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Doc Bug #66369 INSTALL file (generated from Online Docs) fails to mention autoconf/buildconf
Submitted: 2013-12-30 20:27 UTC Modified: 2014-01-01 19:36 UTC
From: Rican7 at gmail dot com Assigned: aharvey (profile)
Status: Not a bug Package: Documentation problem
PHP Version: Irrelevant OS: *nix
Private report: No CVE-ID: None
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 [2013-12-30 20:27 UTC] Rican7 at gmail dot com 
Description:
------------
---
From manual page: http://www.php.net/install
---

The PHP source repository creates dynamic configuration scripts through GNU autoconf, however it takes a decent amount of searching to find that out.

The autoconf process is mentioned in a [Help FAQ online][1], but isn't mentioned anywhere in the INSTALL document in the php-src repo. I was going to submit a pull request until I saw the line mentioning that its auto-generated by the online documentation.

 [1] http://www.php.net/manual/en/faq.build.php#faq.build.configure

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 [2013-12-30 20:28 UTC] aharvey@php.net
-Assigned To: +Assigned To: aharvey
 [2013-12-30 20:28 UTC] aharvey@php.net 
Specifically, we need to roll in some of the verbiage at http://php.net/git, which covers buildconf and the requirements to build from git instead of tarballs.
 [2013-12-30 20:31 UTC] Rican7 at gmail dot com 
Yea, it would just really help to consolidate some of the information for easier contributions.
 [2013-12-31 01:46 UTC] bjori@php.net
-Status: Assigned +Status: Not a bug -Assigned To: aharvey +Assigned To:
 [2013-12-31 01:46 UTC] bjori@php.net 
When you compile PHP from git sources you are on your own and expected to know what you are doing.

You do not need autoconf or friends when compiling from a snapshot or a release build.

We only document release builds (and upcoming releases).
This is done so people that are downloading the actual releases don't have to wade through weird developers-only sections.
 [2013-12-31 06:06 UTC] Rican7 at gmail dot com 
... That's strange that you say that bjori@php.net:

1. Compiling a code base (of any kind) from source has similar steps, but the PHP project uses a non-standard executable for running autoconf
2. "autoconf" itself isn't the most common tool and can deter new contributors
3. Other projects that have a process using "autoconf" usually remind devs to run it to create the initial configure script. For example, Ruby: http://new.tinygrab.com/3f00c7451001759c65b39d48b4ad387fed1670500e.png (https://github.com/ruby/ruby/blob/trunk/README)
4. The INSTALL script included in the PHP project's GIT repository has literal steps to install from the git source, as if NOT expecting you to just "know what you are doing", and a "./configure" step is listed multiple times (18 counted) without ever mentioning "autoconf" or "buildconf". If its documented, it should be correct/accurate.
5. The information is available in the php.net documentation, its just hard to find and away from the useful source/codebase... so its not like its unnecessary or out of scope information.
 [2013-12-31 06:36 UTC] bjori@php.net 
INSTALL docs are for our users, not contributors.
That is very normal.

There should be no mention of "git" in the install guide, if it is - its a bug.

That is not to say there should not be a different file for contributors, such as CONTRIBUTING.md maybe?
 [2013-12-31 06:41 UTC] Rican7 at gmail dot com 
Hmm, ok. Would you take a pull request for such a document?
If so, should it be added to the recent master or merged up from 5.4?
 [2013-12-31 06:42 UTC] bjori@php.net
-Status: Not a bug +Status: Assigned -Assigned To: +Assigned To: aharvey
 [2013-12-31 06:42 UTC] bjori@php.net 
Idk....
https://edit.php.net/?project=PHP&perm=en/install.unix.php

If you have concrete suggestions on fixing that.
I personally don't consider this a bug though.
 [2014-01-01 19:35 UTC] krakjoe@php.net
-Status: Assigned +Status: Closed
 [2014-01-01 19:35 UTC] krakjoe@php.net 
The manual is intended to document released versions of PHP, as mentioned these do not require buildconf or knowledge of git or anything like that. 

The information required for developers is available in appropriate locations, as such closing bug.
 [2014-01-01 19:36 UTC] krakjoe@php.net
-Status: Closed +Status: Not a bug
 
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