1 <!DOCTYPE Article PUBLIC "-//OASIS//DTD DocBook V3.1//EN">
7 <Title>Building and Installing the Glasgow Functional Programming Tools Suite</Title>
8 <Author><OtherName>The GHC Team</OtherName></Author>
9 <Address><Email>glasgow-haskell-{users,bugs}@haskell.org</Email></Address>
10 <PubDate>January 2000</PubDate>
15 This guide is intended for people who want to build or modify
16 programs from the Glasgow <Literal>fptools</Literal> suite (as distinct from those
17 who merely want to <Emphasis>run</Emphasis> them). Installation instructions are now provided in the user guide.
21 The bulk of this guide applies to building on Unix systems; see <XRef LinkEnd="winbuild"> for Windows notes.
29 <Sect1 id="sec-getting">
30 <Title>Getting the Glasgow <Literal>fptools</Literal> suite
34 Building the Glasgow tools <Emphasis>can</Emphasis> be complicated, mostly because
35 there are so many permutations of what/why/how, e.g., ``Build Happy
36 with HBC, everything else with GHC, leave out profiling, and test it
37 all on the `real' NoFib programs.'' Yeeps!
41 Happily, such complications don't apply to most people. A few common
42 ``strategies'' serve most purposes. Pick one and proceed
50 <Term><IndexTerm><Primary>Binary distribution</Primary></IndexTerm>Binary distribution.</Term>
53 If your only purpose is to install some of the <Literal>fptools</Literal> suite then the easiest thing to do is to get a binary distribution. In the
54 binary distribution everything is pre-compiled for your particular
55 machine architecture and operating system, so all you should have to
56 do is install the binaries and libraries in suitable places. The user guide
57 describes how to do this.
61 A binary distribution may not work for you for two reasons. First, we
62 may not have built the suite for the particular architecture/OS
63 platform you want. That may be due to lack of time and energy (in
64 which case you can get a source distribution and build from it; see
65 below). Alternatively, it may be because we haven't yet ported the
66 suite to your architecture, in which case you are considerably worse
71 The second reason a binary distribution may not be what you want is
72 if you want to read or modify the souce code.
74 </ListItem></VarListEntry>
76 <Term><IndexTerm><Primary>Source distribution</Primary></IndexTerm>Source distribution.</Term>
80 platform, but (a) you like the warm fuzzy feeling of compiling things
81 yourself; (b) you want to build something ``extra''—e.g., a set of
82 libraries with strictness-analysis turned off; or (c) you want to hack
87 A source distribution contains complete sources for one or more
88 projects in the <Literal>fptools</Literal> suite. Not only that, but the more awkward
89 machine-independent steps are done for you. For example, if you don't
90 have <Command>flex</Command><IndexTerm><Primary>flex</Primary></IndexTerm> you'll find it convenient that the source
91 distribution contains the result of running <Command>flex</Command> on the lexical
92 analyser specification. If you don't want to alter the lexical
93 analyser then this saves you having to find and install <Command>flex</Command>. You
94 will still need a working version of GHC on your machine in order to
95 compile (most of) the sources, however.
99 We make source distributions more frequently than binary
100 distributions; a release that comes with pre-compiled binaries
101 is considered a major release, i.e., a release that we have some
102 confidence will work well by having tested it (more) thoroughly.
106 Source-only distributions are either bugfix releases or snapshots of
107 current state of development. The release has undergone some testing.
108 Source releases of GHC 4.xx can be compiled up using GHC 2.10 or
111 </ListItem></VarListEntry>
113 <Term>Build GHC from intermediate C <Filename>.hc</Filename> files<IndexTerm><Primary>hc files</Primary></IndexTerm>:</Term>
117 need a working GHC to use a source distribution. What if you don't
118 have a working GHC? Then you have no choice but to ``bootstrap'' up
119 from the intermediate C (<Filename>.hc</Filename>) files that we provide. Building GHC
120 on an unsupported platform falls into this category. Please see
121 <Xref LinkEnd="sec-booting-from-C">.
125 Once you have built GHC, you can build the other Glasgow tools with
130 In theory, you can (could?) build GHC with another Haskell compiler
131 (e.g., HBC). We haven't tried to do this for ages and it almost
132 certainly doesn't work any more (for tedious reasons).
134 </ListItem></VarListEntry>
136 <Term>The CVS repository.</Term>
139 We make source distributions slightly more often than binary
140 distributions; but still infrequently. If you want more up-to-the
141 minute (but less tested) source code then you need to get access to
146 All the <Literal>fptools</Literal> source code is held in a CVS repository. CVS is a
147 pretty good source-code control system, and best of all it works over
152 The repository holds source code only. It holds no mechanically
153 generated files at all. So if you check out a source tree from CVS
154 you will need to install every utility so that you can build all the
155 derived files from scratch.
159 More information about our CVS repository is available in the <ULink
160 URL="http://www.haskell.org/ghc/cvs-cheat-sheet.html" >FPTools CVS
161 Cheat Sheet</ULink >.
163 </ListItem></VarListEntry>
168 If you are going to do any building from sources (either from a source
169 distribution or the CVS repository) then you need to read all of this
176 <Title>Things to check before you start typing</Title>
179 Here's a list of things to check before you get started.
185 <IndexTerm><Primary>Disk space needed</Primary></IndexTerm>Disk space needed: About 30MB (five hamburgers' worth) of disk space
186 for the most basic binary distribution of GHC; more for some
187 platforms, e.g., Alphas. An extra ``bundle'' (e.g., concurrent
188 Haskell libraries) might take you to 8–10 hamburgers.
190 You'll need over 100MB (say, 20 hamburgers' worth) if you need to
191 build the basic stuff from scratch.
194 All of the above are <Emphasis>estimates</Emphasis> of disk-space needs. (I don't yet
195 know the disk requirements for the non-GHC tools).
202 Use an appropriate machine, compilers, and things.
204 SPARC boxes, and PCs running Linux, FreeBSD, NetBSD, or Solaris are
205 all fully supported. Win32 and HP boxes are in pretty good shape.
206 DEC Alphas running OSF/1, Linux or some BSD variant, MIPS and AIX
207 boxes will need some minimal porting effort before they work (as of
208 4.06). <Xref LinkEnd="sec-port-info"> gives the full run-down on
209 ports or lack thereof.
216 Be sure that the ``pre-supposed'' utilities are installed.
217 <Xref LinkEnd="sec-pre-supposed"> elaborates.
224 If you have any problem when building or installing the Glasgow
225 tools, please check the ``known pitfalls'' (<Xref
226 LinkEnd="sec-build-pitfalls">). Also check the FAQ for the version
227 you're building, which should be available from the relevant download
228 page on the <ULink URL="http://www.haskell.org/ghc/" >GHC web
231 <IndexTerm><Primary>known bugs</Primary></IndexTerm>
232 <IndexTerm><Primary>bugs, known</Primary></IndexTerm>
234 If you feel there is still some shortcoming in our procedure or
235 instructions, please report it.
237 For GHC, please see the bug-reporting section of the GHC Users' Guide
238 (separate document), to maximise the usefulness of your report.
239 <IndexTerm><Primary>bugs, reporting</Primary></IndexTerm>
241 If in doubt, please send a message to
242 <Email>glasgow-haskell-bugs@haskell.org</Email>.
