Can't build perl out-of-source

[p5pRT]

Migrated from rt.perl.org#133590 (status was 'open')

Searchable as RT133590$

[p5pRT]

From @krichter722

Building out-of-source, e.g. with `mkdir /tmp/perl-build && cd
/tmp/perl-build && /path/to/perl/Configure -de`, fails due to `make​: ***
No rule to make target 'Makefile.SH', needed by 'Makefile'. Stop.`. The
`Configure` script however exists with code 0 which is confusing.

The issue is reproduced on Travis CI, see
https://www.travis-ci.org/krichter722/perl5/builds/441360931 for
details. The usage of Travis is unclear to me as the source repository
contains a fully-functioning, non-trivial .travis.yml, but
https://travis-ci.org/Perl/perl5 is not activated (the activation would
be most welcome btw). The corresponding patch for the test expansion is
provided at #18.

If out-of-source builds are not supported, `Configure` should fail as
early as possible with a comprehensive and clear error message.

[p5pRT]

From @demerphq

I don't believe we support this. Never heard it before anyway

On Mon, 15 Oct 2018, 17​:10 krichter@​posteo.de (via RT), <
perlbug-followup@​perl.org> wrote​:

# New Ticket Created by krichter@​posteo.de
# Please include the string​: [perl #133590]
# in the subject line of all future correspondence about this issue.
# <URL​: https://rt-archive.perl.org/perl5/Ticket/Display.html?id=133590 >

Building out-of-source, e.g. with `mkdir /tmp/perl-build && cd
/tmp/perl-build && /path/to/perl/Configure -de`, fails due to `make​: ***
No rule to make target 'Makefile.SH', needed by 'Makefile'. Stop.`. The
`Configure` script however exists with code 0 which is confusing.

The issue is reproduced on Travis CI, see
https://www.travis-ci.org/krichter722/perl5/builds/441360931 for
details. The usage of Travis is unclear to me as the source repository
contains a fully-functioning, non-trivial .travis.yml, but
https://travis-ci.org/Perl/perl5 is not activated (the activation would
be most welcome btw). The corresponding patch for the test expansion is
provided at #18.

If out-of-source builds are not supported, `Configure` should fail as
early as possible with a comprehensive and clear error message.

[p5pRT]

The RT System itself - Status changed from 'new' to 'open'

[p5pRT]

From @Tux

On Mon, 15 Oct 2018 18​:21​:33 +0200, demerphq <demerphq@​gmail.com> wrote​:

I don't believe we support this. Never heard it before anyway

There are several projects that do this. GNU gcc uses a variation in
its build process (where obj is next to src)

Test​::Smoke supports a variation in that all sources are symnbolically
linked, but there was noone using that.

Personally I see no added value (compared to the effort we'd need to
put into this to make it work).

Building out-of-source, e.g. with `mkdir /tmp/perl-build && cd
/tmp/perl-build && /path/to/perl/Configure -de`, fails due to `make​: ***
No rule to make target 'Makefile.SH', needed by 'Makefile'. Stop.`. The
`Configure` script however exists with code 0 which is confusing.

*that* is a valid point. We might need to change that.

--
H.Merijn Brand http​://tux.nl Perl Monger http​://amsterdam.pm.org/
using perl5.00307 .. 5.29 porting perl5 on HP-UX, AIX, and openSUSE
http​://mirrors.develooper.com/hpux/ http​://www.test-smoke.org/
http​://qa.perl.org http​://www.goldmark.org/jeff/stupid-disclaimers/

[p5pRT]

From @doughera88

On Sun, Oct 14, 2018 at 01​:08​:01PM -0700, krichter@​posteo.de (via RT) wrote​:

# New Ticket Created by krichter@​posteo.de
# Please include the string​: [perl #133590]
# in the subject line of all future correspondence about this issue.
# <URL​: https://rt-archive.perl.org/perl5/Ticket/Display.html?id=133590 >

Building out-of-source, e.g. with `mkdir /tmp/perl-build && cd
/tmp/perl-build && /path/to/perl/Configure -de`, fails due to `make​: ***
No rule to make target 'Makefile.SH', needed by 'Makefile'. Stop.`. The
`Configure` script however exists with code 0 which is confusing.

To make this work, just add the option -Dmksymlinks to your Configure command.
See the section

  =head2 Building Perl outside of the source directory

in the INSTALL file for more details.

It should work fine. I have routinely used this technique for years.

I agree that the exit code is confusing.

--
  Andy Dougherty doughera@​lafayette.edu

[p5pRT]

From @tonycoz

On Mon, 15 Oct 2018 10​:11​:48 -0700, doughera wrote​:

I agree that the exit code is confusing.

Reported upstream as​:

Perl/metaconfig#56

Tony