Re: [PATCH] {maint} repo: don't commit generated files in the git repository anymore

[Stefano Lattarini]

Hi Jim.

On Friday 09 December 2011, Jim Meyering wrote:
> > On 12/09/2011 10:17 AM, Stefano Lattarini wrote:
> >> Another patch to be applied after the 1.11.2 release.
> >>
> >> While conceptually very simple, this patch is quite large in size,
> >> since the diffs contain all the text of the removed configure and
> >> Makefile.in files; so I've attached it compressed.
> >>
> >> repo: don't commit generated files in the git repository anymore
> 
> Thank you, Stefano!
> Automake has been a bit of a laggard on this front.
> It has been annoying (and slightly risky) to see my infrequent diff
> output buried under pages of spurious "git diff" output from all of
> those generated-yet-VC'd files.
>
Still, such "extra diffs" had their upsides too.  Automake has (had?)
the policy of always regenerating its 'Makefile.in's with the "latest"
developement version of itself before committing them; thus, reviewing
the diffs of such regenerated 'Makefile.in's before committing could
(and sometimes, in fact, did) reveal bugs and blunders missed by code
review and by the testsuite.

So, before applying this patch, I'd like to create a new script or
Makefile rule that would offer a similar functionality.  As usual,
suggestions welcome,.

> I'm glad to see that automake is finally catching up to best-practices.
> 

Thanks,
  Stefano