Re: Documenting the GRUB configure (during build)

[Bruce Dubbs]

Robert Millan wrote:
> On Fri, Dec 04, 2009 at 07:46:24PM -0600, Bruce Dubbs wrote:
> > I want to submit an update to the INSTALL file.  In looking at  
> > ./configure, it does some guessing.  We have:
>
> Note that we don't need to document all configure flags, only the ones that
> are set in stone like --prefix.  If we document all of them, then we have an
> added burden of keeping INSTALL up to date with all these small changes, which
> in this case doesn't pay off IMO.

I'm afraid I don't agree that the solution to documenting changes is not 
to document anything.  That may be a little harsh, but I firmly believe 
that documentation is key to acceptance.  I do understand the issues 
surrounding documentation that does not keep up with the coding, but the 
idea is to help users and not make everyone figure things out for 
themselves.

In that vein, I propose using the attached INSTALL file based on what I 
figured out from reading the code.  I'm including the full file and the 
diff so you can easily see it in context as well as looking at the 
specific changes.

  -- Bruce


-*- Text -*-

This is the GRUB.  Welcome.

This file contains instructions for compiling and installing the GRUB.

The Requirements
================

GRUB depends on some software packages installed into your system. If
you don't have any of them, please obtain and install them before
configuring the GRUB.

* GCC 4.1.3 or later
* GNU Make 3.81 or later
* GNU Bison 2.3 or later
* GNU Binutils 2.18 or later
* Other standard GNU/Unix tools

If you use a development snapshot or want to hack on GRUB you may
need the following.

* Ruby 1.6 or later
* Python 2.5.2 or later
* GNU Autoconf 2.60 or later
* GNU Automake 1.10.1 or later
* Fontconfig 2.6.0 or later
* GNU Ncurses 5.7 or later
* Libusb 0.9 or later

Configuring the GRUB
====================

The `configure' shell script attempts to guess correct values for
various system-dependent variables used during compilation.  It uses
those values to create a `Makefile' in each directory of the package.
It may also create one or more `.h' files containing system-dependent
definitions.  Finally, it creates a shell script `config.status' that
you can run in the future to recreate the current configuration, a
file `config.cache' that saves the results of its tests to speed up
reconfiguring, and a file `config.log' containing compiler output
(useful mainly for debugging `configure').

If you need to do unusual things to compile the package, please try to
figure out how `configure' could check whether to do them, and mail
diffs or instructions to the address given in the `README' so they can
be considered for the next release.  If at some point `config.cache'
contains results you don't want to keep, you may remove or edit it.

The file `configure.ac' is used to create `configure' by a program
called `autoconf'.  You only need `configure.in' if you want to change
it or regenerate `configure' using a newer version of `autoconf'.


Building the GRUB
=================

The recommended way to compile this package is:

  1. `cd' to the directory containing the package's source code.  
  
  2. If you don't use a release tarball you have to type `sh autogen.sh'.
  
  3. Create a build directory, `mkdir -p build; cd build'
  
  4. Type `../configure' to configure the package for your system.
     If you're using `csh' on an old version of System V, you might
     need to type `sh ../configure' instead to prevent `csh' from trying
     to execute `configure' itself.

     While running, `configure'  prints  messages telling which 
     features it is checking.

  5. Type `make' to compile the package.

  6. Type `make install' to install the programs and, data files, and
     documentation.

  7. You can remove the program binaries and object files from the
     source code directory by typing `make clean'.  To also remove the
     files that `configure' created (so you can compile the package for
     a different kind of computer), type `make distclean'.  There is
     also a `make maintainer-clean' target, but that is intended mainly
     for the package's developers.  If you use it, you may have to get
     all sorts of other programs in order to regenerate files that came
     with the distribution.


Compiling For Multiple Architectures
====================================

You can compile the package for more than one kind of computer at the
same time, by placing the object files for each architecture in their
own directory.  `cd' to the directory where you want the object files
and executables to go and run the `configure' script.  `configure'
automatically checks for the source code in the directory that
`configure' is in and in `..'.


Installation Names
==================

By default, `make install' will install the package's files in
`/usr/local/bin', `/usr/local/man', etc.  You can specify an
installation prefix by giving `configure' the option `--prefix=PATH'.

