Re: `automake -a -c -f` wrongly updates the INSTALL file

[Ralf Wildenhues]

Hello Mike,

* Mike Frysinger wrote on Wed, Jan 02, 2008 at 10:44:12PM CET:
> On Thursday 28 September 2006, Mike Frysinger wrote:
> > i normally use automake-1.9.6 but i just tried out 1.9b and it appears to
> > have the same problem
> 
> automake-1.10 exhibits the problem as well ... finally spent some time 
> digging 
> at it for fun
> 
> > $ svn st INSTALL
> > $ automake-1.9b -a -c
> > $ svn st INSTALL
> > $ automake-1.9b -a -f
> > $ svn st INSTALL

That doesn't happen for me.  After `-a -f', the file is replaced with
the symlink pointing to the installed INSTALL file.

With --foreign, however, that doesn't happen.  Neither with -a -f, nor
with -a -c -f.

> > $ automake-1.9b -a -c -f
> > $ svn st INSTALL
> > M      INSTALL
> > $ svn diff INSTALL
> > ...
> > -HOMEPAGE:    http://freestdf.sourceforge.net/liblzw.php
> > -AUTHOR:      Mike Frysinger <address@hidden>
> > +Installation Instructions
> > +*************************
> > ...

While I understand that you don't want this change to happen, I'm not
sure what would be the desirable or intended semantics.  After all, `-a
-f' replaces all files except COPYING.  If we change semantics, at least
the new ones should be documented, I think.

Cheers,
Ralf