waf, git, EPOCH, version strings, ...

[Gary E. Miller]

Yo Hal!

On Mon, 22 May 2017 23:26:05 -0700
Hal Murray via devel <devel at ntpsec.org> wrote:

> I think the tangle mentioned at Issue #313 needs wider discussion.
>   ntpsec | build version not updated after git pull (#313)
>   https://gitlab.com/NTPsec/ntpsec/issues/313

Yes.  People forgetting to run configure is a persistent problem.

> A while ago, we changed things to not use __DATE__.  Maybe we didn't
> get that right.  Maybe the default should be to use __DATE__ with
> configure options for alternates.

I agree we need too do better, but I see no advantage to using __DATE__,
and many disadvantages.

> configure sets up NTPSEC_VERSION_STRING
> ntptime is the only useage.

Seems like a different issue than detecting an old or unusable
configure.  Do you propose a tie-in?

> I'm assuming the EPOCH date will also be the date in the version
> string.

Bad assumption.  I just looked and that is not the case.  I agree
is probably should be the same.

> I'm happy to recompile everything after a git pull.

1) how do we know there has been a git pull, as opposed to another
git op?

2) what about people not using git?

> I'd like to get a new version string without rebuilding everything.

The version string is set at configure time, which changes build/config.h.
If you change build/config.h, then everything has to be rebuilt.  And
you should reuild everything on any configureation change.

> I'd like the version string to indicate that I'm running something
> built with local edits that haven't been committed yet.

Yes, that has been requested before, we just have not come up with a
solution yet.  We need a way to tell if any source files are changes.

But the kicker is, we can not use git to do so.  Anyone building from
a tar ball, or distro patched source, will not have git abailable.

> I have a script to erase and build and another to build after an edit
> so I have a handy place to put complicated recipies.

Not very complicated yet.  Maybe we should ship a default "install.sh"
that does all that needs to be done.  Then the next time someone
skips a step they have even fewer excuses.

RGDS
GARY
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Gary E. Miller Rellim 109 NW Wilmington Ave., Suite E, Bend, OR 97703
	gem at rellim.com  Tel:+1 541 382 8588

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