243 <IndexTerm><Primary>bugs, mailing list</Primary></IndexTerm>
253 <Sect1 id="sec-port-info">
254 <Title>What machines the Glasgow tools run on
258 <IndexTerm><Primary>ports, GHC</Primary></IndexTerm>
259 <IndexTerm><Primary>GHC ports</Primary></IndexTerm>
260 <IndexTerm><Primary>supported platforms</Primary></IndexTerm>
261 <IndexTerm><Primary>platforms, supported</Primary></IndexTerm>
262 The main question is whether or not the Haskell compiler (GHC) runs on
267 A ``platform'' is a architecture/manufacturer/operating-system
268 combination, such as <Literal>sparc-sun-solaris2</Literal>. Other common ones are
269 <Literal>alpha-dec-osf2</Literal>, <Literal>hppa1.1-hp-hpux9</Literal>, <Literal>i386-unknown-linux</Literal>,
270 <Literal>i386-unknown-solaris2</Literal>, <Literal>i386-unknown-freebsd</Literal>,
271 <Literal>i386-unknown-cygwin32</Literal>, <Literal>m68k-sun-sunos4</Literal>, <Literal>mips-sgi-irix5</Literal>,
272 <Literal>sparc-sun-sunos4</Literal>, <Literal>sparc-sun-solaris2</Literal>, <Literal>powerpc-ibm-aix</Literal>.
276 Bear in mind that certain ``bundles'', e.g. parallel Haskell, may not
277 work on all machines for which basic Haskell compiling is supported.
281 Some libraries may only work on a limited number of platforms; for
282 example, a sockets library is of no use unless the operating system
283 supports the underlying BSDisms.
287 <Title>What platforms the Haskell compiler (GHC) runs on</Title>
290 <IndexTerm><Primary>fully-supported platforms</Primary></IndexTerm>
291 <IndexTerm><Primary>native-code generator</Primary></IndexTerm>
292 <IndexTerm><Primary>registerised ports</Primary></IndexTerm>
293 <IndexTerm><Primary>unregisterised ports</Primary></IndexTerm>
294 The GHC hierarchy of Porting Goodness: (a) Best is a native-code
295 generator; (b) next best is a ``registerised''
296 port; (c) the bare minimum is an ``unregisterised'' port.
297 (``Unregisterised'' is so terrible that we won't say more about it).
301 The native code generator is currently non-functional (as of GHC
302 version 4.06), but we're actively working on getting it going again.
306 We use Sparcs running Solaris 2.7 and x86 boxes running FreeBSD and
307 Linux, so those are the best supported platforms, unsurprisingly.
311 Here's everything that's known about GHC ports. We identify platforms
312 by their ``canonical'' CPU/Manufacturer/OS triple.
319 <Term>alpha-dec-{osf,linux,freebsd,openbsd,netbsd}:</Term>
322 <IndexTerm><Primary>alpha-dec-osf</Primary></IndexTerm>
323 <IndexTerm><Primary>alpha-dec-linux</Primary></IndexTerm>
324 <IndexTerm><Primary>alpha-dec-freebsd</Primary></IndexTerm>
325 <IndexTerm><Primary>alpha-dec-openbsd</Primary></IndexTerm>
326 <IndexTerm><Primary>alpha-dec-netbsd</Primary></IndexTerm>
330 Currently non-working. The last working version (osf[1-3]) is GHC
331 3.02. A small amount of porting effort will be required to get Alpha
332 support into GHC 4.xx, but we don't have easy access to machines right
333 now, and there hasn't been a massive demand for support, so Alphas
334 remain unsupported for the time being. Please get in touch if you
335 either need Alpha support and/or can provide access to boxes.
338 </ListItem></VarListEntry>
340 <Term>sparc-sun-sunos4:</Term>
342 <IndexTerm><Primary>sparc-sun-sunos4</Primary></IndexTerm>
345 Probably works with minor tweaks, hasn't been tested for a while.
348 </ListItem></VarListEntry>
350 <Term>sparc-sun-solaris2:</Term>
352 <IndexTerm><Primary>sparc-sun-solaris2</Primary></IndexTerm>
355 Fully supported, including native-code generator.
358 </ListItem></VarListEntry>
360 <Term>hppa1.1-hp-hpux (HP-PA boxes running HPUX 9.x)</Term>
362 <IndexTerm><Primary>hppa1.1-hp-hpux</Primary></IndexTerm>
365 Works registerised. No native-code generator.
368 </ListItem></VarListEntry>
370 <Term>i386-unknown-linux (PCs running Linux—ELF format):</Term>
372 <IndexTerm><Primary>i386-*-linux</Primary></IndexTerm>
375 GHC works registerised. You <Emphasis>must</Emphasis> have GCC 2.7.x
376 or later. NOTE about <literal>glibc</literal> versions: GHC binaries
377 built on a system running <literal>glibc 2.0</literal> won't work on a
378 system running <literal>glibc 2.1</literal>, and vice version. In
379 general, don't expect compatibility between <literal>glibc</literal>
380 versions, even if the shared library version hasn't changed.
383 </ListItem></VarListEntry>
385 <Term>i386-unknown-{freebsd,netbsd,openbsd) (PCs running FreeBSD 2.2
386 or higher, NetBSD, and possibly OpenBSD):</Term>
389 <IndexTerm><Primary>i386-unknown-freebsd</Primary></IndexTerm>
390 <IndexTerm><Primary>i386-unknown-netbsd</Primary></IndexTerm>
391 <IndexTerm><Primary>i386-unknown-openbsd</Primary></IndexTerm>
395 GHC works registerised. These systems provide ready-built packages of
396 GHC, so if you just need binaries you're better off just installing
400 </ListItem></VarListEntry>
402 <Term>i386-unknown-cygwin32:</Term>
405 <IndexTerm><Primary>i386-unknown-cygwin32</Primary></IndexTerm>
409 Fully supported under Win9x/NT, including a native code
410 generator. Requires the <Literal>cygwin32</Literal> compatibility
411 library and a healthy collection of GNU tools (i.e., gcc, GNU ld, bash
415 </ListItem></VarListEntry>
417 <Term>mips-sgi-irix5:</Term>
420 <IndexTerm><Primary>mips-sgi-irix[5-6]</Primary></IndexTerm>
424 Port currently doesn't work, needs some minimal porting effort. As
425 usual, we don't have access to machines and there hasn't been an
426 overwhelming demand for this port, but feel free to get in touch.
428 </ListItem></VarListEntry>
431 <Term>powerpc-ibm-aix:</Term>
434 <IndexTerm><Primary>powerpc-ibm-aix</Primary></IndexTerm>
435 Port currently doesn't work, needs some minimal porting effort. As
436 usual, we don't have access to machines and there hasn't been an
437 overwhelming demand for this port, but feel free to get in touch.
439 </ListItem></VarListEntry>
445 Various other systems have had GHC ported to them in the distant past,
446 including various Motorola 68k boxes. The 68k support still remains,
447 but porting to one of these systems will certainly be a non-trivial
454 <Title>What machines the other tools run on</Title>
457 Unless you hear otherwise, the other tools work if GHC works.
465 <Sect1 id="sec-pre-supposed">
466 <Title>Installing pre-supposed utilities
468 <IndexTerm><Primary>pre-supposed utilities</Primary></IndexTerm>
469 <IndexTerm><Primary>utilities, pre-supposed</Primary></IndexTerm></Title>
472 Here are the gory details about some utility programs you may need;
473 <Command>perl</Command> and <Command>gcc</Command> are the only important ones. (PVM<IndexTerm><Primary>PVM</Primary></IndexTerm> is important
474 if you're going for Parallel Haskell.) The <Command>configure</Command><IndexTerm><Primary>configure</Primary></IndexTerm>
475 script will tell you if you are missing something.
