Re: pkg.m4 missing in pkg-config v0.28 tool download for GTK+ 3.x on win32

[Legorol <legorol san gmail com>]

> On 23.01.2014 12:07, Tarnyko wrote:
> > Legorol writes:
> > > On the Windows 32-bit download page
> > > (http://www.gtk.org/download/win32.php), under the GTK+ 3.x
> > > heading, various "other third party software" are listed. One of
> > > those is pkg-config version 0.28.
> > >
> > > Two download options are available: Tool or Sources. The Tool
> > > option links to pkg-config_0.28-1_win32.zip. This does not
> > > contain share/aclocal/pkg.m4, as it should in my opinion. The
> > > only way to obtain pkg.m4 is from the Sources link.
> >
> > In fact, the all-in-one bundle does contain pkg.m4. I never checked
> > before, but is this file necessary (besides GLib and other
> > dependencies) for pkg-config.exe to execute correctly ? If it is, I
> > agree it should be in the package.
>
> pkg.m4 is needed if you regenerate the configure script from
> configure.ac by using autotools.

Yes. pkg.m4 is not used to build pkg-config.exe. Instead, it's a
system-wide macro file that provides the integration between
pkg-config and Autotools.

Typically software packages are distributed so that to build them, you
just run ./configure then make etc. You don't need pkg.m4 for this.

However, some packages are distributed such that as part of the build
process, autoconf has to be run on part or all of the package. In this
case, you need pkg.m4 to be present.

Compare the contents of the pkg-config version 0.26 Dev download under
GTK+ 2.x with the contents of the pkg-config version 0.28 Tool
download under GTK+ 3.x. The former includes pkg.m4 and a man page,
the latter does not.