MySQL Bugs: #38956: Inconsistant Documentation

Bug #38956	Inconsistant Documentation
Submitted:	22 Aug 2008 9:15	Modified:	22 Aug 2008 9:47
Reporter:	Peter Volk (Basic Quality Contributor)	Email Updates:
Status:	Not a Bug	Impact on me:	None
Category:	MySQL Server: Documentation	Severity:	S2 (Serious)
Version:	current	OS:	Any
Assigned to:		CPU Architecture:	Any
Tags:	Buid source, doucmentation

Description:
Hi,

on the following docuemntation site:
http://dev.mysql.com/doc/refman/5.1/en/installing-source-tree.html

the description given for the autorun.sh script is inconsistant with the above statements. It states that autorun.sh can be used to replace the following statements:

shell> aclocal; autoheader
shell> libtoolize --automake --force
shell> automake --force --add-missing; autoconf

These statements are not included in the above instructions for building (anymore):

shell> cd mysql-5.1
shell> autoreconf --force --install
shell> ./configure  # Add your favorite options here
shell> make

I know that these statements used to be included in the mandantory steps to build MySQL but it seems to have changed. 

How to repeat:
None

Suggested fix:
Probably the aclocal etc. statements are not needed anymore. Either remove the statement that the autorun.sh statement can be used to replace the following statements.... (remove that text if they realy are not needed any more) or add the statements to the original building instructions

Thank you for taking the time to write to us, but this is not a bug. Please double-check the documentation available at http://dev.mysql.com/doc/ and the instructions on
how to report a bug at http://bugs.mysql.com/how-to-report.php

According to autoreconf manual (http://www.gnu.org/software/autoconf/manual/autoconf-2.57/html_node/autoconf_14.html): "autoreconf runs autoconf, autoheader, aclocal, automake, libtoolize, and autopoint (when appropriate) repeatedly to update the GNU Build System in the specified directories and their subdirectories" So part of instruction with autoreconf is similar to the part below it. Also BUILD/autorun.sh really contains instruction provided in the manual. So I don't see bug here.

Additionally there are different correct ways to compile MySQL sources. For example, if you use *tar.gz source package you may omit auto* staff, but if you obtain source tree from Bazaar this is mandatory.

Hi,

I know that there are about a dozen of ways to build MySQL. My problem is that you state that you can replace the statements "x,y,z" with autorun.sh but in the original comand line example you cant find "x,y,z". So simply there is nothing to replace. I think it is quite a bit confusing.

Cheers,
Peter

I am sorry, but I don't see not consistence:

shell> cd mysql-5.1
shell> autoreconf --force --install
shell> ./configure  # Add your favorite options here
shell> make

Or you can use BUILD/autorun.sh as a shortcut for the following sequence of commands:

shell> aclocal; autoheader
shell> libtoolize --automake --force
shell> automake --force --add-missing; autoconf

Manual does not say BUILD/autorun.sh is a shortcut for the above sequence of commands (with autoreconf), but is a shortcut for the following sequence of commands (which is really is). I see only way to fix it: remove autoreconf part, but I see no reason to give people less knowledge than now.