Bug#549137: isdnutils: Pending removal of automake{1.4,1.7}, please update for automake1.9 or higher

[Barry deFreese <bdefreese@debian.org>]

Christian Perrier wrote:
> Quoting Barry deFreese (bdefreese@debian.org):
>   
> > Package: isdnutils
> > Version: 1:3.9.20060704-4
> > Severity: normal
> >
> > Hi,
> >
> > We are working on removing older versions of automake.  Your package
> > currently build-depends on automake1.4/1.7.  Please update the package
> > to build with 1.9 or higher.  Preferably 1.11.
> >     
>
> I'm working on that package for another reason (debconf templates
> review). It has just been orphaned so I guess that I could fix this
> while I upload a QA upload with the rewritten templates and
> translation updates.
>
> However, I have very limited skills about all this autostuff and might
> need help.
>
> What I see right now is;
>
> automake1.4, automake1.7, automake1.9
>
> in Build-Depends...
>
>
> Isn't that strange?
>
> Could it be possible to remove 1.4 and 1.7 and just rebuild? I don't
> know and I would appreciate input...
>
>
>   
Christian,

Thanks for the reply.  I actually started looking at isdnutils, it is a 
mess.  There is actually a newer upstream (still from 2007) but the 
patches don't all apply cleanly to it.  Yes, I personally think it is 
VERY odd that it build-depends on just about every version of automake.  
If you look at the rules file, it looks like it tries to build with 
"automake" then if that fails it tries an older version.

I was going to try to start from the newer upstream and see if I could 
fix the build system to just use automake 1.1x but it has sever reverse 
depends and I don't know the effect it might have on those.  Do you have 
any thoughts on that?  I'm happy to try to help with the autotools stuff.

Thanks again,

Barry deFreese
Debian QA