485 <IndexTerm><Primary>pre-supposed: Perl</Primary></IndexTerm>
486 <IndexTerm><Primary>Perl, pre-supposed</Primary></IndexTerm>
487 <Emphasis>You have to have Perl to proceed!</Emphasis> Perl is a language quite good
488 for doing shell-scripty tasks that involve lots of text processing.
489 It is pretty easy to install.
493 Perl 5 is required. For Win32 platforms, we strongly suggest you
494 pick up a port of Perl 5 for <Literal>cygwin32</Literal>, as the
495 common Hip/ActiveWare port of Perl is Not Cool Enough for our
500 Perl should be put somewhere so that it can be invoked by the
501 <Literal>#!</Literal> script-invoking mechanism. (I believe
502 <Filename>/usr/bin/perl</Filename> is preferred; we use
503 <Filename>/usr/local/bin/perl</Filename> at Glasgow.) The full
504 pathname should may need to be less than 32 characters long on some
508 </ListItem></VarListEntry>
510 <Term>GNU C (<Command>gcc</Command>):</Term>
513 <IndexTerm><Primary>pre-supposed: GCC (GNU C compiler)</Primary></IndexTerm>
514 <IndexTerm><Primary>GCC (GNU C compiler), pre-supposed</Primary></IndexTerm>
518 We recommend using GCC version 2.95.2 on all platforms. Failing that,
519 version 2.7.2 is stable on most platforms. Earlier versions of GCC
520 can be assumed not to work, and versions in between 2.7.2 and 2.95.2
521 (including <command>egcs</command>) have varying degrees of stability
522 depending on the platform.
526 If your GCC dies with ``internal error'' on some GHC source file,
527 please let us know, so we can report it and get things improved.
528 (Exception: on iX86 boxes—you may need to fiddle with GHC's
529 <Option>-monly-N-regs</Option> option; see the User's Guide)
531 </ListItem></VarListEntry>
534 <Term>Autoconf:</Term>
537 <IndexTerm><Primary>pre-supposed: Autoconf</Primary></IndexTerm>
538 <IndexTerm><Primary>Autoconf, pre-supposed</Primary></IndexTerm>
542 GNU Autoconf is needed if you intend to build from the CVS sources, it
543 is <Emphasis>not</Emphasis> needed if you just intend to build a
544 standard source distribution.
548 Autoconf builds the <Command>configure</Command> script from
549 <Filename>configure.in</Filename> and <Filename>aclocal.m4</Filename>.
550 If you modify either of these files, you'll need Autoconf to rebuild
551 <Filename>configure</Filename>.
554 </ListItem></VarListEntry>
556 <Term><Command>sed</Command></Term>
559 <IndexTerm><Primary>pre-supposed: sed</Primary></IndexTerm>
560 <IndexTerm><Primary>sed, pre-supposed</Primary></IndexTerm>
562 You need a working <Command>sed</Command> if you are going to build
563 from sources. The build-configuration stuff needs it. GNU sed
564 version 2.0.4 is no good! It has a bug in it that is tickled by the
565 build-configuration. 2.0.5 is OK. Others are probably OK too
566 (assuming we don't create too elaborate configure scripts.)
568 </ListItem></VarListEntry>
573 One <Literal>fptools</Literal> project is worth a quick note at this
574 point, because it is useful for all the others:
575 <Literal>glafp-utils</Literal> contains several utilities which aren't
576 particularly Glasgow-ish, but Occasionally Indispensable. Like
577 <Command>lndir</Command> for creating symbolic link trees.
580 <Sect2 id="pre-supposed-gph-tools">
581 <Title>Tools for building parallel GHC (GPH)
588 <Term>PVM version 3:</Term>
591 <IndexTerm><Primary>pre-supposed: PVM3 (Parallel Virtual Machine)</Primary></IndexTerm>
592 <IndexTerm><Primary>PVM3 (Parallel Virtual Machine), pre-supposed</Primary></IndexTerm>
596 PVM is the Parallel Virtual Machine on which Parallel Haskell programs
597 run. (You only need this if you plan to run Parallel Haskell.
598 Concurent Haskell, which runs concurrent threads on a uniprocessor
599 doesn't need it.) Underneath PVM, you can have (for example) a
600 network of workstations (slow) or a multiprocessor box (faster).
604 The current version of PVM is 3.3.11; we use 3.3.7. It is readily
605 available on the net; I think I got it from
606 <Literal>research.att.com</Literal>, in <Filename>netlib</Filename>.
610 A PVM installation is slightly quirky, but easy to do. Just follow
611 the <Filename>Readme</Filename> instructions.
613 </ListItem></VarListEntry>
615 <Term><Command>bash</Command>:</Term>
618 <IndexTerm><Primary>bash, presupposed (Parallel Haskell only)</Primary></IndexTerm>
619 Sadly, the <Command>gr2ps</Command> script, used to convert ``parallelism profiles''
620 to PostScript, is written in Bash (GNU's Bourne Again shell).
621 This bug will be fixed (someday).
623 </ListItem></VarListEntry>
629 <Sect2 id="pre-supposed-doc-tools">
630 <Title>Tools for building the Documentation
634 The following additional tools are required if you want to format the
635 documentation that comes with the <Literal>fptools</Literal> projects:
642 <Term>DocBook:</Term>
645 <IndexTerm><Primary>pre-supposed: DocBook</Primary></IndexTerm>
646 <IndexTerm><Primary>DocBook, pre-supposed</Primary></IndexTerm> All
647 our documentation is written in SGML, using the DocBook DTD and
648 processed using the <ULink
649 URL="http://sourceware.cygnus.com/docbook-tools/">Cygnus DocBook
650 tools</ULink>, which is the most shrink-wrapped SGML suite that we
651 could find. Unfortunately, it's only packaged as RPMs. You can use it
652 to generate HTML, DVI (and hence PDF and Postscript) and RTF from any
653 DocBook source file (including this manual). N.B. The <Emphasis>Cygnus</Emphasis> version of the tools is assumed. Others, such as the SuSE version, may not work.
655 </ListItem></VarListEntry>
660 <IndexTerm><Primary>pre-supposed: TeX</Primary></IndexTerm>
661 <IndexTerm><Primary>TeX, pre-supposed</Primary></IndexTerm>
662 A decent TeX distribution is required if you want to produce printable
663 documentation. We recomment teTeX, which includes just about
666 </ListItem></VarListEntry>
672 <Sect2 id="pre-supposed-other-tools">
673 <Title>Other useful tools
683 <IndexTerm><Primary>pre-supposed: flex</Primary></IndexTerm>
684 <IndexTerm><Primary>flex, pre-supposed</Primary></IndexTerm>
688 This is a quite-a-bit-better-than-Lex lexer. Used to build a couple
689 of utilities in <Literal>glafp-utils</Literal>. Depending on your
690 operating system, the supplied <Command>lex</Command> may or may not
691 work; you should get the GNU version.
693 </ListItem></VarListEntry>
701 <Sect1 id="sec-building-from-source">
702 <Title>Building from source
704 <IndexTerm><Primary>Building from source</Primary></IndexTerm>
705 <IndexTerm><Primary>Source, building from</Primary></IndexTerm></Title>
708 You've been rash enough to want to build some of
709 the Glasgow Functional Programming tools (GHC, Happy,
710 nofib, etc.) from source. You've slurped the source,
711 from the CVS repository or from a source distribution, and
712 now you're sitting looking at a huge mound of bits, wondering
717 Gingerly, you type <Command>make</Command>. Wrong already!
721 This rest of this guide is intended for duffers like me, who aren't
722 really interested in Makefiles and systems configurations, but who
723 need a mental model of the interlocking pieces so that they can make
724 them work, extend them consistently when adding new software, and lay
725 hands on them gently when they don't work.