You can specify separate installation prefixes for
architecture-specific files and architecture-independent files.  If
you give `configure' the option `--exec-prefix=PATH', the package will
use PATH as the prefix for installing programs and libraries.
Documentation and other data files will still use the regular prefix.

In addition, if you use an unusual directory layout you can give options 
like `--bindir=PATH1' or `--sysconfdir=PATH2' to specify different values 
for particular kinds of files.  Run `configure --help' for a list of the
directories you can set and what kinds of files go in them.

You can cause programs to be installed with an extra prefix or suffix on 
their names by giving `configure' the option `--program-prefix=PREFIX' 
or `--program-suffix=SUFFIX'.

Please note, however, that the GRUB knows where it is located in the
filesystem.  If you have installed it in an unusual location, the
system might not work properly, or at all.  The chief utility of these
options for the GRUB is to allow you to "install" in some alternate
location, and then copy these to the actual root filesystem later.

Sharing Defaults
================

If you want to set default values for `configure' scripts to share,
you can create a site shell script called `config.site' that gives
default values for variables like `CC', `cache_file', and `prefix'.
`configure' looks for `PREFIX/share/config.site' if it exists, then
`PREFIX/etc/config.site' if it exists.  Or, you can set the
`CONFIG_SITE' environment variable to the location of the site script.
A warning: not all `configure' scripts look for a site script.


Operation Controls
==================

   `configure' recognizes the following options to control how GRUB
is built.  If the prerequsite requirements are not present for
the options below, the associated programs will not be built, but
configure will succeed.

`--enable-efiemu'         
     Build and install the efiemu runtimes (default=yes).
     Requires an x86-64 system.

`--enable-mm-debug'   
     Include memory manager debugging (default=no).

`--enable-grub-emu'       
     Build and install the `grub-emu' debugging utility (default=yes).
     Requires Ncurses.

`--enable-grub-emu-usb'   
     Build and install the `grub-emu' debugging utility with USB support 
     (default=yes).  Requires grub-emu and Libusb.

`--enable-grub-fstest'    
     Build and install the `grub-fstest' debugging utility (default=yes)

`--enable-grub-mkfont'    
     Build and install the `grub-mkfont' utility (default=yes).
     Requires Fontconfig.

`--cache-file=FILE'
     Use and save the results of the tests in FILE instead of
     `./config.cache'.  Set FILE to `/dev/null' to disable caching for
     debugging of `configure'.

`--help'
     Print a summary of the options to `configure', and exit.

`--quiet'
`--silent'
`-q'
     Do not print messages saying which checks are being made.

`--srcdir=DIR'
     Look for the package's source code in directory DIR.  Usually
     `configure' can determine that directory automatically.

`--version'
`-V'
     Print the version of Autoconf used to generate the `configure'
     script, and exit.

=== modified file 'INSTALL'
--- INSTALL     2009-11-25 17:37:04 +0000
+++ INSTALL     2009-12-05 06:26:21 +0000
@@ -12,9 +12,9 @@
 configuring the GRUB.
 
 * GCC 4.1.3 or later
-* GNU Make
+* GNU Make 3.81 or later
 * GNU Bison 2.3 or later
-* GNU binutils 2.9.1.0.23 or later
+* GNU Binutils 2.18 or later
 * Other standard GNU/Unix tools
 
 If you use a development snapshot or want to hack on GRUB you may
@@ -22,8 +22,11 @@
 
 * Ruby 1.6 or later
 * Python 2.5.2 or later
-* Autoconf 2.60 or later
-* Automake 1.10.1 or later
+* GNU Autoconf 2.60 or later
+* GNU Automake 1.10.1 or later
+* Fontconfig 2.6.0 or later
+* GNU Ncurses 5.7 or later
+* Libusb 0.9 or later
 
 Configuring the GRUB
 ====================
@@ -52,27 +55,28 @@
 Building the GRUB
 =================
 
-The simplest way to compile this package is:
+The recommended way to compile this package is:
 
-  1. `cd' to the directory containing the package's source code.  If
-     you don't use a release tarball you have to type `./autogen.sh'.
-     Type `./configure' to configure the package for your system.
+  1. `cd' to the directory containing the package's source code.  
+  
+  2. If you don't use a release tarball you have to type `sh autogen.sh'.
+  
+  3. Create a build directory, `mkdir -p build; cd build'
+  
+  4. Type `../configure' to configure the package for your system.
      If you're using `csh' on an old version of System V, you might
-     need to type `sh ./configure' instead to prevent `csh' from trying
+     need to type `sh ../configure' instead to prevent `csh' from trying
      to execute `configure' itself.
 
