[omniORB] omniORB build enviroment

[Harri Pasanen]

Duncan Grisby wrote:
> 
> I've been thinking about how best to re-work the build environment for
> omniORB 4, and I thought I would get some input about what people
> would like, and any suggestions about how to do it.
> 
>  3. A Python script which builds everything
> 
>     The most radical approach is to write a complete new build system
>     in Python, replacing make as well as the configuration stage. The
>     Software Carpentry competition (software-carpentry.codesourcery.com)
>     aimed to create new tools to do this, but it doesn't look like
>     there's anything particularly useful to be had from there. This
>     would be a lot of work, but it might result in a tool which is
>     useful beyond omniORB. It would also make life easier for Windows
>     users, since the gnuwin32 tools wouldn't be necessary anymore.
>

I've only quickly glanced at the finalist specs for the build tool. 
(Was there a winning entry?).  That would probably be the ultimate
solution, but would require someone dedicated, with time to
implement it.

 
>  4. Something else
> 
> Does anyone have any comments on any of these?  Even better, if
> someone wants to implement something, that would be great.
> 


I've been building omniORB2 and omniORB3 on four different platforms
(Linux, NT, Solaris, HP-UX), on daily bases for some time, including
a port to a new compiler (KAI C++, or KCC).  I have not yet looked
at omniORB4.

For a start the existing makefiles could still be simplified.  At
least in omniORB3 there still are compiler specific makefiles in
multiple directories.  To have all the centralized would to me
already represent an useful improvement.

I maintain a large make system, of which omniORB represents a
subset.  Working with make on large projects is a pain, as explained
in the motivation of the Software Carpentry competition, so for the
longer term solution I'd be happy to see a make/autoconf
replacement.


Just my 2 centimes,

Harri