728 <Sect2 id="sec-source-tree">
729 <Title>Your source tree
733 The source code is held in your <Emphasis>source tree</Emphasis>.
734 The root directory of your source tree <Emphasis>must</Emphasis>
735 contain the following directories and files:
744 <Filename>Makefile</Filename>: the root Makefile.
750 <Filename>mk/</Filename>: the directory that contains the
751 main Makefile code, shared by all the
752 <Literal>fptools</Literal> software.
758 <Filename>configure.in</Filename>, <Filename>config.sub</Filename>, <Filename>config.guess</Filename>:
759 these files support the configuration process.
765 <Filename>install-sh</Filename>.
774 All the other directories are individual <Emphasis>projects</Emphasis> of the
775 <Literal>fptools</Literal> system—for example, the Glasgow Haskell Compiler
776 (<Literal>ghc</Literal>), the Happy parser generator (<Literal>happy</Literal>), the <Literal>nofib</Literal> benchmark
777 suite, and so on. You can have zero or more of these. Needless to
778 say, some of them are needed to build others.
782 The important thing to remember is that even if you want only one
783 project (<Literal>happy</Literal>, say), you must have a source tree whose root
784 directory contains <Filename>Makefile</Filename>, <Filename>mk/</Filename>, <Filename>configure.in</Filename>, and the
785 project(s) you want (<Filename>happy/</Filename> in this case). You cannot get by with
786 just the <Filename>happy/</Filename> directory.
793 <IndexTerm><Primary>build trees</Primary></IndexTerm>
794 <IndexTerm><Primary>link trees, for building</Primary></IndexTerm></Title>
797 While you can build a system in the source tree, we don't recommend it.
798 We often want to build multiple versions of our software
799 for different architectures, or with different options (e.g. profiling).
800 It's very desirable to share a single copy of the source code among
805 So for every source tree we have zero or more <Emphasis>build trees</Emphasis>. Each
806 build tree is initially an exact copy of the source tree, except that
807 each file is a symbolic link to the source file, rather than being a
808 copy of the source file. There are ``standard'' Unix utilities that
809 make such copies, so standard that they go by different names:
810 <Command>lndir</Command><IndexTerm><Primary>lndir</Primary></IndexTerm>, <Command>mkshadowdir</Command><IndexTerm><Primary>mkshadowdir</Primary></IndexTerm> are two (If you
811 don't have either, the source distribution includes sources for the
812 X11 <Command>lndir</Command>—check out <Filename>fptools/glafp-utils/lndir</Filename>). See <Xref LinkEnd="sec-storysofar"> for a typical invocation.
816 The build tree does not need to be anywhere near the source tree in
817 the file system. Indeed, one advantage of separating the build tree
818 from the source is that the build tree can be placed in a
819 non-backed-up partition, saving your systems support people from
820 backing up untold megabytes of easily-regenerated, and
821 rapidly-changing, gubbins. The golden rule is that (with a single
822 exception—<XRef LinkEnd="sec-build-config">)
823 <Emphasis>absolutely everything in the build tree is either a symbolic
824 link to the source tree, or else is mechanically generated</Emphasis>.
825 It should be perfectly OK for your build tree to vanish overnight; an
826 hour or two compiling and you're on the road again.
830 You need to be a bit careful, though, that any new files you create
831 (if you do any development work) are in the source tree, not a build tree!
835 Remember, that the source files in the build tree are <Emphasis>symbolic
836 links</Emphasis> to the files in the source tree. (The build tree soon
837 accumulates lots of built files like <Filename>Foo.o</Filename>, as well.) You
838 can <Emphasis>delete</Emphasis> a source file from the build tree without affecting
839 the source tree (though it's an odd thing to do). On the other hand,
840 if you <Emphasis>edit</Emphasis> a source file from the build tree, you'll edit the
841 source-tree file directly. (You can set up Emacs so that if you edit
842 a source file from the build tree, Emacs will silently create an
843 edited copy of the source file in the build tree, leaving the source
844 file unchanged; but the danger is that you think you've edited the
845 source file whereas actually all you've done is edit the build-tree
846 copy. More commonly you do want to edit the source file.)
850 Like the source tree, the top level of your build tree must be (a
851 linked copy of) the root directory of the <Literal>fptools</Literal> suite. Inside
852 Makefiles, the root of your build tree is called
853 <Constant>$(FPTOOLS_TOP)</Constant><IndexTerm><Primary>FPTOOLS_TOP</Primary></IndexTerm>. In the rest of this document path
854 names are relative to <Constant>$(FPTOOLS_TOP)</Constant> unless otherwise stated. For
855 example, the file <Filename>ghc/mk/target.mk</Filename> is actually
856 <Filename><Constant>$(FPTOOLS_TOP)</Constant>/ghc/mk/target.mk</Filename>.
861 <Sect2 id="sec-build-config">
862 <Title>Getting the build you want
866 When you build <Literal>fptools</Literal> you will be compiling code on a particular
867 <Emphasis>host platform</Emphasis>, to run on a particular <Emphasis>target platform</Emphasis>
868 (usually the same as the host platform)<IndexTerm><Primary>platform</Primary></IndexTerm>. The
869 difficulty is that there are minor differences between different
870 platforms; minor, but enough that the code needs to be a bit different
871 for each. There are some big differences too: for a different
872 architecture we need to build GHC with a different native-code
877 There are also knobs you can turn to control how the <Literal>fptools</Literal>
878 software is built. For example, you might want to build GHC optimised
879 (so that it runs fast) or unoptimised (so that you can compile it fast
880 after you've modified it. Or, you might want to compile it with
881 debugging on (so that extra consistency-checking code gets included)
886 All of this stuff is called the <Emphasis>configuration</Emphasis> of your build.
887 You set the configuration using a three-step process.
891 <Term>Step 1: get ready for configuration.</Term>
895 <Constant>$(FPTOOLS_TOP)</Constant> and issue the command <Command>autoconf</Command><IndexTerm><Primary>autoconf</Primary></IndexTerm> (with
896 no arguments). This GNU program converts <Filename><Constant>$(FPTOOLS_TOP)</Constant>/configure.in</Filename>
897 to a shell script called <Filename><Constant>$(FPTOOLS_TOP)</Constant>/configure</Filename>.
901 Both these steps are completely platform-independent; they just mean
902 that the human-written file (<Filename>configure.in</Filename>) can be short, although
903 the resulting shell script, <Command>configure</Command>, and <Filename>mk/config.h.in</Filename>, are
908 In case you don't have <Command>autoconf</Command> we distribute the results,
909 <Command>configure</Command>, and <Filename>mk/config.h.in</Filename>, with the source distribution. They
910 aren't kept in the repository, though.
912 </ListItem></VarListEntry>
914 <Term>Step 2: system configuration.</Term>
917 Runs the newly-created <Command>configure</Command> script, thus:
923 <Command>configure</Command>'s mission is to scurry round your
924 computer working out what architecture it has, what operating system,
925 whether it has the <Function>vfork</Function> system call, where
926 <Command>yacc</Command> is kept, whether <Command>gcc</Command> is
927 available, where various obscure <Literal>#include</Literal> files
928 are, whether it's a leap year, and what the systems manager had for
929 lunch. It communicates these snippets of information in two ways:
938 It translates <Filename>mk/config.mk.in</Filename><IndexTerm><Primary>config.mk.in</Primary></IndexTerm> to
939 <Filename>mk/config.mk</Filename><IndexTerm><Primary>config.mk</Primary></IndexTerm>, substituting for things between
940 ``<Literal>@</Literal>'' brackets. So, ``<Literal>@HaveGcc@</Literal>'' will be replaced by
941 ``<Literal>YES</Literal>'' or ``<Literal>NO</Literal>'' depending on what <Command>configure</Command> finds.
