Re: Add 'Required Tools' to README?

[Bruno Haible]

Simon Josefsson wrote:
> I think some of the problems here could be fixed by noting what tools
> are required by gnulib developers.  There is no such section in the
> gnulib README or gnulib.texi, or did I miss it?  I re-installed the
> gnulib daily build bot yesterday, and I had to install these:
> 
> c compiler (gcc)
> autoconf: minimum version?  recommended version?
> automake:
> libtool:
> gettext:
> bison:
> gperf: at least 3.x?
> 
> More?  'makeinfo'?

Yes, good suggestion. I'm creating a file 'DEPENDENCIES'. Feel free to add
a pointer to it from the README if you like.

> I suggest adding this to the top-level README:

I did not add it to the README, because there is enough confusion where
such a dependencies list belongs:
  - The majority of the packages have it in the README,
  - But the GNU standards want to have the installation instructions in
    the INSTALL file, and for me the dependencies are part of the installation
    instructions.
So I figured that the easiest solution is to create a file 'DEPENDENCIES'
and refer to it from the README and from the INSTALL file.

Bruno


2007-04-03  Bruno Haible  <address@hidden>

        * DEPENDENCIES: New file.
        Suggested by Simon Josefsson.

============================ DEPENDENCIES =================================
The following packages are needed by maintainers for using 'gnulib-tool':

* A C runtime and compiler (e.g. GNU gcc 2.95 or newer).
  + Mandatory.
  + Homepage:
    http://gcc.gnu.org/
  + Download:
    http://ftp.gnu.org/gnu/gcc/
    ftp://ftp.gnu.org/gnu/gcc/

* A 'make' utility (e.g. GNU make 3.79.1 or newer).
  + Mandatory.
  + Homepage:
    http://www.gnu.org/software/make/
  + Download:
    http://ftp.gnu.org/gnu/make/
    ftp://ftp.gnu.org/gnu/make/

* GNU m4 1.4.9 or newer.
  + Mandatory.
    Autoconf requires GNU m4 1.4 or newer, and Autoconf 2.61 triggers bugs
    in GNU m4 < 1.4.8.
  + Homepage:
    http://www.gnu.org/software/m4/
  + Download:
    http://ftp.gnu.org/gnu/m4/
    ftp://ftp.gnu.org/gnu/m4/

* GNU autoconf 2.59 or newer.
  + Mandatory.
  + Homepage:
    http://www.gnu.org/software/autoconf/
  + Download:
    http://ftp.gnu.org/gnu/autoconf/
    ftp://ftp.gnu.org/gnu/autoconf/

* GNU automake 1.10 or newer.
  + Mandatory.
  + Homepage:
    http://www.gnu.org/software/automake/
  + Download:
    http://ftp.gnu.org/gnu/automake/
    ftp://ftp.gnu.org/gnu/automake/

* GNU gettext 0.16.1.
  + Recommended.
    Needed if you use modules which make use of internationalization (many do).
  + Homepage:
    http://www.gnu.org/software/gettext/
  + Download:
    http://ftp.gnu.org/gnu/gettext/
    ftp://ftp.gnu.org/gnu/gettext/

* GNU bison 2.0 or newer.
  + Recommended.
    Needed if you use the 'getdate' module.
  + Homepage:
    http://www.gnu.org/software/bison/
  + Download:
    http://ftp.gnu.org/gnu/bison/
    ftp://ftp.gnu.org/gnu/bison/

* GNU gperf 3.0.1 or newer.
  + Recommended.
    Needed if you use the 'iconv_open' module.
  + Homepage:
    http://www.gnu.org/software/gperf/
  + Download:
    http://ftp.gnu.org/gnu/gperf/
    ftp://ftp.gnu.org/gnu/gperf/

* GNU texinfo 4.2 or newer.
  + Recommended.
    Needed if you use modules that include documentation.
  + Homepage:
    http://www.gnu.org/software/texinfo/
  + Download:
    http://ftp.gnu.org/gnu/texinfo/
    ftp://ftp.gnu.org/gnu/texinfo/

* GNU sed
  + Recommended.
    Needed on platforms where the vendor's 'sed' program is too buggy.
  + Homepage:
    http://www.gnu.org/software/sed/
  + Download:
    http://ftp.gnu.org/gnu/sed/
    ftp://ftp.gnu.org/gnu/sed/

* GNU libtool 1.5.22 or newer.
  + Optional.
    Needed if you want to invoke gnulib-tool with option --libtool.
  + Homepage:
    http://www.gnu.org/software/libtool/
  + Download:
    http://ftp.gnu.org/gnu/libtool/
    ftp://ftp.gnu.org/gnu/libtool/