Re: [Super-tux-devel] --disable-sound and NOSOUND

[Tobias <tob...@gm...>]

Am Do, den 18.12.2003 schrieb Duong-Khang NGUYEN um 09:05:
> Hi there,
> 
> I think that the use of "#define NOSOUND" is justified by the fact that some 
> advanced users don't want the sound support compiled in as Bill said. So if 
> we do not provide that compile time define anymore, we get the sound support 
> compiled in all the time. 

The only argument for #define NOSOUND until now is, that some users
maybe don't want to install SDL_mixer and its dependencies.

We have following options.
-Switching from SDL_mixer to sth. that has less dependencies
-Creating fake functions, which do nothing, if someone don't wants to
link against SDL_mixer. (Just a idea, I dunno if that is 100% possible
;) )
-And more that I don't know of. 

> In this case we will get rid of the NOSOUND #define but the sound support is 
> compiled in anyway. And the user can still disable the sound with 
> --disable-sound.

Yepp, this is a common way in a lot of games. The most users will
install a RPM or DEB and packagers will enable sound
in RPMs and DEBs, of course.

> 
> The problem is that we can not provide the compile time #define NOSOUND and 
> then ignore it in the codes. It's just not logical :-D. You guys, have to 
> decide either we let the user the ability to choose to compile the sound 
> support or they have the sound support compiled in "forever :-)"

Yes, you got the point. There are two ways crossing each other.
Compiling with or without sound support or giving a run time option for
this.
If we don't choose one way and drop the other one, all users will be
confused.
And in my point of view a runtime option is much better here, since the
most people will install a RPM or something like that.

> >Tobias GlÀßer (who comes from C++ and sees #define as his enemy ;) )
> 
> Hmm, I think "#define" fits some programming needs just like the "goto" 
> command. That's why they're still around. You, Tobias, must have had a dark 
> time with "#define"s :-D

'#define's are OK for some special needs and have their deserved place
esspecially in C. But '#define's should definitivly not be placed, where
runtime decicions/options would fit better.
And last but not least I red a few advanced C++ books, which told me
again and again how satanic '#define's are. :)

Greetz... (I'm going to view 'Lord of the Rings' today!)

Tobias Gläßer