942 <Filename>mk/config.mk</Filename> is included by every Makefile (directly or indirectly),
943 so the configuration information is thereby communicated to all
951 It translates <Filename>mk/config.h.in</Filename><IndexTerm><Primary>config.h.in</Primary></IndexTerm> to
952 <Filename>mk/config.h</Filename><IndexTerm><Primary>config.h</Primary></IndexTerm>. The latter is <Literal>#include</Literal>d by various C
953 programs, which can thereby make use of configuration information.
963 <Command>configure</Command> caches the results of its run in <Filename>config.cache</Filename>. Quite
964 often you don't want that; you're running <Command>configure</Command> a second time
965 because something has changed. In that case, simply delete
966 <Filename>config.cache</Filename>.
968 </ListItem></VarListEntry>
970 <Term>Step 3: build configuration.</Term>
973 Next, you say how this build of <Literal>fptools</Literal> is to differ from the
974 standard defaults by creating a new file <Filename>mk/build.mk</Filename><IndexTerm><Primary>build.mk</Primary></IndexTerm>
975 <Emphasis>in the build tree</Emphasis>. This file is the one and only file you edit
976 in the build tree, precisely because it says how this build differs
977 from the source. (Just in case your build tree does die, you might
978 want to keep a private directory of <Filename>build.mk</Filename> files, and use a
979 symbolic link in each build tree to point to the appropriate one.) So
980 <Filename>mk/build.mk</Filename> never exists in the source tree—you create one in
981 each build tree from the template. We'll discuss what to put in it
984 </ListItem></VarListEntry>
989 And that's it for configuration. Simple, eh?
993 What do you put in your build-specific configuration file
994 <Filename>mk/build.mk</Filename>? <Emphasis>For almost all purposes all you will do is put
995 make variable definitions that override those in</Emphasis> <Filename>mk/config.mk.in</Filename>.
996 The whole point of <Filename>mk/config.mk.in</Filename>—and its derived counterpart
997 <Filename>mk/config.mk</Filename>—is to define the build configuration. It is heavily
998 commented, as you will see if you look at it. So generally, what you
999 do is look at <Filename>mk/config.mk.in</Filename>, and add definitions in <Filename>mk/build.mk</Filename>
1000 that override any of the <Filename>config.mk</Filename> definitions that you want to
1001 change. (The override occurs because the main boilerplate file,
1002 <Filename>mk/boilerplate.mk</Filename><IndexTerm><Primary>boilerplate.mk</Primary></IndexTerm>, includes <Filename>build.mk</Filename> after
1003 <Filename>config.mk</Filename>.)
1007 For example, <Filename>config.mk.in</Filename> contains the definition:
1013 ProjectsToBuild = glafp-utils ghc hslibs
1019 The accompanying comment explains that this is the list of enabled
1020 projects; that is, if (after configuring) you type <Command>gmake all</Command> in
1021 <Constant>FPTOOLS_TOP</Constant> three specified projects will be made. If you want to
1022 add <Command>green-card</Command>, you can add this line to <Filename>build.mk</Filename>:
1028 ProjectsToBuild += green-card
1040 ProjectsToBuild = glafp-utils ghc green-card
1046 (GNU <Command>make</Command> allows existing definitions to have new text appended
1047 using the ``<Literal>+=</Literal>'' operator, which is quite a convenient feature.)
1051 When reading <Filename>config.mk.in</Filename>, remember that anything between
1052 ``@...@'' signs is going to be substituted by <Command>configure</Command>
1053 later. You <Emphasis>can</Emphasis> override the resulting definition if you want,
1054 but you need to be a bit surer what you are doing. For example,
1055 there's a line that says:
1067 This defines the Make variables <Constant>YACC</Constant> to the pathname for a <Command>yacc</Command> that
1068 <Command>configure</Command> finds somewhere. If you have your own pet <Command>yacc</Command> you want
1069 to use instead, that's fine. Just add this line to <Filename>mk/build.mk</Filename>:
1081 You do not <Emphasis>have</Emphasis> to have a <Filename>mk/build.mk</Filename> file at all; if you
1082 don't, you'll get all the default settings from <Filename>mk/config.mk.in</Filename>.
1086 You can also use <Filename>build.mk</Filename> to override anything that <Command>configure</Command> got
1087 wrong. One place where this happens often is with the definition of
1088 <Constant>FPTOOLS_TOP_ABS</Constant>: this variable is supposed to be the canonical path
1089 to the top of your source tree, but if your system uses an automounter
1090 then the correct directory is hard to find automatically. If you find
1091 that <Command>configure</Command> has got it wrong, just put the correct definition in
1092 <Filename>build.mk</Filename>.
1097 <Sect2 id="sec-storysofar">
1098 <Title>The story so far</Title>
1101 Let's summarise the steps you need to carry to get yourself
1102 a fully-configured build tree from scratch.
1111 Get your source tree from somewhere (CVS repository or source
1112 distribution). Say you call the root directory <Filename>myfptools</Filename> (it
1113 does not have to be called <Filename>fptools</Filename>). Make sure that you have
1114 the essential files (see <XRef LinkEnd="sec-source-tree">).
1121 Use <Command>lndir</Command> or <Command>mkshadowdir</Command> to create a build tree.
1125 mkshadowdir . /scratch/joe-bloggs/myfptools-sun4
1128 (N.B. <Command>mkshadowdir</Command>'s first argument is taken relative to its second.) You probably want to give the build tree a name that
1129 suggests its main defining characteristic (in your mind at least),
1130 in case you later add others.
1137 Change directory to the build tree. Everything is going
1138 to happen there now.
1141 cd /scratch/joe-bloggs/myfptools-sun4
1149 Prepare for system configuration:
1155 (You can skip this step if you are starting from a source distribution,
1156 and you already have <Filename>configure</Filename> and <Filename>mk/config.h.in</Filename>.)
1163 Do system configuration:
1175 Create the file <Filename>mk/build.mk</Filename>,
1176 adding definitions for your desired configuration options.
1187 You can make subsequent changes to <Filename>mk/build.mk</Filename> as often
1188 as you like. You do not have to run any further configuration
1189 programs to make these changes take effect.
1190 In theory you should, however, say <Command>gmake clean</Command>, <Command>gmake all</Command>,
1191 because configuration option changes could affect anything—but in practice you are likely to know what's affected.
1197 <Title>Making things</Title>
1200 At this point you have made yourself a fully-configured build tree,
1201 so you are ready to start building real things.
1205 The first thing you need to know is that
1206 <Emphasis>you must use GNU <Command>make</Command>, usually called <Command>gmake</Command>, not standard Unix <Command>make</Command></Emphasis>.
1207 If you use standard Unix <Command>make</Command> you will get all sorts of error messages
1208 (but no damage) because the <Literal>fptools</Literal> <Command>Makefiles</Command> use GNU <Command>make</Command>'s facilities
1214 <Sect2 id="sec-standard-targets">
1215 <Title>Standard Targets
1217 <IndexTerm><Primary>targets, standard makefile</Primary></IndexTerm>
1218 <IndexTerm><Primary>makefile targets</Primary></IndexTerm></Title>
1221 In any directory you should be able to make the following:
1225 <Term><Literal>boot</Literal>:</Term>
1228 does the one-off preparation required to get ready for the real work.
