Re: problem building latest cvs snapshot

[Daniel J S. <dan...@ie...>]

Timoth=E9e Lecomte wrote:

>> checking for CAIRO... Package cairo was not found in the pkg-config=20
>> search path.Perhaps you should add the directory containing `cairo.pc'
>> to the PKG_CONFIG_PATH environment variable
>> No package 'cairo' found
>>  =20
>=20
>=20
> The above messages are the defaults provided by pkg-config.

Oh, sorry.  Why is configure so terse in one instance, and then here gets=
 so wordy with stuff like "Perhaps you should"?


>> configure: WARNING: Cairo can't be found. The wxWidgets terminal will=20
>> not be compiled.
>>  =20
>=20
>=20
> I wrote this one, and I am willing to improve the message if you think=20
> we can do better. For example, I can replace "WARNING" by "NOTE".
>=20
>> The only real bit of info in the above message is "Perhaps you should=20
>> add the directory containing `cairo.pc'
>> to the PKG_CONFIG_PATH environment variable" and even that is wordy. =20
>> And, once that is stated it becomes redundant information when it is=20
>> displayed several more times later.
>>  =20
>=20
> It is not redundant as different packages are concerned.

Same bloated sentence with one word different.  High entropy, low informa=
tion content.


>=20
>> And this one:
>>
>> checking for PANGO... Requested 'pango >=3D 1.10' but version of Pango=
=20
>> is 1.6.0
>>
>> could be:
>>
>> checking for PANGO... found 1.6.0, require >=3D 1.10
>>  =20
>=20
>=20
> To me, that's just the same.

Right, but it is shorter and fits on one line rather than wrapping at 80 =
chars.  (Is this another "configure issued" default warning?)


> I can reword that into "No valid Pango package was found. The wxWidgets=
=20
> terminal will not be compiled." if you prefer.

I'm suggesting to be more brief and include info at appropriate locations=
.  Having too much extraneous info can sometimes be just as big a problem=
 as not enough info.

I just think that at the point where configure checks for packages and ca=
n't find them it isn't necessary to say what the ramification of that is =
just yet.  I'd think at the bottom in the list of what is included might =
be better.

Dan