GNU bug report logs - #76527
"make distcheck" broken in non-recursive build systems using Vala support

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

From: Reuben Thomas <rrt <at> sc3d.org>
To: bug-automake <bug-automake <at> gnu.org>
Subject: "make distcheck" broken in non-recursive build systems using Vala
 support
Date: Mon, 24 Feb 2025 19:57:14 +0200

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

See commit 73f5ca3a of Zile:
https://git.savannah.gnu.org/cgit/zile.git/commit/

Also see https://savannah.gnu.org/bugs/index.php?66843

"make dist" works, but "make distcheck" fails as Vala-generated C files
remain in the out-of-tree build directory.

I have not worked out why, but it seems that the rule that should copy the
file from the top directory into the sub-directory does not fire. (The Vala
compiler is not terribly sympathetic to non-recursive build systems either,
so we generate complicated Makefile rules to work around it.)

I don't think this is a serious problem, as a) not many people use Vala,
and b) not many people use non-recursive build systems; also, c) Vala
itself recommends the use of Meson these days.

Hence, consider this a placeholder bug for now. If there is demand to fix
it, I might be able to find time to look into it further.

My own plan, should I need to make another release of Zile (the last
release was nearly 4 years ago, and there's little chance of a significant
change requiring an update), is to just run "make dist" if it's a minor
fix, or to switch back to a recursive build system.

(Incidentally, I am using Vala with automake on various other projects, all
using single-directory or recursive build systems, and it works fine,
including, I discovered last week, using the TAP support in Automake to run
Vala's GLib-based test suites. Using Vala & GLib obviates the use of
bootstrap+gnulib, which makes builds quite fast enough for my purposes,
while still benefitting from the familiarity, power and flexibility of the
autotools.)

-- 
https://rrt.sc3d.org

[Message part 2 (text/html, inline)]

Message #8 received at 76527 <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: Karl Berry <karl <at> freefriends.org>
To: rrt <at> sc3d.org
Cc: 76527 <at> debbugs.gnu.org
Subject: Re: bug#76527: "make distcheck" broken in non-recursive build systems
 using Vala support
Date: Mon, 24 Feb 2025 14:09:17 -0700

Thanks for the report, Reuben. I'll mark it as confirmed+needs help, so
it can stay open and people looking for something stray to work on might
find it. Like you, I'm content for it to stay open until there is
further demand. --best, karl.

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