On 01/12/2013 09:35 PM, Stefano Lattarini wrote: > On 01/04/2013 11:15 AM, Stefano Lattarini wrote: >> Severity: wishlist >> >> The 'mksintalldirs' script has been by long superseded by "install-sh -d", >> has already deprecated in the documentation, and already removed in >> Automake-NG. I'd like to remove it in future Automake versions. >> >> However, we must first find a viable way to non-fatally deprecate it >> with some form of runtime warning. >> > Here is a tentative roadmap: > > For Automake 1.13.x: > > - edit 'mkinstalldirs' print a non-fatal warning when invoked (keeping > its behaviour unchanged in every other aspect); this warning should > reference the use of "install-sh -d". > Actually, I'm no longer sure there is a point in mangling a working script with warnings of dubious usefulness. A warning at Automake runtime should be good enough. Speaking of which ...
> - have automake print a warning in the 'obsolete' category when it > decides to distribute the 'mkinstalldirs' script only because it > is found in the AC_CONFIG_AUX_DIR directory (but *not* if the user > distributes it explicitly, by listing it in EXTRA_DIST). > ... this is isn't the truly correct path to deprecation. A better and simpler one would be to warn only if 'mkinstalldirs' is *not* listen in an explicit AC_REQUIRE_AUX_FILE call (which is *the* correct and documented interface to require auxiliary scripts in Autotools-based projects). I'll try to cook up a patch along that line (it should be really easy and minimal at this point). > For Automake 1.14, or even 1.15: > > - turn both the warnings above into fatal errors. > Now, s/both the warnings/the warning/ of course. > For the next major version after that: > > - remove the mkinstalldir script from our Git repository altogether, > and drop any special handling of it from the automake script. > This stands. > This will allow anyone using older Automake versions to still be compatible > with 1.13.2, 1.14 and 1.15 by simply: > > - committing a copy of 'mkinstalldirs' in his repository; > This stands too. > - explicitly distributing it by having it listed in EXTRA_DIST. > Rather, 'mkinstalldirs' should just be given in a AC_REQUIRE_AUX_FILE invocation. This sounds more natural, and is the correct use of APIs. Regards, Stefano