The GHC build system

[Johan Tibell]

Hi all,

On Thu, May 12, 2011 at 8:58 AM, Ben Lippmeier <benl at ouroborus.net> wrote:
> Hi All,
> I thought I'd take a moment to mention that the GHC build system is basically unmaintainable by anyone except the original authors. It's clear that a heroic effort has been made to fit a square peg into a round hole, and I *want* to help, but stuff like this makes my eyes hurt:
>
>  $$($$($1_PACKAGE)-$$($1_$2_VERSION)_HADDOCK_DEPS) | $$$$(dir $$$$@)/.
>
> So does this:
>
>  $$(foreach pkg,$$($1_$2_DEPS),$$(if $$($$(pkg)_HADDOCK_FILE),--read-interface=../$$(pkg)$$(comma)../$$(pkg)/src/%{MODULE/./-}.html\#%{NAME}$$(comma)$$($$(pkg)_HADDOCK_FILE)))
>
> and this:
>
>  $$(foreach p,$$(patsubst libraries/%,%,$$(wildcard $$(shell grep '^[^ #][^ ]* \+\(dph\|extra\) \+[^ ]\+ \+[^ ]\+ \+[^ ]\+' packages | sed 's/ .*//')))
>
> I once heard that you should write your code like it'll be read by a psychotic axe murder that knows where you live. Suffice to say, I don't own any axes, nor am I planning on buying any. Axes aren't really my thing. What *is* my thing is helping to write GHC, but this is very difficult when faced with write-only code.
>
> Ben.

After having spent about 8 hours trying to add a new static library as
a dependency of ghc-prim I feel with you. I've read all the wiki
pages, make -p:ed myself to death, tried to imitate other files, read
through examples, read through the make docs, but to no avail. I
cannot make it work.

Johan