1229 Notably, it does <Command>gmake depend</Command> in all directories that contain
1230 programs. It also builds the necessary tools for compilation to proceed.
1234 You should say <Command>gmake boot</Command> right after configuring your build tree,
1235 but note that this is a one-off, i.e., there's no need to re-do
1236 <Command>gmake boot</Command> if you should re-configure your build tree at a later
1237 stage (no harm caused if you do though).
1239 </ListItem></VarListEntry>
1241 <Term><Literal>all</Literal>:</Term>
1244 makes all the final target(s) for this Makefile.
1245 Depending on which directory you are in a ``final target'' may be an
1246 executable program, a library archive, a shell script, or a Postscript
1247 file. Typing <Command>gmake</Command> alone is generally the same as typing <Command>gmake all</Command>.
1249 </ListItem></VarListEntry>
1251 <Term><Literal>install</Literal>:</Term>
1254 installs the things built by <Literal>all</Literal>. Where does it
1255 install them? That is specified by
1256 <Filename>mk/config.mk.in</Filename>; you can override it in
1257 <Filename>mk/build.mk</Filename>, or by running
1258 <command>configure</command> with command-line arguments like
1259 <literal>--bindir=/home/simonpj/bin</literal>; see <literal>./configure
1260 --help</literal> for the full details.
1262 </ListItem></VarListEntry>
1264 <Term><Literal>uninstall</Literal>:</Term>
1267 reverses the effect of <Literal>install</Literal>.
1269 </ListItem></VarListEntry>
1271 <Term><Literal>clean</Literal>:</Term>
1274 remove all easily-rebuilt files.
1276 </ListItem></VarListEntry>
1278 <Term><Literal>veryclean</Literal>:</Term>
1281 remove all files that can be rebuilt at all.
1282 There's a danger here that you may remove a file that needs a more
1283 obscure utility to rebuild it (especially if you started from a source
1286 </ListItem></VarListEntry>
1288 <Term><Literal>check</Literal>:</Term>
1293 </ListItem></VarListEntry>
1298 All of these standard targets automatically recurse into
1299 sub-directories. Certain other standard targets do not:
1306 <Term><Literal>configure</Literal>:</Term>
1309 is only available in the root directory
1310 <Constant>$(FPTOOLS_TOP)</Constant>; it has been discussed in <XRef LinkEnd="sec-build-config">.
1312 </ListItem></VarListEntry>
1314 <Term><Literal>depend</Literal>:</Term>
1317 make a <Filename>.depend</Filename> file in each directory that needs
1318 it. This <Filename>.depend</Filename> file contains mechanically-generated dependency
1319 information; for example, suppose a directory contains a Haskell
1320 source module <Filename>Foo.lhs</Filename> which imports another module <Literal>Baz</Literal>.
1321 Then the generated <Filename>.depend</Filename> file will contain the dependency:
1333 which says that the object file <Filename>Foo.o</Filename> depends on the interface file
1334 <Filename>Baz.hi</Filename> generated by compiling module <Literal>Baz</Literal>. The <Filename>.depend</Filename> file is
1335 automatically included by every Makefile.
1337 </ListItem></VarListEntry>
1339 <Term><Literal>binary-dist</Literal>:</Term>
1342 make a binary distribution. This is the
1343 target we use to build the binary distributions of GHC and Happy.
1345 </ListItem></VarListEntry>
1347 <Term><Literal>dist</Literal>:</Term>
1350 make a source distribution. You must be in a
1351 linked build tree to make this target.
1353 </ListItem></VarListEntry>
1358 Most <Filename>Makefile</Filename>s have targets other than these. You can discover them by looking in the <Filename>Makefile</Filename> itself.
1365 <IndexTerm><Primary>fastmake</Primary></IndexTerm>
1366 <IndexTerm><Primary>dependencies, omitting</Primary></IndexTerm>
1367 <IndexTerm><Primary>FAST, makefile variable</Primary></IndexTerm></Title>
1370 Sometimes the dependencies get in the way: if you've made a small
1371 change to one file, and you're absolutely sure that it won't affect
1372 anything else, but you know that <Command>make</Command> is going to rebuild everything
1373 anyway, the following hack may be useful:
1385 This tells the make system to ignore dependencies and just build what
1386 you tell it to. In other words, it's equivalent to temporarily
1387 removing the <Filename>.depend</Filename> file in the current directory (where
1388 <Command>mkdependHS</Command> and friends store their dependency information).
1392 A bit of history: GHC used to come with a <Command>fastmake</Command> script that did
1393 the above job, but GNU make provides the features we need to do it
1394 without resorting to a script. Also, we've found that fastmaking is
1395 less useful since the advent of GHC's recompilation checker (see the
1396 User's Guide section on "Separate Compilation").
1404 <Title>The <Filename>Makefile</Filename> architecture
1405 <IndexTerm><Primary>makefile architecture</Primary></IndexTerm></Title>
1408 <Command>make</Command> is great if everything works—you type <Command>gmake install</Command> and
1409 lo! the right things get compiled and installed in the right places.
1410 Our goal is to make this happen often, but somehow it often doesn't;
1411 instead some weird error message eventually emerges from the bowels of
1412 a directory you didn't know existed.
1416 The purpose of this section is to give you a road-map to help you figure
1417 out what is going right and what is going wrong.
1421 <Title>A small project</Title>
1424 To get started, let us look at the <Filename>Makefile</Filename> for an imaginary small
1425 <Literal>fptools</Literal> project, <Literal>small</Literal>. Each project in <Literal>fptools</Literal> has its own
1426 directory in <Constant>FPTOOLS_TOP</Constant>, so the <Literal>small</Literal> project will have its own
1427 directory <Constant>FPOOLS_TOP/small/</Constant>. Inside the <Filename>small/</Filename> directory there
1428 will be a <Filename>Makefile</Filename>, looking something like this:
1432 <IndexTerm><Primary>Makefile, minimal</Primary></IndexTerm>
1435 # Makefile for fptools project "small"
1438 include $(TOP)/mk/boilerplate.mk
1440 SRCS = $(wildcard *.lhs) $(wildcard *.c)
1443 include $(TOP)/target.mk
1449 This <Filename>Makefile</Filename> has three sections:
1458 The first section includes
1462 One of the most important
1463 features of GNU <Command>make</Command> that we use is the ability for a <Filename>Makefile</Filename> to
1464 include another named file, very like <Command>cpp</Command>'s <Literal>#include</Literal>
1469 a file of ``boilerplate'' code from the level
1470 above (which in this case will be
1471 <Filename><Constant>FPTOOLS_TOP</Constant>/mk/boilerplate.mk</Filename><IndexTerm><Primary>boilerplate.mk</Primary></IndexTerm>). As its name
1472 suggests, <Filename>boilerplate.mk</Filename> consists of a large quantity of standard
1473 <Filename>Makefile</Filename> code. We discuss this boilerplate in more detail in
1474 <XRef LinkEnd="sec-boiler">.
