GNU bug report logs - #12058
AM_PATH_SDL does not find SDL framework installations on Mac OSX

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Message #5 received at submit <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: David Lowe <doctorjlowe <at> verizon.net>
To: bug-automake <at> gnu.org
Subject: AM_PATH_SDL does not find SDL framework installations on Mac OSX
Date: Thu, 26 Jul 2012 07:42:25 -0700

[Message part 1 (text/plain, inline)]

	Background information: on OSX, the preferred distribution method for libraries is the 'framework' which is a click-and-draggable object that contains headers and libraries together.  The standard location for these is: /Library/Frameworks/

	I have the latest version of officially provided SDL runtime libraries here:

Darlene-Lowes-Mac-mini:/ (222) $ ls /Library/Frameworks/SDL*
/Library/Frameworks/SDL.framework:
Headers   Resources SDL       Versions

/Library/Frameworks/SDL_image.framework:
Frameworks Headers    Resources  SDL_image  Versions

/Library/Frameworks/SDL_mixer.framework:
Frameworks Headers    Resources  SDL_mixer  Versions

	However, automake ignores them, leading to:

checking for sdl-config... no
checking for SDL - version >= 1.1.4... no
*** The sdl-config script installed by SDL could not be found
*** If SDL was installed in PREFIX, make sure PREFIX/bin is in
*** your path, or set the SDL_CONFIG environment variable to the
*** full path to sdl-config.
configure: error: specified client 'sdl' not configurable (SDL >= 1.1.4 is needed (www.libsdl.org))

	The above portion of a log came from a recent attempt to install Freeciv-SDL from source.  I will attach the full copies of configure.ac and Makefile.am that were generated during that attempt, as i don't know enough to be sure what i could trim out without removing useful information.  In any case, the failure is repeatable across a range of versions of OSX with these frameworks.  I did once grab the SDL sources and do the usual configure/make.  The resulting installation does not create a framework, but automake does find the libraries.

[configure.ac (application/octet-stream, attachment)]

[Makefile.am (application/octet-stream, attachment)]

[Message part 4 (text/plain, inline)]

	Relevant versions:

automake: 1.10
SDL: 1.2.14
OSX: 10.6.8

	Desired results: I would prefer that AM_PATH_SDL be upgraded to find and use such frameworks.  Failing that, it would be nice if someone could suggest an alternate test so that the framework can be used in the configure process of the Freeciv project.

Message #8 received at 12058 <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: Stefano Lattarini <stefano.lattarini <at> gmail.com>
To: David Lowe <doctorjlowe <at> verizon.net>
Cc: control <at> debbugs.gnu.org, 12058 <at> debbugs.gnu.org
Subject: Re: bug#12058: AM_PATH_SDL does not find SDL framework installations
	on Mac OSX
Date: Thu, 26 Jul 2012 20:38:13 +0200

close 12058 notabug
thanks

Hi Dave.

On 07/26/2012 04:42 PM, David Lowe wrote:
>  Background information: on OSX, the preferred distribution method for
>  libraries is the 'framework' which is a click-and-draggable object
>  that contains headers and libraries together.  The standard location
>  for these is: /Library/Frameworks/
> 
>  I have the latest version of officially provided SDL runtime
>  libraries here:
> 
> Darlene-Lowes-Mac-mini:/ (222) $ ls /Library/Frameworks/SDL*
> /Library/Frameworks/SDL.framework:
> Headers   Resources SDL       Versions
> 
> /Library/Frameworks/SDL_image.framework:
> Frameworks Headers    Resources  SDL_image  Versions
> 
> /Library/Frameworks/SDL_mixer.framework:
> Frameworks Headers    Resources  SDL_mixer  Versions
> 
> However, automake ignores them, leading to:
>
> checking for sdl-config... no
> checking for SDL - version >= 1.1.4... no
> *** The sdl-config script installed by SDL could not be found
> *** If SDL was installed in PREFIX, make sure PREFIX/bin is in
> *** your path, or set the SDL_CONFIG environment variable to the
> *** full path to sdl-config.
> configure: error: specified client 'sdl' not configurable (SDL >= 1.1.4 is needed (www.libsdl.org))
> 
>  The above portion of a log came from a recent attempt to install
>  Freeciv-SDL from source.  I will attach the full copies of configure.ac
>  and Makefile.am that were generated during that attempt, as i don't
>  now enough to be sure what i could trim out without removing useful
>  information.  In any case, the failure is repeatable across a range
>  of versions of OSX with these frameworks.  I did once grab the SDL
>  sources and do the usual configure/make.  The resulting installation
>  does not create a framework, but automake does find the libraries.
> 
> Relevant versions:
> 
>   automake: 1.10
>   SDL: 1.2.14
>   OSX: 10.6.8
> 
> Desired results: I would prefer that AM_PATH_SDL be upgraded to
> find and use such frameworks.  Failing that, it would be nice if
> someone could suggest an alternate test so that the framework
> can be used in the configure process of the Freeciv project.=
>
Well, this problem has nothing to do with Automake, because the macro
AM_PATH_SDL is *not* provided by Automake -- although the fact that the
macro name starts with 'AM_' confusingly suggest otherwise.

IMNSHO that choice of a name it is a serious mistake by whoever is
defining/distributing that macro, for two reasons:

  1. it gives the wrong impression that the macro is provided
     by or related to Automake -- not true.

  2. It invades the 'AM_' namespace, that should be reserved
     for automake macros.

Back to you problem: a google search *suggests* that AM_PATH_SDL is
provided by the SDL project itself:

<http://wiki.libsdl.org/moin.cgi/FAQLinux>
<http://lists.libsdl.org/pipermail/commits-libsdl.org/2010-April/002622.html>
<http://www.libsdl.org/release/SDL-1.2.15/sdl.m4>

So you might want to report the issue to them.

