Create / embedded ExtUtils::CBuilder successor

[rehsack]

Today while hacking on check_produce_loadable_xs_build @ribasushi and myself detected once again the limitations of use of ExtUtils::CBuilder (@dagolden talked with lot's of people 4-5 years ago to improve the situation and noone find his/her superman costume). Because of https://github.com/Perl-Toolchain-Gang/ExtUtils-MakeMaker/pull/45 it's probably an idea to meet with @Tux and @Leont once or twice in coming autumn to improve quickly and in a way usable in EU::CB and ExtUtils::MakeMaker.

[ambs]

On 17/09/14, 18:56, Jens Rehsack wrote:

Today while hacking on _check_produce_loadable_xsbuild @ribasushi https://github.com/ribasushi and myself detected once again the limitations of use of ExtUtils::CBuilder (@dagolden https://github.com/dagolden talked with lot's of people 4-5 years ago to improve the situation and noone find his/her superman costume). Because of Perl-Toolchain-Gang/ExtUtils-MakeMaker#45 https://github.com/Perl-Toolchain-Gang/ExtUtils-MakeMaker/pull/45 it's probably an idea to meet with @Tux https://github.com/Tux and @Leont https://github.com/Leont once or twice in coming autumn to improve quickly and in a way usable in EU::CB and ExtUtils::MakeMaker.

It might be relevant to include parts of ExtUtils::LibBuilder in EU::CB.

[rehsack]

The basic plan is to break the entire vertical toolchain design into horizontal one - read a layer below EU::MM and M::B (whatsover) to detect the proper tools and build the Makefile/Build by delivering necessary variables set as in http://www.gnu.org/software/autoconf/manual/autoconf.html#Output-Variable-Index (we can discuss naming - not idea of the variables). The way how they're guessed, checked, proved etc. is not so important in first shot as their API relevance.

[Tux]

one of the problems is that the chain can change completely based on what parts are chosen in the chain.

e.g. there are situations on older GNU gcc on HP-UX that require the native loader (ld) instead of the GNU ld version to work at all. This implies that detection a tool-part is present and runs might not be enough a trigger to accept it in the required set of tools.

Another problem/snake-pit is the mix of C++ and C, where the found C compiler is the native OS one, and the C++ happens to be the GNU compiler. They will require a different set of libraries (and probably library path's) and maybe even different linker and or linker options.

[rehsack]

All above things are more or less easy to manage with some kind of profiles (on X do Y), as lt does. We just have to improve our tooling :)

[Leont]

Because of Perl-Toolchain-Gang/ExtUtils-MakeMaker#45 it's probably an idea to meet with @Tux and @Leont once or twice in coming autumn to improve quickly and in a way usable in EU::CB and ExtUtils::MakeMaker.

Yeah, that would be a good idea. I've been working on ExtUtils::Builder, but it probably needs a major refactor (starting with weaning it off Moo) to be more useful.