1475 <IndexTerm><Primary>include, directive in Makefiles</Primary></IndexTerm>
1476 <IndexTerm><Primary>Makefile inclusion</Primary></IndexTerm>
1478 Before the <Literal>include</Literal> statement, you must define the <Command>make</Command> variable
1479 <Constant>TOP</Constant><IndexTerm><Primary>TOP</Primary></IndexTerm> to be the directory containing the <Filename>mk</Filename> directory in
1480 which the <Filename>boilerplate.mk</Filename> file is. It is <Emphasis>not</Emphasis> OK to simply say
1484 include ../mk/boilerplate.mk # NO NO NO
1488 Why? Because the <Filename>boilerplate.mk</Filename> file needs to know where it is, so
1489 that it can, in turn, <Literal>include</Literal> other files. (Unfortunately, when an
1490 <Literal>include</Literal>d file does an <Literal>include</Literal>, the filename is treated relative to
1491 the directory in which <Command>gmake</Command> is being run, not the directory in
1492 which the <Literal>include</Literal>d sits.) In general, <Emphasis>every file <Filename>foo.mk</Filename>
1493 assumes that <Filename><Constant>$(TOP)</Constant>/mk/foo.mk</Filename> refers to itself.</Emphasis> It is up to the
1494 <Filename>Makefile</Filename> doing the <Literal>include</Literal> to ensure this is the case.
1496 Files intended for inclusion in other <Filename>Makefile</Filename>s are written to have
1497 the following property: <Emphasis>after <Filename>foo.mk</Filename> is <Literal>include</Literal>d, it leaves
1498 <Constant>TOP</Constant> containing the same value as it had just before the <Literal>include</Literal>
1499 statement</Emphasis>. In our example, this invariant guarantees that the
1500 <Literal>include</Literal> for <Filename>target.mk</Filename> will look in the same directory as that for
1501 <Filename>boilerplate.mk</Filename>.
1508 The second section defines the following standard <Command>make</Command>
1509 variables: <Constant>SRCS</Constant><IndexTerm><Primary>SRCS</Primary></IndexTerm> (the source files from which is to be
1510 built), and <Constant>HS_PROG</Constant><IndexTerm><Primary>HS_PROG</Primary></IndexTerm> (the executable binary to be
1511 built). We will discuss in more detail what the ``standard
1512 variables'' are, and how they affect what happens, in <XRef LinkEnd="sec-targets">.
1514 The definition for <Constant>SRCS</Constant> uses the useful GNU <Command>make</Command> construct
1515 <Literal>$(wildcard $pat$)</Literal><IndexTerm><Primary>wildcard</Primary></IndexTerm>, which expands to a list of all
1516 the files matching the pattern <Literal>pat</Literal> in the current directory. In
1517 this example, <Constant>SRCS</Constant> is set to the list of all the <Filename>.lhs</Filename> and <Filename>.c</Filename>
1518 files in the directory. (Let's suppose there is one of each,
1519 <Filename>Foo.lhs</Filename> and <Filename>Baz.c</Filename>.)
1526 The last section includes a second file of standard code,
1527 called <Filename>target.mk</Filename><IndexTerm><Primary>target.mk</Primary></IndexTerm>. It contains the rules that tell
1528 <Command>gmake</Command> how to make the standard targets (<Xref LinkEnd="sec-standard-targets">). Why, you ask,
1529 can't this standard code be part of <Filename>boilerplate.mk</Filename>? Good question.
1530 We discuss the reason later, in <Xref LinkEnd="sec-boiler-arch">.
1532 You do not <Emphasis>have</Emphasis> to <Literal>include</Literal> the <Filename>target.mk</Filename> file. Instead, you
1533 can write rules of your own for all the standard targets. Usually,
1534 though, you will find quite a big payoff from using the canned rules
1535 in <Filename>target.mk</Filename>; the price tag is that you have to understand what
1536 canned rules get enabled, and what they do (<Xref LinkEnd="sec-targets">).
1546 In our example <Filename>Makefile</Filename>, most of the work is done by the two
1547 <Literal>include</Literal>d files. When you say <Command>gmake all</Command>, the following things
1557 <Command>gmake</Command> figures out that the object files are <Filename>Foo.o</Filename> and
1558 <Filename>Baz.o</Filename>.
1565 It uses a boilerplate pattern rule to compile <Filename>Foo.lhs</Filename> to
1566 <Filename>Foo.o</Filename> using a Haskell compiler. (Which one? That is set in the
1567 build configuration.)
1574 It uses another standard pattern rule to compile <Filename>Baz.c</Filename> to
1575 <Filename>Baz.o</Filename>, using a C compiler. (Ditto.)
1582 It links the resulting <Filename>.o</Filename> files together to make <Literal>small</Literal>,
1583 using the Haskell compiler to do the link step. (Why not use <Command>ld</Command>?
1584 Because the Haskell compiler knows what standard libraries to link in.
1585 How did <Command>gmake</Command> know to use the Haskell compiler to do the link,
1586 rather than the C compiler? Because we set the variable <Constant>HS_PROG</Constant>
1587 rather than <Constant>C_PROG</Constant>.)
1597 All <Filename>Makefile</Filename>s should follow the above three-section format.
1603 <Title>A larger project</Title>
1606 Larger projects are usually structured into a number of sub-directories,
1607 each of which has its own <Filename>Makefile</Filename>. (In very large projects, this
1608 sub-structure might be iterated recursively, though that is rare.)
1609 To give you the idea, here's part of the directory structure for
1610 the (rather large) GHC project:
1623 ...source files for documentation...
1626 ...source files for driver...
1629 parser/...source files for parser...
1630 renamer/...source files for renamer...
1637 The sub-directories <Filename>docs</Filename>, <Filename>driver</Filename>, <Filename>compiler</Filename>, and so on, each
1638 contains a sub-component of GHC, and each has its own <Filename>Makefile</Filename>.
1639 There must also be a <Filename>Makefile</Filename> in <Filename><Constant>$(FPTOOLS_TOP)</Constant>/ghc</Filename>. It does most
1640 of its work by recursively invoking <Command>gmake</Command> on the <Filename>Makefile</Filename>s in the
1641 sub-directories. We say that <Filename>ghc/Makefile</Filename> is a <Emphasis>non-leaf
1642 <Filename>Makefile</Filename></Emphasis>, because it does little except organise its children,
1643 while the <Filename>Makefile</Filename>s in the sub-directories are all <Emphasis>leaf
1644 <Filename>Makefile</Filename>s</Emphasis>. (In principle the sub-directories might themselves
1645 contain a non-leaf <Filename>Makefile</Filename> and several sub-sub-directories, but
1646 that does not happen in GHC.)
1650 The <Filename>Makefile</Filename> in <Filename>ghc/compiler</Filename> is considered a leaf <Filename>Makefile</Filename> even
1651 though the <Filename>ghc/compiler</Filename> has sub-directories, because these sub-directories
1652 do not themselves have <Filename>Makefile</Filename>s in them. They are just used to structure
1653 the collection of modules that make up GHC, but all are managed by the
1654 single <Filename>Makefile</Filename> in <Filename>ghc/compiler</Filename>.
1658 You will notice that <Filename>ghc/</Filename> also contains a directory <Filename>ghc/mk/</Filename>. It
1659 contains GHC-specific <Filename>Makefile</Filename> boilerplate code. More precisely:
1668 <Filename>ghc/mk/boilerplate.mk</Filename> is included at the top of
1669 <Filename>ghc/Makefile</Filename>, and of all the leaf <Filename>Makefile</Filename>s in the
1670 sub-directories. It in turn <Literal>include</Literal>s the main boilerplate file
1671 <Filename>mk/boilerplate.mk</Filename>.
1679 <Filename>ghc/mk/target.mk</Filename> is <Literal>include</Literal>d at the bottom of
1680 <Filename>ghc/Makefile</Filename>, and of all the leaf <Filename>Makefile</Filename>s in the
1681 sub-directories. It in turn <Literal>include</Literal>s the file <Filename>mk/target.mk</Filename>.
1691 So these two files are the place to look for GHC-wide customisation
1692 of the standard boilerplate.
