LYNX-DEV Lynx autoconfigure (Was: baby step 2)

[Jim Spath (Webmaster Jim)]

This is a courtesy copy to the list of some ideas on using configure
to make Lynx, rather than "Make architecture."

On Tue, 28 Jan 1997, T.E.Dickey wrote:
> > ...
> > If it is null, lynx.browser.org is used.
> AC_CHECKING is considered obsolete in this context; AC_MSG_CHECKING and
> AC_MSG_RESULT are the way people're writing scripts.
That's what I meant to do; I wondered why the extra nl happened.

> > In a production configuration, this would also accept a command
> > line switch.  But I'm not there yet...
> right.  That would be done with
>       AC_ARG_WITH
> which is commonly used to pass a value

I won't have time to do anything today, but I read over the lynx.cfg file
and the usersdef.h files with an eye towards splitting up things into
these categories: 

* System dependent values definitely needed in config.

* System/user settings such as $WWW_HOME, domain name, email address, etc.

* Run-time or option settings that need to stay in lynx.cfg, but that
could be defaulted at configure time (need a good outline and list of this
since Lynx is such an octopus). 

* Locations of things such as sendmail, telnet, inews, etc.  There's a
bunch of full-paths at the end of userdefs.h

* A simple toggle for building a secure, anonymous-accessible Lynx.


Some tweaks I'd be interested in adding/modifying (not priority, just
while I'm thinking about it):

In NetBSD, ncurses is not standard yet.  Thus, the location of the
header files in Lynx is arbitrary.  These should be probed for.

The sendmail binary should also be locatable by config, in concert
with finding if we're on SCO (i.e., MMDF, yuk).

There'e a really bizarre hack for Ultrix in LYMain.c:
#ifdef ULTRIX
    /*
     *  Need this for ultrix.
     */
    terminal = getenv("TERM");
    if ((terminal == NULL) || !strncasecomp(terminal, "xterm", 5))
        terminal = "vt100";
#endif /* ULTRIX */
Why is that there?

Some way to retain the old lynx.cfg while doing the install, perhaps with
a timestamp, or generating a diff file against the new one. 

Makefile entries for stuff like lint, purify, et al.

A revised temporary file directory variable.  Lynx uses /tmp, unless
$LYNX_TEMP_SPACE is defined.  I would put a third choice, to examine
$TMP_DIR as well, since this is often used for the same purpose.

My personal preference would be to use a X-Windows binary for an external
task such as "tn3270."  Configure could look for x3270 first (a wonderful
freeware program, btw), and then for tn3270.  A user could override this
decision, of course.  Other external programs such as "xv", "xview", 
or "xli" could also be found this way.

-----
X-Face:
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WdUS{+X2e6mt${6._[/<C5~mEVeY5J1,6>U%N~y"Br4L6Lm%S0XI8RRTs"'address@hidden@address@hidden'"
 cKd3Acq&}J;,FhT"6d1[H=*<;o2?Z_RK&He4+Td%v3:47/5;A>0mBqsG-KB8l:\43FGDe;U
I don't speak (or work) for the Baltimore County Public Library.
They keep telling me, "Shhhhh!"

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