2017
Lukas Schwaighofer:
> Hi autotools-dev maintainer, debhelper developers and dh-autoreconf
> maintainer,
>
> I was a bit confused with the current situation regarding autoreconf,
> updating config.{sub,guess} files and the autotools-dev package. I'd
> like to help improving the situation for newcomers like me, but first I
> want to make sure I actually understand it correctly. (The
> dh-autoreconf package isn't directly involved, except for the man page.)
>
Hi,
Thanks for engaging us and trying to improve the situation. :)
>
> As far as I can tell, the `dh_update_autotools_config` command from
> debhelper (>= 9.20160115) always regenerates config.{sub,guess}.
Correct. For a package that uses the dh-sequencer, the
dh_update_autotools_config will be called and update config.{sub,guess}
by default.
> Therefore, with a recent enough version of debhelper, the dh module and
> debhelper commands supplied by the autotools-dev package are no longer
> necessary.
Their functionality is now provided by the default debhelper sequence.
> Is that correct, or are there still any situations where
> `dh --with autotools_dev` is required?
I am not aware of any situation where "dh $@ --with autotools-dev"
provide any benefits over the (now) built-in functionality of debhelper.
Except for various internal implementation details, they provide the
same functionality.
> And is there consensus
> that `dh_update_autotools_config` should supersede the debhelper/dh
> related functionality provided by autotools-dev?
>
None at the moment. I have recently sent an email to the Henrique about
this topic, but I have yet to hear from him. That said, I designed the
dh_update_autotools_config tool debhelper could provide the same
functionality out of the box.
I have offered to manage the deprecation and eventual removal of the
autotools-dev related debhelper tools + sequence if we were to go down
that route. However, as mentioned, I have not heard from Henrique, so I
do not know if that is the way we will go.
>> [...] Or at least update the
> dh_autotools-dev_*, dh_update_autotools_config and dh-autoreconf man
> pages to explain the current situation correctly? If you want I can
> open bug reports with suggestions for the man pages.
>
> Thanks & regards
> Lukas
>
> [...]
I am happy to improve the manpage of dh_update_autotools_config if it
would help clarify the situation. Was something along the lines of
"""
This tool is an alternative to dh_autotools-dev_updateconfig and can
completely replace it.
"""
what you were missing in the dh_update_autotools_config manpage?
Thanks,
~Niels
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