GNU bug report logs - #52256
conditional info pages don't work

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

From: Mike Frysinger <vapier <at> gentoo.org>
To: bug-automake <at> gnu.org
Subject: conditional info pages don't work
Date: Thu, 2 Dec 2021 23:58:38 -0500

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the gdb/binutils/gcc projects don't commit info pages to the git tree.
but people build them from git on old distros semi-frequently.  so the
tree handles things like old versions of makeinfo -- if a version is
too old, then info pages aren't built.

unfortunately, automake doesn't seem to handle this situation correctly.
it wants to always build the .info pages even when they're under an
automake conditional that is disabled.

consider the attached files which are a reduced testcase.  the texinfo
file has errors in it purely to show the automake issue.

$ autoconf --version | head -1
autoconf (GNU Autoconf) 2.71
$ automake --version | head -1
automake (GNU automake) 1.16.5
$ autoreconf -fi
$ ./configure -q
$ make
  MAKEINFO ctf-spec.info
ctf-spec.texi:2: unknown command `forcedError'
make: *** [Makefile:327: ctf-spec.info] Error 1

if i add a stub target in the Makefile.am, it works correctly:

--- a/Makefile.am
+++ b/Makefile.am
@@ -2,4 +2,6 @@
 info_TEXINFOS =
 if BUILD_INFO
 info_TEXINFOS += ctf-spec.texi
+else
+ctf-spec.info:
 endif

$ autoreconf -fi
$ ./configure -q
$ make
make: Nothing to be done for 'all'.
-mike

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[ctf-spec.texi (application/x-texinfo, attachment)]

[Makefile.am (text/plain, attachment)]

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Message #8 received at 52256 <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: Karl Berry <karl <at> freefriends.org>
To: vapier <at> gentoo.org
Cc: 52256 <at> debbugs.gnu.org
Subject: Re: bug#52256: conditional info pages don't work
Date: Fri, 3 Dec 2021 15:54:06 -0700

    unfortunately, automake doesn't seem to handle this situation correctly.

Not surprising.

    ctf-spec.texi:2: unknown command `forcedError'

Maybe you would like to look into it? It's not like I have any special
knowledge here.  At least the error message could be improved, if it
turns out not to be feasible to make it work.

    +else
    +ctf-spec.info:

Seems like a fine workaround? I guess I could imagine documenting it, if
that's the outcome. --thanks, karl.

Message #11 received at 52256 <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: Mike Frysinger <vapier <at> gentoo.org>
To: Karl Berry <karl <at> freefriends.org>
Cc: 52256 <at> debbugs.gnu.org
Subject: Re: bug#52256: conditional info pages don't work
Date: Fri, 3 Dec 2021 22:15:23 -0500

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On 03 Dec 2021 15:54, Karl Berry wrote:
>     unfortunately, automake doesn't seem to handle this situation correctly.
> 
> Not surprising.
> 
>     ctf-spec.texi:2: unknown command `forcedError'
> 
> Maybe you would like to look into it? It's not like I have any special
> knowledge here.  At least the error message could be improved, if it
> turns out not to be feasible to make it work.

the error message isn't the point ... i did that just to make it clear the
file was being inspected.  if it was a valid file, there wouldn't be an
error like this.

>     +else
>     +ctf-spec.info:
> 
> Seems like a fine workaround? I guess I could imagine documenting it, if
> that's the outcome. --thanks, karl.

it's the workaround i pushed in binutils.  if the automake folks want to
document it as a KI with this workaround, that seems like an OK workaround
until someone can figure out how to make it work.
-mike

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