Bug#88029: allow rules file to be non-makefile

[Chris Lawrence <lawrencc@debian.org>]

On Feb 28, Sean 'Shaleh' Perry wrote:
> > I would like to propose that the debian/rules file is allowed to be
> > non-makefile. Any kind of a program that can do the required stuff can be a
> > debian/rules file. We shouldn't prohibit it when someone e.g. writes a short
> > shell script or another interpreted script, as long as it works.
> > 
> 
> I am against this.  Grab the shoop package for an example of what this will
> lead to.
> 
> Debian developers should be able to read and if need be NMU another developers
> package.  Allowing rules files to be arbitrary code makes this harder.

I tend to agree with Shaleh.  Nothing really to stop debian/rules from
having lots of calls to a non-makefile though... (debstd *cough* ;-)

I can't think of any case offhand when a makefile *wouldn't* work as
debian/rules.  Even if it does pass the buck totally onto something
that is Build-Depended upon... besides, isn't there some way to specify:

#!/usr/bin/make -f

ARBITRARY_TARGET:
        some_script $@

where ARBITRARY_TARGET is some mysterious % pattern that GNU make uses?

voila... your debian/rules is policy compliant.

(Oh did I mention: PLEASE DON'T DO THIS!!!! :-)


Chris
-- 
Chris Lawrence <cnlawren@olemiss.edu> - http://www.lordsutch.com/chris/

Instructor and Doctoral Student, Political Science, Univ. of Mississippi
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