Re: Why does ./configure not set prefix and exec_prefix?

[Akim Demaille]

>>>>> "Thomas" == Thomas E Dickey <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes:

Thomas> On 19 Jul 2000, Akim Demaille wrote:
>> Yep, my question is ``was the requirements over being able to
>> specify prefix etc. at make time a first weak attempt to achieve a
>> goal which is now properly solved with DESTDIR''.

Thomas> $prefix may result in compiled-in paths, $DESTDIR should not
Thomas> but there's no reason that either has to be done only at
Thomas> configure time.

Yes, yes, and yes.  I know what those two variables are.  This is not
my question.

Thomas> (I'm told that people do reuse the makefiles without rerunning
Thomas> configure)

This is my question :) My point is that the number of packages for
which this works is vanishingly small.  Most packages I saw are
encoding the paths in config.h, hence specifying prefix at make
results in a broken installation.

Basically, changing prefix means you change your settings, and
changing the settings should mean running configure.

It seems a saner attitude to mandate a new ./configure for each
change, doesn't it?