Currently, the required options are in Makefile.xt. This is a serious problem, since Makefile.xt is copied to packages that require Stratego/XT. This copying means that the package requires the version of Stratego/XT that was used to create a distribution. If we change one of the compiler flags in Makefile.xt, then all dependent packages have to be re-released for that specific version of Stratego/XT. This takes a lot of time.

So, the installed Stratego/XT should determine the flags that have to be passed to tools (ld, gcc, strc). The standard tool for this is pkg-config, so we should consider to start using pkg-config.

Submitted on 7 March 2005 at 11:50

STR-267, martin:
btw, if we decide to do this, then it should be done before the next release: Makefile.xt has been changed heavily for this release. If we change to pkg-config later, then we have to bother users with these changes in two releases. So, we should solve this problem now.

STR-267, martin:
I think that pkg-config is also used as a more solid way of finding the prefix of packages. If we are going to use pkg-config, then we could also introduce support for the detection of –with configuration.

This will make Stratego easier to install for typical users. The problem of multiple installations is only applicable to Stratego developers and making the chosen configuration clear for these cases is our own problem.

STR-267, martin:
Proposed at stratego-dev:

https://mail.cs.uu.nl/pipermail/stratego-dev/2005q2/000904.html