Re: Making PATH precious?

[Jim Meyering]

Akim Demaille <address@hidden> wrote:
> What about making PATH a precious variable?  This way, we will be able
> to notice when two runs are performed with different PATH.  It would
> also make
>
>         PATH=foo ./configure
>
> similar to
>
>         ./configure PATH=foo
>
> i.e., ./config.status --recheck will _preserve_ the value of PATH.
>
>
> Now the bad effect is:
>
> 1. PATH will automagically appear in Automake's Makefile.in because
> autoconf AC_SUBST the precious vars and all the AC_SUBST vars are
> automagically put in Makefile.in.
>
> 2. PATH will appear on the command line each time ./config.status
> --recheck is relaunched.  For instance:

Hi Akim!

Also, that would keep me from rebuilding with a different PATH,
even when I *know* that's what I want to do, Right?

I'm not sure it's worthwhile.
PATH evolves.  Inevitably, people will change it,
and then weeks later, come back to a working directory
and find that autoconf fails.

Giving a warning might be a good compromise.

Jim