[Coin-discuss] True 'make distclean'

[Andreas Waechter]

Hi Michael,

>> I was not aware of uninstall. My point is that when we say 'make distclean'
>> before running configure with changed parameters, it would be safer
>> to say 'make uninstall', and 'make distclean'. Or if a 'make allclean'
>> is created, then mention that one.
>
> In the compilation instructions for a complex system,
> especially ones novices are allowed to use,
> the easiest instructions to find should
> be how to clean up after a mistake.
>
> Perhaps there should be a start-over script.
> It would just perform the appropriate makes,
> thereby simplifying the needed documentation.

I can just add that 'make allclean' target, which is probably easier than 
a script.  But... (see below)

>>>> I also think that Laci's suggestion to have a build directory
>>>> where configure is run is a much better setup than running
>>>> configure from the main directory of a package. But even this
>>>> does not solve the above problem.
>
> When I can, I usually avoid compiling into the source directory.
> If I make a mess, cleanup is sooooo much easier and unsubtle.

...this is probably even a better solution.  I talked to Laci, and we 
should probably recommend the VPATH installation in general, because then 
one can just delete everything and start over, without messing with the 
original source.  When I compile COIN, I always use the VPATH compilation, 
and I tried to make sure that it also works for the MS compilers (which 
required a few bugfixes in the autotools).  However, at this point a few 
unitTests might not work then under Cywin, since symbolic links are 
created, which are not understood by the native compilers.  Maybe we 
should just recommend to people to use MSys to compile with the MS 
compilers?  (There, ln -s copies the files)

Andreas