[GRASS-dev] winGRASS compilation: perl not found (needed for MAN)

[Glynn Clements]

Markus Neteler wrote:

> we try to compile winGRASS on a colleague's computer (XP),
> following
> https://trac.osgeo.org/grass/wiki/CompileOnWindows
> 
> ./mswindows/osgeo4w/package.sh
> ...
> checking for perl... no
> ...
> 
> At this point, MAN is not created, leading to a tar packaging error later.
> 
> But:
> $ perl -v
> This is perl., v5.10.1 built for MSWin32-x86-multi-thread
> ...
> 
> I am suprised that perl isn't detected by configure. Nothing
> dramatic of course.

No idea why; it's just an AC_PATH_PROG() check; nothing unusual about
it.

> Did any other winGRASS builder observe this problem?

I've never noticed it, because man/Makefile silently skips building
the manpages if Perl isn't present (I don't have it on Windows).

Maybe we should use the Python version from 7.0? Many users will want
Python anyhow, whereas Perl is only used for g.html2man.

OTOH, how many Windows users will want nroff manpages?

-- 
Glynn Clements <glynn at gclements.plus.com>