Re: [Fwd: Can nobase_pkgdata_DATA take directories? Does not seam so.]

[Jirka Hanika]

On Wed, Mar 03, 2004 at 09:24:21AM -0500, Hans Deragon wrote:
> Mmm...  Posted this message two days ago but have yet to receive any 
> answer.  

Not too long a time, I'd think.

> I believe my question is pretty basic, so anybody care to give me 
> an answer? Surely someone with years of experience can answer this newbie's 
> question?
> 
> -------- Original Message --------
> Greetings.
> 
> nobase_pkgdata_DATA = \
>   engine \
>   smarty/lib \
>   smarty/plugins \
>   smarty/themes/examples
> 
> Above, all of the entries in nobase_pkgdata_DATA are directories.  However, 
> when
> I am performing "make install", I get the error (Same error for the other
> directories):
> 
> cp: omitting directory `./smarty/themes/examples'
> 
> This is because install.sh calls the cp command without the -r parameter.
> 
> Is it possible to define directories in nobase_pkgdata_DATA?  I want to 
> avoid to
> list the files because they change allot during development and can become 
> numerous.

I'm also closer to the newbie end than to the expert one, and I'll give
you a different kind of answer than you obviously look for.

Automake generally wants to know the name of every file it handles.
Consider e.g. the problem of writing an uninstall target: you surely
don't want to remove any files which you didn't install.

I used to do the thing you want with a manually written install-local
rule which used "find" to perform the installation within directories
of this kind.  This worked, but as a result, I tended to leave various
temporary files in the distributed directories, and even to let them be
installed in somebody else's directories.  Upon the feedback of the users
I had to withdraw the scheme.

The files are indeed numerous, so I don't list them directly in
Makefile.am, but in an included file.  It is also advisable to check
automatically, and to display a warning (e.g., using a distcheck-hook)),
whether there is any discrepancy between the file list and actual
directory content.

Perhaps you can also reconsider the advantages and disadvantages of each
approach.

Hope this helps,

Jirka Hanika