Subject: Re: bug#11323: automake-1.11.4 regression

From: Ralf Corsepius <[email-masked]>
Date: Tue, 24 Apr 2012 10:49:21 +0200

On 04/24/2012 10:34 AM, Stefano Lattarini wrote:
> tags 11323 notabug
> close 11323
> thanks
>
> Hi Ralf.
>
> On 04/24/2012 09:50 AM, Ralf Corsepius wrote:
>> Hi,
>>
>> With automake<  1.11.4 it was possible to create empty directories this way:
>>
>> Makefile.am:
>> mystatedir = $(pkglocalstatedir)
>> mystatedir_DATA =
>>
>>
>> With automake-1.11.4, this doesn't work anymore and silently breaks
>> existing Makefile.ams.
>>
> Not a regression, but an intended change,
I once more have to disagree with you:

This change is a critical behavioral regression, causes defective 
packages and forces packagers to heavily hack their packages.

>   also documented in the NEWS
> file:
>
>    - An empty declaration of a "foo_PRIMARY" don't cause anymore the
>      generated install rules to create an empty $(foodir) directory
>
> and in the relevant  news entry on Savannah:
>
>    <http://savannah.gnu.org/forum/forum.php?forum_id=7175>
>
> See also:
>
>    <http://debbugs.gnu.org/cgi/bugreport.cgi?bug=11030>
>
-EFAILMAINTAINER

a) This kind of changes is inappropriate within a release series.
b) You don't seem to be aware about the harmfulness of this change of yours.

Please comprend that this change was a mistake and revert it!

Ralf