Re: AC_ARG_VAR 2.53

[Akim Demaille]

>>>>> "Pontus" == Pontus Skoeld <address@hidden> writes:

Pontus> How about something like

I have tried to merge you suggestion with the documentation (instead
of just appending).  What do you think of this?

Index: ChangeLog
from  Akim Demaille  <address@hidden>

        * doc/autoconf.texi (Setting Output Variables): Clarify what
        precious variables are.
        Suggested by Pontus Skoeld.

Index: THANKS
===================================================================
RCS file: /cvsroot/autoconf/autoconf/THANKS,v
retrieving revision 1.93
diff -u -u -r1.93 THANKS
--- THANKS 9 Jul 2002 08:32:40 -0000 1.93
+++ THANKS 6 Sep 2002 08:52:09 -0000
@@ -144,6 +144,7 @@
 Peter Simons                address@hidden
 Peter Stephenson            address@hidden
 Philipp Thomas              address@hidden
+Pontus Skoeld               address@hidden
 Rainer Orth                 address@hidden
 Raja R Harinath             address@hidden
 Ralf Corsepius              address@hidden
Index: doc/autoconf.texi
===================================================================
RCS file: /cvsroot/autoconf/autoconf/doc/autoconf.texi,v
retrieving revision 1.665
diff -u -u -r1.665 autoconf.texi
--- doc/autoconf.texi 5 Sep 2002 09:43:35 -0000 1.665
+++ doc/autoconf.texi 6 Sep 2002 08:52:19 -0000
@@ -6219,11 +6219,18 @@
 @var{variable} is @code{AC_SUBST}'d.
 
 @item
address@hidden is kept in the cache including if it was not specified on
-the @samp{./configure} command line.  Indeed, while @command{configure}
-can notice the definition of @code{CC} in @samp{./configure
-CC=bizarre-cc}, it is impossible to notice it in @samp{CC=bizarre-cc
-./configure}, which, unfortunately, is what most users do.
+The value of @var{variable} when @command{configure} was launched is
+saved in the cache, including if it was not specified on the command
+line but via the environment.  Indeed, while @command{configure} can
+notice the definition of @code{CC} in @samp{./configure CC=bizarre-cc},
+it is impossible to notice it in @samp{CC=bizarre-cc ./configure},
+which, unfortunately, is what most users do.
+
+We emphasize that it is the @emph{initial} value of @var{variable} which
+is saved, not that found during the execution of @command{configure}.
+Indeed, specifying @samp{./configure FOO=foo} and letting
address@hidden/configure} guess that @code{FOO} is @code{foo} can be two very
+different runs.
 
 @item
 @var{variable} is checked for consistency between two