Re: [Automake-NG] [PATCH] texi: require Texinfo >= 4.9, related enhancements

[Stefano Lattarini]

Hi Akim.

On 06/18/2012 09:38 AM, Akim Demaille wrote:
> 
> Le 17 juin 2012 à 13:53, Stefano Lattarini a écrit :
> 
>> The use of '--build-dir' also allows us to specify different build
>> directories for the PDF and DVI output, preventing the rules building
>> them from stomping on each other's feet when run in parallel.  This is
>> demonstrated by the test case XXX, which before this change failed if
>> run with MAKE="make -j2", but now succeeds even in that case.
> 
> You don't need that,
>
Unfortunately I do, because otherwise different instances of texi2dvi
running in parallel can still racily stomps on each other feet:

  mkdir: cannot create directory `.../doc/doc!automake-history.t2d/tex_help': 
File exists
  /usr/bin/texi2dvi: cannot create directory: 
../doc/doc!automake-history.t2d/tex_help

This is likely due to this bit of botched code in the texi2dvi script (version 
4.13):

  # ensure_dir DIR1 DIR2...
  # -----------------------
  # Make sure the directories exist.
  ensure_dir ()
  {
    for dir
    do
      test -d "$dir" \
        || mkdir "$dir" \
        || error 1 "cannot create directory: $dir"
    done
  }

So I say we stay dumb and safe, and keep the patch as is.

Regards,
  Stefano