make install suggestion

[Bruno Wolff III <br...@wolff.to>]

Since I have had an opportunity to be compiling 2.0.37 snapshots a lot
lately, I have noticed a feature of make install that could be improved.
Currently make install checks to see if some configuration files exist
and doesn't overwrite them if they do. A similar check is made before
installing files at the top of the html directory tree. However this
doesn't work very well, because in normal use you don't want a bunch
of these files. In particular the apach_* and index.html.* files.
What I think would be better would be to first test to see if the
html directory was empty (or perhaps if there already is an index.html
file) and only install the default web pages in this case.
A configure option to not install the default pages would be just as
convenient if the developers think that would be a better way to do things.

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Re: make install suggestion

[Joshua Slive <jo...@slive.ca>]

On Wed, 5 Jun 2002, Bruno Wolff III wrote:
> Do you think the config option or a more complicated test for doing the
> install would be a better idea? The more I think about it, the more
> I think the configure option is a better way to go.

Personally, I'd say that if the htdocs directory already exists (or, at
worst, if it contains some files) then the install shouldn't muck with it.
But others may disagree.  The utility of those "welcome" pages is rather
low, so I'd default towards not installing them if there is any question.

> When I looked at the bug database I didn't see an option for suggestion
> or enhancement. Did I miss something? If not should I just pretend it
> is a bug fix?

File it under the "build" component with severity level "enhancement".

Joshua.


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Re: make install suggestion

[Bruno Wolff III <br...@wolff.to>]

On Wed, Jun 05, 2002 at 10:25:36 -0400,
  Joshua Slive <jo...@slive.ca> wrote:
> 
> On Wed, 5 Jun 2002, Bruno Wolff III wrote:
> 
> > What I think would be better would be to first test to see if the
> > html directory was empty (or perhaps if there already is an index.html
> > file) and only install the default web pages in this case.
> > A configure option to not install the default pages would be just as
> > convenient if the developers think that would be a better way to do things.
> 
> Sounds like a good suggestion, but I'm don't think you'll get much action
> on it by posting it here.  The bug database would be a good place, or the
> dev@httpd mailing list if you feel like getting more involved.  In both
> cases, you're likely to see quicker action if you include a patch ;-)

Do you think the config option or a more complicated test for doing the
install would be a better idea? The more I think about it, the more
I think the configure option is a better way to go.

When I looked at the bug database I didn't see an option for suggestion
or enhancement. Did I miss something? If not should I just pretend it
is a bug fix?

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Re: make install suggestion

[Joshua Slive <jo...@slive.ca>]

On Wed, 5 Jun 2002, Bruno Wolff III wrote:

> What I think would be better would be to first test to see if the
> html directory was empty (or perhaps if there already is an index.html
> file) and only install the default web pages in this case.
> A configure option to not install the default pages would be just as
> convenient if the developers think that would be a better way to do things.

Sounds like a good suggestion, but I'm don't think you'll get much action
on it by posting it here.  The bug database would be a good place, or the
dev@httpd mailing list if you feel like getting more involved.  In both
cases, you're likely to see quicker action if you include a patch ;-)

Joshua.


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