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Date: Wed, 26 Aug 1998 22:47:30 -0700 (PDT)
From: Matthew Dillon <dillon@backplane.com>
Message-Id: <199808270547.WAA11311@apollo.backplane.com>
To: Bruce Evans <bde@zeta.org.au>
Cc: jkoshy@FreeBSD.ORG, bde@zeta.org.au, committers@hub.freebsd.org
Subject: Re: cvs commit: src/etc make.conf
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:
:>:Also, this change breaks the declarative "VAR = VALUE" structure of 
:>:"make.conf" by bringing in "active statements" with BSD make syntax
:>:and semantics.
:>:If we need to do active things like checking for an additional "local" files
:>:then it is better done from a top level makefile.
:>
:>    Hmm.. ok, works for me.  Anyone have any objections to having sys.mk
:>    check for an /etc/make.conf.local after /etc/make.conf ?
:
:Yes, I already object to it checking for /etc/make.conf :-).  The top
:level is too high for most of the stuff in it.  It should only be used
:to override or add to settings for variables like CFLAGS that are already
:set in <sys.mk>.
:
:Bruce

    IMHO, make.conf as it currently stands is an important
    'official' file.  If you get rid of the 6K of official
    stuff in it, you might be able to call it a local file.
    But until you do, it sure *isn't* a local file or a
    locally editable file.  It doesn't matter whether the
    stuff is commented out or not.  It's critical information
    that needs to be updated on every release, therefore
    we (BEST) or I (personally) would rather not have to re-copy
    and re-merge the file every time we do a major system
    update.  The file itself has changed quite often...
    just look at the CVS log for make.conf verses, say,
    rc.local.

    Having a make.conf.local completely solves the problem.
    It is a 100% fix and removes yet another file from having
    to be re-merged after an update.  It is also, I might add,
    relatively critical that such re-merges be done properly
    with the current scheme.  The last thing I want to do 
    is accidently leave out a custom kerberos define that 
    breaks 40 rack-mount FreeBSD boxes!

    make.conf.local solves the problem, neatly and succinctly.  

				    -Matt

    Matthew Dillon  Engineering, HiWay Technologies, Inc. & BEST Internet 
                    Communications
    <dillon@backplane.com> (Please include original email in any response)