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Re: how to use "make" to build such project as lemur etc. on winxp.


From: Soren Andersen
Subject: Re: how to use "make" to build such project as lemur etc. on winxp.
Date: Sun, 02 Nov 2008 01:14:55 -0400

Hello Weixin.

I'm responding to the message sent on 01 Nov 2008, at around 03:26
UTC, by "tianweixin" <tech_tian ~at~ OBSCURED dot NUL>, who wrote

> I'm a novice to the "make".and know no much more than going
> to the top directory of the codes and run make,make install
> and such.
When the Makefile is correctly generated for the computer type
that you are building the application for, this is all that is
required.  Because you are trying to build software that is not
provided with support for the system you are using, you are now
"in over your head" (this is English idiom which means "You do not
know enough expert level knowledge to understand what steps are
needed to cope with this challenge").

> can anyone tell me: Is "make" able to build any c,c++ code in
> winxp? why some codes cannot be built although have writen
> correct makefile?
Not a correct question. make does not compile software. The very
first words in the Introduction to the make program Manual explain
what it does. Software must be written (the C or C++ sources must
be created or modified) to support a specific computer platform.
And a compiler for that platform must be used, then, to compile
that software source.

> I often need to build on winxp some projects developed on
> linux.Usually along with the srcs are some direction files like
> makefile.in,install,makefile.app.in,install-sh etc.
Such projects which you see as being "from Linux" (which is
properly called "GNU/Linux"), are better called *nix (for "Unix",
but we do not use the "U" normally) projects.  Unix-like Operating
Systems and Microsoft Windows Operating Systems are completely
different from each other. This is such a fundamental and basic
information that not knowing it makes you eligible to be
completely ignored in the future on all technical support venues.

These projects are using the GNU Autotools. Autotools are a
widely-used system created on *nix for conveniently constructing
portable software builds. A "software build" is the temporary
infrastructure that must exist so that users of the source code
package can easily create the final software installation from the
source code package. Think of the "software build infrastructure"
as being a little like the scaffolding on the building while it is
under construction (not a hard image to conjure in today's China,
I'd imagine). Whether that scaffolding is bamboo, steel pipes or
some other type of construction, it is only meant to be around
until the construction is completed.

If you want to know how to use `make', or your C and C++ compiler,
or any other build tool, you must study the manuals for each of
these tools. You must not try to learn these tools through asking
questions on mailing lists like this one. It is not what these
mailing lists are for. So far, no knowledgeable participant of
this mailing list has even responded to you. That is a sign that
your question is strongly inappropriate for this mailing list. It
is a sign that you do not have "background": either your employer
training or educational course of study has not exposed you to
needful fundamental concepts and information. You must struggle
now and find a way to make up for the deficit in background
training.

When a person has seriously studied the manuals for such tools as
`make' and used other appropriate resources, then is the time when
that person can use a mailing list to ask for clarification about
sharply focused specific topics that they are still unclear about.

The result if you, as many others have done, refuse to understand
why these rules about mailing list etiquette exist, and abide by
them, is that the most helpful, smart people reading these lists
will use automatic software to block your future messages. As a
result, if even 1 or 2 years or more, from now, you become
involved in a truly difficult question about w32-make, and truly
need expert-level help, and try to use the mailing list, you may
not get this help, because you already destroyed your reputation
by not obeying the rules (conventions, customs) at first. Instead
all you may see is mostly incorrect or non-accurate replies from
other users who may know much less than you do at that point.
This is a strict aspect of Internet technology support
communities.

You could refer to
http://www.lat30n.cn/doc/oss/smart-questions.html in order to learn
about the reasons for the customs I mentioned.

The GNU Web site hosts manuals for all major GNU software
projects, like `make' at
http://www.gnu.org/software/make/manual/make.html.

Using Google to search for correct, level-appropriate
documentation for developer tools like `make' and Autotools is
usually a mistaken, highly non-productive approach (because far
too many results are returned and so very few of them will
actually apply to your real questions). Because of this, when
people say "but I said I used Google to try to learn, myself!"
they are not respected for this. It is not smart, it is not
sufficient, it displays complete lack of background training and
knowledge.

Persons desiring to receive help must always read the correct
documentation, and such tools *always* provide documentation. On
the Internet when we are telling you this, we usually say "you
must RTFM". I am offering you extremely verbose, long explanations
because I recognize that your English is very poor and that you
will find it difficult to both compose your questions and to
understand any replies.  This is a one-time only type of response;
I will not reply at length to you in this manner in the future. It
is an extremely inefficient use of *my* time to do so.

  Courteously,
     Sören 'somian' Andersen


-- 
"All unaccompanied children will be given espresso and a free
kitten."




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