Build issue while cross-compiling

[ErwanGa]

Hello
I'm currently trying to properly cross compile your library, but I'm facing an issue.

I notice the following in your README

- Edit the three variables at the beginning of the Makefile to reflect
  the location where Zlib is installed on your system.  The defaults
  are OK for Linux.

But I really prefer using environment variable instead of modifying the sources.
It's easiest for the integration in a complete cross compilation build system
Could I suggest the following patch to avoid such issue ?
Thanks
Erwan

--- Makefile.ori	2017-11-07 11:41:26.375257045 +0100
+++ Makefile	2017-11-07 11:41:38.719314251 +0100
@@ -5,12 +5,12 @@
 
 # The directory containing the Zlib library (libz.a or libz.so)
 # Leave empty if libz is in a standard linker directory
-ZLIB_LIBDIR=
+ZLIB_LIBDIR?=
 # ZLIB_LIBDIR=/usr/local/lib
 
 # The directory containing the Zlib header file (zlib.h)
 # Leave empty if zlib.h is in a standard compiler directory
-ZLIB_INCLUDE=
+ZLIB_INCLUDE?=
 # ZLIB_INCLUDE=/usr/local/include
 
 # Where to install the library.  By default: sub-directory 'zip' of

[xavierleroy]

Apologies for leaving this report unanswered for so long.

You can definitely override the ZLIB_LIBDIR and ZLIB_INCLUDE variables from the command-line that invokes make:

    make ZLIB_LIBDIR=/opt/lib ZLIB_INCLUDE=/opt/include

I am not a fan of environment variables that silently affect Makefile variables...

Stepping back, everyone is unhappy with this "edit the Makefile" configuration procedure for this library, which should be replaced by a proper configure script. For your cross-compilation purposes, what would be a good interface for this configure script?

[ErwanGa]

Hi
Thanks for your reply. I'm using a local patch for the moment, so it's not really urgent.

I fully agree with silent environment variables problem, but I've unfortunately to use opam (It's not really the best way for cross-compiling purpose but It's a not chosen constraint). In this context , env. variables is the easiest way I found for overriding the default configuration.

In my great world for cross-compiling (ie without opam), a 'configure' shell script with some options as --zlib-include --zlib-libdir, --ocaml-bin etc in charge of generating the makefile is enough.

BR
Erwan