Re: contrib directory and autoconf

[Michael Albinus]

Kai Grossjohann <address@hidden> writes:

> I wonder whether ./configure should check whether the files in contrib
> are available on the Emacs that's used to run Tramp.  And if not,
> maybe they could be copied into the lisp directory, or moved there, or
> something could be added to load-path.

I'ld prefer to do this not _automatically_. The packages in contrib are
intended as fallback only, in case they are not available yet(!) in
user's (X)Emacs.

Once they come in (f.e. via upgrading Gnus) the original packages
should be used but the contributed ones from Tramp. If contributed
packages are activated silently, one might not be aware that Tramp's
(maybe outdated) contributed packages are in action.

Today there's the environment variable USE_CONTRIB for make
runs. Maybe this should be moved to the configure phase via an option,
with more precise checking than today (based on missing packages, not
only a yes/no for the whole file set).

> What do people think?
>
> Kai

Best regards, Michael.