Regards, and good luck,
  Stefano

Message #11 received at 12058 <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: Stefano Lattarini <stefano.lattarini <at> gmail.com>
To: David Lowe <doctorjlowe <at> verizon.net>
Cc: 12058 <at> debbugs.gnu.org
Subject: Re: bug#12058: AM_PATH_SDL does not find SDL framework installations
	on Mac OSX
Date: Thu, 26 Jul 2012 20:38:20 +0200

close 12058 notabug
thanks

Hi Dave.

On 07/26/2012 04:42 PM, David Lowe wrote:
>  Background information: on OSX, the preferred distribution method for
>  libraries is the 'framework' which is a click-and-draggable object
>  that contains headers and libraries together.  The standard location
>  for these is: /Library/Frameworks/
> 
>  I have the latest version of officially provided SDL runtime
>  libraries here:
> 
> Darlene-Lowes-Mac-mini:/ (222) $ ls /Library/Frameworks/SDL*
> /Library/Frameworks/SDL.framework:
> Headers   Resources SDL       Versions
> 
> /Library/Frameworks/SDL_image.framework:
> Frameworks Headers    Resources  SDL_image  Versions
> 
> /Library/Frameworks/SDL_mixer.framework:
> Frameworks Headers    Resources  SDL_mixer  Versions
> 
> However, automake ignores them, leading to:
>
> checking for sdl-config... no
> checking for SDL - version >= 1.1.4... no
> *** The sdl-config script installed by SDL could not be found
> *** If SDL was installed in PREFIX, make sure PREFIX/bin is in
> *** your path, or set the SDL_CONFIG environment variable to the
> *** full path to sdl-config.
> configure: error: specified client 'sdl' not configurable (SDL >= 1.1.4 is needed (www.libsdl.org))
> 
>  The above portion of a log came from a recent attempt to install
>  Freeciv-SDL from source.  I will attach the full copies of configure.ac
>  and Makefile.am that were generated during that attempt, as i don't
>  now enough to be sure what i could trim out without removing useful
>  information.  In any case, the failure is repeatable across a range
>  of versions of OSX with these frameworks.  I did once grab the SDL
>  sources and do the usual configure/make.  The resulting installation
>  does not create a framework, but automake does find the libraries.
> 
> Relevant versions:
> 
>   automake: 1.10
>   SDL: 1.2.14
>   OSX: 10.6.8
> 
> Desired results: I would prefer that AM_PATH_SDL be upgraded to
> find and use such frameworks.  Failing that, it would be nice if
> someone could suggest an alternate test so that the framework
> can be used in the configure process of the Freeciv project.=
>
Well, this problem has nothing to do with Automake, because the macro
AM_PATH_SDL is *not* provided by Automake -- although the fact that the
macro name starts with 'AM_' confusingly suggest otherwise.

IMNSHO that choice of a name it is a serious mistake by whoever is
defining/distributing that macro, for two reasons:

  1. it gives the wrong impression that the macro is provided
     by or related to Automake -- not true.

  2. It invades the 'AM_' namespace, that should be reserved
     for automake macros.

Back to you problem: a google search *suggests* that AM_PATH_SDL is
provided by the SDL project itself:

<http://wiki.libsdl.org/moin.cgi/FAQLinux>
<http://lists.libsdl.org/pipermail/commits-libsdl.org/2010-April/002622.html>
<http://www.libsdl.org/release/SDL-1.2.15/sdl.m4>

So you might want to report the issue to them.

Regards, and good luck,
  Stefano

Message #18 received at 12058 <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: Jack Kelly <jack <at> jackkelly.name>
To: Stefano Lattarini <stefano.lattarini <at> gmail.com>
Cc: 12058 <at> debbugs.gnu.org, David Lowe <doctorjlowe <at> verizon.net>
Subject: Re: bug#12058: AM_PATH_SDL does not find SDL framework installations
	on Mac OSX
Date: Fri, 27 Jul 2012 07:45:12 +1000

On Fri, Jul 27, 2012 at 4:38 AM, Stefano Lattarini
<stefano.lattarini <at> gmail.com> wrote:
> IMNSHO that choice of a name it is a serious mistake by whoever is
> defining/distributing that macro, for two reasons:
>
>   1. it gives the wrong impression that the macro is provided
>      by or related to Automake -- not true.
>
>   2. It invades the 'AM_' namespace, that should be reserved
>      for automake macros.

IIRC a number of packages used to define their own AM_PATH_FOO macros,
all subtly different. This is before pkg-config came about, and before
the AX_ namespace was widely used (available?).

> Back to you problem: a google search *suggests* that AM_PATH_SDL is
> provided by the SDL project itself:
>
> <http://wiki.libsdl.org/moin.cgi/FAQLinux>
> <http://lists.libsdl.org/pipermail/commits-libsdl.org/2010-April/002622.html>
> <http://www.libsdl.org/release/SDL-1.2.15/sdl.m4>

I don't have a mac handy so I can't go rummaging around in the .dmg,
but if there's a sdl-config in the framework you've installed, you
make be able to get freeciv to configure by passing an appropriate
--with-sdl-prefix flag.

So if you can make it configure, then the bug is with sdl.m4, which
should be looking for frameworks on OSX, I suppose. You may be able to
make it work with pkg-config (replace the call to AM_PATH_SDL with an
appropriate PKG_CHECK_MODULES call), depending on whether the
framework distributes sdl.pc and your PKG_CONFIG_PATH.

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