I've made this build system as a replacement for autoconf, autoheader,
automake, and aclocal as I found them to be too limiting and too slow.
This build system is not as complete as the auto* tools, but it's very
easy to extend.
Some of the most important differences between this system and autoconf:
- it has a menu-driven configuration
- when compiling, the current directory will never change
- the object files are stored in a seperate tree from the source files,
leaving the latter clean, and easier grep-able.
- multiple object trees can be used, so you can have for instance a
debugging tree and a release tree side by side.
- it builds faster, mostly because libtool isn't used.
The files
---------
These are the files in the directory with the build script.
Of these files only build.config should be modified for a specific build.
For unknown dependencies, additions to config_proginfo might need to be
made. The other files should not be modified.
Only build.sh is to be called directly.
ansi ansi colour definitions.
build.config configuration options for the program to build.
It contains the description of the configuration
menu, and specifies the dependencies.
The format of the menu description is listed briefly
below.
build.sh the sh script that is to be called for configuration,
building, and installation.
build_functions auxiliary functions to build.sh for building.
config_functions auxiliary functions to build.sh for configuration.
config_proginfo_build contains descriptions of dependencies for the
system where the code is being built.
The information in this file is used in particular
for detecting if those libraries and other external
programs are present.
config_proginfo_host contains descriptions of dependencies for the
system where the software will eventually be run.
The information in this file is used in particular
for detecting if those libraries and other external
programs are present.
menu_functions auxiliary functions to build.sh for menus.
The menu (from build.config)
----------------------------
There are three types of menu items.
- Type MENU
A menu with menu items.
- Variables:
- MENU_${NAME}_TITLE
The title of the menu.
- MENU_${NAME}_TEXT (optional)
The text to show with the menu.
- MENU_${NAME}_ITEMS
The names of the menu items (space-seperated).
- MENU_${NAME}_ITEM_${ITEMNAME}_TYPE
The type of a menu item.
- Type CHOICE:
A choice between several options.
- Variables:
- CHOICE_${NAME}_TITLE
The title of the choice menu.
- CHOICE_${NAME}_TEXT (optional)
The text to show with the choice menu.
- CHOICE_${NAME}_OPTIONS
The names of the options (space-seperated).
- CHOICE_${NAME}_OPTION_${OPTIONNAME}_TITLE
The title of a menu option.
- CHOICE_${NAME}_OPTION_${OPTIONNAME}_ACTION
A command to be evaluated if this option is used.
- CHOICE_${NAME}_OPTION_${OPTIONNAME}_VALID (set by the config program)
0 if the choice has been verified to be a valid choice
1 if the choice has been verified to be not a valid choice
<empty> if the choice hasn't been verified to be valid
- CHOICE_${NAME}_DEFAULT (optional)
The default choice.
- CHOICE_${NAME}_VALUE (set by the config program)
The current choice.
- Type INPUT:
A string that is user-definable.
- Variables:
- INPUT_${NAME}_TITLE
The title of the input field.
- INPUT_${NAME}_TEXT (optional)
The text to show with the input field.
- INPUT_${NAME}_VALIDATOR (optional)
A function to call after the user supplied a new value which
checks if the value is allowed. It should accept the new value as
an argument, and return 1 if the value is not allowed, or return 0
and output the (possibly modified) value, to accept it.
- INPUT_${NAME}_DEFAULT (optional)
The default value.
- INPUT_${NAME}_VALUE (set by the config program)
The current value.
- INPUT_${NAME}_OLD_VALUE (set by the config program)
The value as it was at the start of the config program.
- Type CHECK:
An option that can either be on or off, like a checkbox.
- Variables:
- CHECK_${NAME}_TITLE
The title of the input field.
- CHECK_${NAME}_DEFAULT (optional)
The default value, either 'CHECKED' or 'UNCHECKED'.
- CHECK_${NAME}_VALUE (set by the config program)
The current value, either 'CHECKED' or 'UNCHECKED'.
- CHECK_${NAME}_FIXED (optional)
A string that evaluates to 0 if this checkbox may not be changed.
Program info (from config_proginfo)
-----------------------------------
Information about programs used should be supplied in the following form:
- PROG_${PROGRAM}_NAME
A string describing the program.
- PROG_${PROGRAM}_FILE
A string that evaluates to the executable that should be present if
this program is used.
- PROG_${PROGRAM}_ACTION (optional)
A command to be executed if this program is used, after the user is
done configuring.
- PROG_${PROGRAM}_DETECT (optional)
A command to be executed which should return 0 if the program is present
on the system, 1 if it is not present, or 2 to fallback to the default
detection. If no detect function was set, or it returned 2, 'type' is
used to check for the program in the path.
This command may include a shell command that modifies any of the
variables PROG_${PROGRAM}_FILE, PROG_${PROGRAM}_ACTION, or
PROG_${PROGRAM}_VERSION.
- PROG_${LIB}_DEPEND_DETECT_BIN (optional)
A list of space-separated binaries the detection of this program
depends on.
- PROG_${LIB}_DEPEND_DETECT_LIB (optional)
A list of space-separated libraries the detection of this program
depends on.
- PROG_${PROGRAM}_VERSION (optional)
A string that evaluates to the version of the executable that is
present, if it is present.
- PROG_${PROGRAM}_PRESENT (set by the configuration program)
0 if the program has been verified to be present
1 if the program has been verified to be not present
<empty> if presence of the program hasn't been verified
Library info (from config_proginfo)
-----------------------------------
Information about libraries used should be supplied in the following form:
- LIB_${LIB}_NAME
A string describing the program.
- LIB_${LIB}_CFLAGS
A string which evaluates to the string to add to CFLAGS if this library
is used.
- LIB_${LIB}_LDLAGS
A string which evaluates to the string to add to LDLAGS if this library
is used.
- PROG_${LIB}_DETECT (optional)
A command to be executed which should return 0 if the library is present
on the system, 1 if it is not present, or 2 to fallback to the default
detection. If no detect function was set, or it returned 2,
an attempt is made to compile and link an empty C program with
the flags as in LIB_${LIB}_CFLAGS and LIB_${LIB}_LDFLAGS.
This command may include a shell command that modifies any of the
variables PROG_${LIB}_CFLAGS, PROG_${LIB}_LDFLAGS, or
PROG_${LIB}_VERSION.
- LIB_${LIB}_DEPEND_DETECT_BIN (optional)
A list of space-separated binaries the detection of this library depends
on.
- LIB_${LIB}_DEPEND_DETECT_LIB (optional)
A list of space-separated libraries the detection of this library depends
on.
- LIB_${LIB}_VERSION (optional)
A string that evaluates to the version of the library that is
present, if it is present.
- LIB_${LIB}_PRESENT (set by the configuration program)
0 if the library has been verified to be present
1 if the library has been verified to be not present
<empty> if presence of the library hasn't been verified