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Re: Setting a default path with autoconf



On Thursday 19 Sep 2002 11:00 pm, Roger Leigh wrote:

> The "average user" shouldn't be running configure with a prefix of /
> or /usr, and so the default is what they want.  /etc and /usr are
> "owned" by dpkg, so nothing should be installed manually there.
> Running ./configure without arguments will default to /usr/local,
> and hence /usr/local/etc, which is entirely correct.

The "average user" does run with a prefix of /usr. That is why I am in this 
situation. I am not saying it is necessarily right, but the majority of users 
seem to expect this (i.e. bug reports on the upstream mailing list). If I 
can't find a way to make this default then /etc will simply be hardcoded all 
over the source.

> Only if you want to write hairy non-portable macros, using m4
> diversions which are internal to autoconf and will break since there
> is no formal interface for the autoconf developers to preserve.  No,
> basically.

Oh the flexibility of autoconf, it really is a joy to use isn't it?

> You should create a local "config.site" which tells configure what
> your local defaults/preferences are.  autoconf.info documents this.

I'm not sure that that will really be acceptable to upstream.

> HTH,

No, but I appreciate your efforts.



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