Re: [RFC] improving support for building native tools in cross setups

[Jack Kelly]

Yann Dirson <address@hidden> writes:
> It is not uncommon for software packages to build tools to be executed
> at build time, to generate data files or more input files to compile.
>
> ...
>
> For the second point, it would seem a good idea at some point to
> support a "native_" prefix, so setting eg. "native_PROGRAMS" will
> trigger the use of BUILD_* tools.

I am no longer particularly familiar with automake internals, but I do
think some sort of "this is for the build machine" is a very good idea.

At the risk of descending into bikeshedding, I'm not sure that native_
is the best option, because just about everything that is foo_PROGRAMS
describes something built from native code. build_ isn't great either
(despite the symmetry with AC_CANONICAL_BUILD &c.)  because most of what
automake does involves building programs.

But I am glad to see this being worked on.

-- Jack