Re: gEDA: Patches for PCB automake/autoconf system

[Dan McMahill <dan@mcmahill.net>]

On Thu, Oct 14, 2004 at 04:55:59PM -0400, Stuart Brorson wrote:
> Hi PCB developers,
> 
> I've been working on an automated installer for the entire gEDA Suite,
> including PCB.   PCB has a couple of pre-requisites which make it not
> install cleanly on a stock "Red Hat 9 Professional" installation,
> which is one of my target platforms.
> 
> Specifically, PCB has two issues:
> 
> 1.  It needs wish, which is part of Tcl/Tk.  Configure fails when it
> doesn't find wish.  Ummm, I am not a PCB expert.  Why does it need
> wish?  

In the ~generic library, there is a "MENU_QFP" choice.  It ends up 
calling a GUI for generating QFP footprints and that GUI is written
in tcl/tk.  I made it error out because I hate it when autoconf
based build systems just enable/disable features based on whats
installed on a system.  I'd rather the user have to add --disable-foo.

However, I'd probably like to just remove that footprint builder
unless someone else feels very strongly.  I think the QFP footprints
in the ~geda library have been checked out more carefully and
thats where I'd rather put the effort in improving the library.

Comments anyone?

> Tcl/Tk is not installed as part of a vanilla RH9 Pro
> installation.  Don't ask me why. . . . . 
> 
> Note that I have fixed this problem by checking for Tcl/Tk as part of
> my installation process, and installing it if necessary.  No action is
> needed on your part.
> 
> 2.  PCB's docs need TeX/LaTeX to convert the .texi docs to .pdf and
> .dvi.  RH9 doesn't install TeX/LaTeX as part of a vanilla install.
> Again, don't ask me why; I'm just (writing) the installer.
> 
> I have fixed this problem by putting checks into PCB's configure.in
> and Makefile.am which look for a tex installation, and then just don't
> build the docs from .texi files if tex is missing.  I've tested this
> stuff on my RH9 box and it seems to work.  Please find these patches
> below.  Feel free to test them and include them into PCB.

Why is that happening at all?  I'm able to build the PCB snapshots
without latex.  By that I mean, 'make distcheck' produces a tarball
which includes pre-built documentation so that you don't need latex
when you're building using snapshot sources.  

If you're building from CVS, then you will need latex, but I guess 
my feeling is that's the price you pay for building from CVS rather
than the snapshot releases.

-Dan

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