Re: gettext-0.11.5, make check

[Paul Eggert]

Bruno Haible <address@hidden> writes:

> +       /* On Solaris >= 2.8, we need to use /usr/xpg4/bin/grep instead of
> +      /usr/bin/grep, because /usr/bin/grep doesn't understand the options
> +      -q and -e.  */
> + #if (defined (sun) || defined (__sun)) && defined (__SVR4)
> +       if (strcmp (grep_path, "/usr/bin/grep") == 0
> +       && access ("/usr/xpg4/bin/grep", X_OK) == 0)
> +     grep_path = "/usr/xpg4/bin/grep";
> + #endif

That problem has been in SunOS/Solaris for ages; it's not just Solaris
8 / SunOS 5.8 or later.  I just checked Solaris 7, and I'm sure it was
also true all the way back to SunOS 4.1.4 (at least), and probably to
SunOS 1.0.  And many Solaris installations do not have /usr/xpg4: it
is an option, and is often not installed.

Also, I recall that a similar problem occurs in other old-line
operating systems, other than Solaris.  Sorry, don't remember the
details.  /usr/xpg4 is only in Solaris, though.

One workaround would be to have a configure-time option that specifies
the name of a working grep.  That way, the installer can specify GNU
grep, as needed.  Admittedly this is a hassle.