-     Running `configure' takes awhile.  While running, it prints some
-     messages telling which features it is checking for.
-
-  2. Type `make' to compile the package.
-
-  3. Optionally, type `make check' to run any self-tests that come with
-     the package.
-
-  4. Type `make install' to install the programs and any data files and
+     While running, `configure'  prints  messages telling which 
+     features it is checking.
+
+  5. Type `make' to compile the package.
+
+  6. Type `make install' to install the programs and, data files, and
      documentation.
 
-  5. You can remove the program binaries and object files from the
+  7. You can remove the program binaries and object files from the
      source code directory by typing `make clean'.  To also remove the
      files that `configure' created (so you can compile the package for
      a different kind of computer), type `make distclean'.  There is
@@ -106,14 +110,14 @@
 use PATH as the prefix for installing programs and libraries.
 Documentation and other data files will still use the regular prefix.
 
-In addition, if you use an unusual directory layout you can give
-options like `--bindir=PATH' to specify different values for
-particular kinds of files.  Run `configure --help' for a list of the
+In addition, if you use an unusual directory layout you can give options 
+like `--bindir=PATH1' or `--sysconfdir=PATH2' to specify different values 
+for particular kinds of files.  Run `configure --help' for a list of the
 directories you can set and what kinds of files go in them.
 
-If the package supports it, you can cause programs to be installed
-with an extra prefix or suffix on their names by giving `configure'
-the option `--program-prefix=PREFIX' or `--program-suffix=SUFFIX'.
+You can cause programs to be installed with an extra prefix or suffix on 
+their names by giving `configure' the option `--program-prefix=PREFIX' 
+or `--program-suffix=SUFFIX'.
 
 Please note, however, that the GRUB knows where it is located in the
 filesystem.  If you have installed it in an unusual location, the
@@ -121,7 +125,6 @@
 options for the GRUB is to allow you to "install" in some alternate
 location, and then copy these to the actual root filesystem later.
 
-
 Sharing Defaults
 ================
 
@@ -137,13 +140,37 @@
 Operation Controls
 ==================
 
-   `configure' recognizes the following options to control how it
-operates.
+   `configure' recognizes the following options to control how GRUB
+is built.  If the prerequsite requirements are not present for
+the options below, the associated programs will not be built, but
+configure will succeed.
+
+`--enable-efiemu'         
+     Build and install the efiemu runtimes (default=yes).
+     Requires an x86-64 system.
+
+`--enable-mm-debug'   
+     Include memory manager debugging (default=no).
+
+`--enable-grub-emu'       
+     Build and install the `grub-emu' debugging utility (default=yes).
+     Requires Ncurses.
+
+`--enable-grub-emu-usb'   
+     Build and install the `grub-emu' debugging utility with USB support 
+     (default=yes).  Requires grub-emu and Libusb.
+
+`--enable-grub-fstest'    
+     Build and install the `grub-fstest' debugging utility (default=yes)
+
+`--enable-grub-mkfont'    
+     Build and install the `grub-mkfont' utility (default=yes).
+     Requires Fontconfig.
 
 `--cache-file=FILE'
      Use and save the results of the tests in FILE instead of
-     `./config.cache'.  Set FILE to `/dev/null' to disable caching, for
-     debugging `configure'.
+     `./config.cache'.  Set FILE to `/dev/null' to disable caching for
+     debugging of `configure'.
 
 `--help'
      Print a summary of the options to `configure', and exit.
@@ -158,5 +185,7 @@
      `configure' can determine that directory automatically.
 
 `--version'
+`-V'
      Print the version of Autoconf used to generate the `configure'
      script, and exit.
+