Re: [bug-gnulib] Redundant AC_LIBSOURCES calls

[Bruno Haible]

Stepan Kasal wrote:
> But in the basic case, when only the implementation is fixed and no
> header is needed, I see no advantage in adding a redundant call to
> AC_LIBSOURCES.

The advantage is simplicity and consistency.

In an ideal world, all source files are listed in Makefile.am. Very simple,
consistent, and makes it very easy to debug problems that might appear
with "make dist".

The approach to use AC_LIBSOURCES for all source files, is already worse
because
  - it mixes autoconfiguration issues and pathname issues,
  - it assumes a transfer of information from a *.m4 file to a *.am file
    which automake does not implement in with sufficient generality.
But at least, it can be consistent, and if every gnulib module has a .m4
file with AC_LIBSOURCES invocations for all source files, you know where
to look when problems appear during "make dist".

Your approach is even worse: It forces the maintainer to look or grep
for AC_LIBOBJ invocations in the autoconf macros. And not only in the
package's *.m4 files, but also in autoconf's and automake's own *.m4 files!
It opens the door to problems that will appear with one version of autoconf
and not with another...

Too much magic -> implies -> too much complexity when debugging.

Keep it simple! Even if some things are then redundant.

Bruno