1: How to convert autotools to meson
2: =================================
3:
4: GNU's build system ("autotools", ./configure, etc) was previously the
5: main one used by most of the open source world. However, lots of high
6: profile projects (GNOME, etc) have been switching from it to a new
7: python-based one, called meson.
8:
9: Many things in pkgsrc have needed to be updated to use meson, so
10: here's a guide on doing it properly.
11:
12: Basics
13: ------
14:
15: You won't need the following, so delete them:
16:
17: GNU_CONFIUGRE= yes
18: USE_LIBTOOL= yes
19:
20: Neither meson or cmake (another increasingly popular alternative) uses
21: libtool to make shared libraries.
22:
23: You will need the following:
24:
25: .include "../../devel/meson/build.mk"
26:
27: Tools
28: -----
29:
30: Only the following tools are generally needed:
31:
32: USE_TOOLS+= pkg-config msgfmt xgettext
33:
34: Nearly every meson package needs pkg-config, since it's the main way it
35: resolves dependencies. This also means that dependencies where the
36: buildlink isn't included won't be detected.
37:
38: meson does not use intltool or other gettext tools than xgettext
39: and msgfmt. If your package uses `i18n.gettext` in a `meson.build` file
40: it needs xgettext, and if it uses `i18n.merge_file` it needs msgfmt.
41: It's easy to check this with grep.
42:
43: Python
44: ------
45:
46: Every Meson project uses Python to build, but many don't install
47: Python scripts and don't need it to run, so you should add the following:
48:
49: PYTHON_FOR_BUILD_ONLY= tool
50:
51: If the build process needs a `python3`, `python2`, or `python` binary to
52: execute scripts during the build, you should also include the following:
53:
54: .include "../../lang/python/tool.mk"
55:
56: This will automatically create a python executable with the appropriate
57: suffix (or lack of suffix) for the duration of the build.
58:
59: pkgconfig overrides
60: -------------------
61:
62: Libraries that use meson generally generate .pc files for use
63: by pkg-config. This happens during the build, while previously
64: they would have been pregenerated.
65:
66: You should search for .pc files after the build is complete
67: and set the appropriate flags:
68:
69: PKGCONFIG_OVERRIDE_STAGE= pre-install
70: PKGCONFIG_OVERRIDE+= output/meson-private/glesv2.pc
71:
72: This is necessary so that pkgsrc sets the correct runtime
73: path for libraries.
74:
75: Remove any old references to nonexistent .pc files from the old
76: build system in the PKGCONFIG_OVERRIDE.
77:
78: gettext issues on NetBSD
79: ------------------------
80:
81: NetBSD includes an (old, pre-GPLv3?) version of msgfmt. This doesn't
82: have the new --desktop or --xml flags, so you'll get a build error
83: if a package attempts to use these.
84:
85: There's an easy workaround:
86:
87: .include "../../mk/bsd.prefs.mk"
88:
89: # msgfmt: unknown option -- desktop
90: .if ${OPSYS} == "NetBSD"
91: TOOLS_PLATFORM.msgfmt=
92: .endif
93:
94: Flags
95: -----
96:
97: Flags of the following form:
98:
99: CONFIGURE_ARGS+= --enable-opengl
100:
101: Generally now take the following form:
102:
103: MESON_ARGS+= -Dopengl=true
104:
105: Check the `meson_options.txt` file.
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