configure.ac doesn't check for presence of pkg-config macros

[Gareth Edwards]

Currently the configure.ac file assumes that pkg-config is installed with its autoconf macros. This gives a slightly confusing error message that the PKG_PROC_PKG_CONFIG macro is not defined.

Attached path explicitly checks for the macro and suggests that pkg-config is installed if it can't be found.

[Peter TB Brett (peter-b)]

I don't feel very keen on this patch.

1) The issue only affects people compiling from git -- if you are compiling from a tarball, it's not an issue (the autoconf macro actually generates code which checks for pkg-config).

2) People who can compile from git can also be expected to read README files (although it might well be that the README file needs enhancement on this point).

3) "./autogen.sh" (via "aclocal") emits a warning about missing macros. Maybe we should add -Werror to our aclocal options?

IMHO "configure.ac" should be aimed at generating the best possible "configure" with the minimum amount of boilerplate to save developers from themselves. ;-)

[Peter TB Brett (peter-b)]

I've thought about this further, and I've decided not to pick this patch up.

[Gareth Edwards (gareth-uk)]

Hi Peter, that's fine by me.