Re: cache directory is not removed

[Sam Steingold]

> * In message <address@hidden>
> * On the subject of "Re: cache directory is not removed"
> * Sent on Wed, 5 Jun 2002 11:02:41 -0500
> * Honorable Bill Wendling <address@hidden> writes:
>
> Also sprach Sam Steingold:
> } > * Honorable Akim Demaille <address@hidden> writes:
> } >
> } > >>>>> "Sam" == Sam Steingold <address@hidden> writes:
> } > 
> } > Sam> when I run autoconf the usual way, it runs "autom4te" which
> } > Sam> creates cache directory "autom4te-2.53.cache" and does not remove
> } > Sam> it at the end.  I think that this directory should be deleted
> } > Sam> before `autom4te' terminates.
> } > 
> } > No, the point is precisely to speed up following calls to autoheader
> } > automake etc.
> } 
> } so, what do people do about these directories in the projects under the
> } CVS?
> } `rm -rf` them after `make configures`?
> } put them into .cvsignore?
> } is it possible to add a --remove-cache or --no-cache option?
> } 
> } you see, I call automake/autoheader/autoconf very rarely (obviously),
> } so I do not care if it takes 1sec  or 10sec once a month,
> } while having a junk cache dirs is no good.
> } 
> } please do listen: this is a __MAJOR__ inconvenience introduced in 2.53.

Let me elaborate: the users of autoconf are few (they are the large
package maintainers) and committed (no real alternative).  We also tend
to be able to hack around such nuisances.  Nevertheless, I do not think
it is wise to alienate us by ignoring our complaints.

> I concur. It is an annoyance. Having a flag (--remove-cache) as mentioned
> above would be very nice. Having the cache directory is fine, but keeping
> them there is a pain...

OK, so here is the proposal:

1. rename the cache to .autom4te.cache (leading `.', no version number)

2. add the --remove-cache (or, better yet, --no-cache) option

3. release 2.54 __ASAP__ since 2.53 is __NOT__ __USABLE__ since it
   creates these cache directories.

PS. please CC me the replies
   
-- 
Sam Steingold (http://www.podval.org/~sds) running RedHat7.2 GNU/Linux
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