Re: doc-base control file madness
On 21 Jan 1999, Ben Gertzfield wrote:
> >>>>> "Dale" == Dale Scheetz <dwarf@polaris.net> writes:
>
> Ben> I've recently looked into the doc-base control file
> Ben> format. It seems pretty sane, except I realized since it does
> Ben> not provide for any macro expansion, I will have to edit the
> Ben> 8 or 9 doc control files libgtk1.1.13-doc (and 1.1.14, and
> Ben> 1.1.15, ad nauseum) provides EVERY SINGLE TIME there is a new
> Ben> release.
>
> Dale> Can't you use something like m4 as a pre-processor and do
> Dale> macro expansion that way?
>
> That would work, but it would be nice if it were built into the
> control file language. Many people will need this functionality in the
> future.
Aside: Actually, the important versioning issues raised by libgtk might
need addressing in another way, although I can't think of the Right Way
just now.
ObMacros:
In general, it is IMHO silly to rewrite, yet again, a macro substitution
engine into a special purpose piece of software (doc-base) when we already
have several good, fast macro substituters (cpp, m4) and a framework from
which they can easily be run (debian/rules).
Jules
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