1697 <Sect2 id="sec-boiler-arch">
1698 <Title>Boilerplate architecture
1699 <IndexTerm><Primary>boilerplate architecture</Primary></IndexTerm>
1703 Every <Filename>Makefile</Filename> includes a <Filename>boilerplate.mk</Filename><IndexTerm><Primary>boilerplate.mk</Primary></IndexTerm> file
1704 at the top, and <Filename>target.mk</Filename><IndexTerm><Primary>target.mk</Primary></IndexTerm> file at the bottom. In
1705 this section we discuss what is in these files, and why there have to
1706 be two of them. In general:
1715 <Filename>boilerplate.mk</Filename> consists of:
1721 <Emphasis>Definitions of millions of <Command>make</Command> variables</Emphasis> that
1722 collectively specify the build configuration. Examples:
1723 <Constant>HC_OPTS</Constant><IndexTerm><Primary>HC_OPTS</Primary></IndexTerm>, the options to feed to the Haskell compiler;
1724 <Constant>NoFibSubDirs</Constant><IndexTerm><Primary>NoFibSubDirs</Primary></IndexTerm>, the sub-directories to enable within the
1725 <Literal>nofib</Literal> project; <Constant>GhcWithHc</Constant><IndexTerm><Primary>GhcWithHc</Primary></IndexTerm>, the name of the Haskell
1726 compiler to use when compiling GHC in the <Literal>ghc</Literal> project.
1732 <Emphasis>Standard pattern rules</Emphasis> that tell <Command>gmake</Command> how to construct one
1740 <Filename>boilerplate.mk</Filename> needs to be <Literal>include</Literal>d at the <Emphasis>top</Emphasis>
1741 of each <Filename>Makefile</Filename>, so that the user can replace the
1742 boilerplate definitions or pattern rules by simply giving a new
1743 definition or pattern rule in the <Filename>Makefile</Filename>. <Command>gmake</Command>
1744 simply takes the last definition as the definitive one.
1746 Instead of <Emphasis>replacing</Emphasis> boilerplate definitions, it is also quite
1747 common to <Emphasis>augment</Emphasis> them. For example, a <Filename>Makefile</Filename> might say:
1755 thereby adding ``<Option>-O</Option>'' to the end of <Constant>SRC_HC_OPTS</Constant><IndexTerm><Primary>SRC_HC_OPTS</Primary></IndexTerm>.
1762 <Filename>target.mk</Filename> contains <Command>make</Command> rules for the standard
1763 targets described in <Xref LinkEnd="sec-standard-targets">. These rules are selectively included,
1764 depending on the setting of certain <Command>make</Command> variables. These
1765 variables are usually set in the middle section of the
1766 <Filename>Makefile</Filename> between the two <Literal>include</Literal>s.
1768 <Filename>target.mk</Filename> must be included at the end (rather than being part of
1769 <Filename>boilerplate.mk</Filename>) for several tiresome reasons:
1776 <Command>gmake</Command> commits target and dependency lists earlier than
1777 it should. For example, <FIlename>target.mk</FIlename> has a rule that looks like
1782 $(HS_PROG) : $(OBJS)
1783 $(HC) $(LD_OPTS) $< -o $@
1787 If this rule was in <Filename>boilerplate.mk</Filename> then <Constant>$(HS_PROG)</Constant><IndexTerm><Primary>HS_PROG</Primary></IndexTerm>
1788 and <Constant>$(OBJS)</Constant><IndexTerm><Primary>OBJS</Primary></IndexTerm> would not have their final values at the
1789 moment <Command>gmake</Command> encountered the rule. Alas, <Command>gmake</Command> takes a snapshot
1790 of their current values, and wires that snapshot into the rule. (In
1791 contrast, the commands executed when the rule ``fires'' are only
1792 substituted at the moment of firing.) So, the rule must follow the
1793 definitions given in the <Filename>Makefile</Filename> itself.
1800 Unlike pattern rules, ordinary rules cannot be overriden or
1801 replaced by subsequent rules for the same target (at least, not without an
1802 error message). Including ordinary rules in <Filename>boilerplate.mk</Filename> would
1803 prevent the user from writing rules for specific targets in specific cases.
1810 There are a couple of other reasons I've forgotten, but it doesn't
1826 <Sect2 id="sec-boiler">
1827 <Title>The main <Filename>mk/boilerplate.mk</Filename> file
1829 <IndexTerm><Primary>boilerplate.mk</Primary></IndexTerm></Title>
1832 If you look at <Filename><Constant>$(FPTOOLS_TOP)</Constant>/mk/boilerplate.mk</Filename> you will find
1833 that it consists of the following sections, each held in a separate
1841 <Term><Filename>config.mk</Filename><IndexTerm><Primary>config.mk</Primary></IndexTerm></Term>
1844 is the build configuration file we
1845 discussed at length in <Xref LinkEnd="sec-build-config">.
1847 </ListItem></VarListEntry>
1849 <Term><Filename>paths.mk</Filename><IndexTerm><Primary>paths.mk</Primary></IndexTerm></Term>
1852 defines <Command>make</Command> variables for
1853 pathnames and file lists. In particular, it gives definitions for:
1860 <Term><Constant>SRCS</Constant><IndexTerm><Primary>SRCS</Primary></IndexTerm>:</Term>
1863 all source files in the current directory.
1865 </ListItem></VarListEntry>
1867 <Term><Constant>HS_SRCS</Constant><IndexTerm><Primary>HS_SRCS</Primary></IndexTerm>:</Term>
1870 all Haskell source files in the current directory.
1871 It is derived from <Constant>$(SRCS)</Constant>, so if you override <Constant>SRCS</Constant> with a new value
1872 <Constant>HS_SRCS</Constant> will follow suit.
1874 </ListItem></VarListEntry>
1876 <Term><Constant>C_SRCS</Constant><IndexTerm><Primary>C_SRCS</Primary></IndexTerm>:</Term>
1879 similarly for C source files.
1881 </ListItem></VarListEntry>
1883 <Term><Constant>HS_OBJS</Constant><IndexTerm><Primary>HS_OBJS</Primary></IndexTerm>:</Term>
1886 the <Filename>.o</Filename> files derived from <Constant>$(HS_SRCS)</Constant>.
1888 </ListItem></VarListEntry>
1890 <Term><Constant>C_OBJS</Constant><IndexTerm><Primary>C_OBJS</Primary></IndexTerm>:</Term>
1893 similarly for <Constant>$(C_SRCS)</Constant>.
1895 </ListItem></VarListEntry>
1897 <Term><Constant>OBJS</Constant><IndexTerm><Primary>OBJS</Primary></IndexTerm>:</Term>
1900 the concatenation of <Constant>$(HS_OBJS)</Constant> and <Constant>$(C_OBJS)</Constant>.
1902 </ListItem></VarListEntry>
1907 Any or all of these definitions can easily be overriden by giving new
1908 definitions in your <Filename>Makefile</Filename>. For example, if there are things in
1909 the current directory that look like source files but aren't, then
1910 you'll need to set <Constant>SRCS</Constant> manually in your <Filename>Makefile</Filename>. The other
1911 definitions will then work from this new definition.
1915 What, exactly, does <Filename>paths.mk</Filename> consider a ``source file'' to be? It's
1916 based on the file's suffix (e.g. <Filename>.hs</Filename>, <Filename>.lhs</Filename>, <Filename>.c</Filename>, <Filename>.lc</Filename>, etc), but
1917 this is the kind of detail that changes, so rather than
1918 enumerate the source suffices here the best thing to do is to look in
1919 <Filename>paths.mk</Filename>.
1921 </ListItem></VarListEntry>
1923 <Term><Filename>opts.mk</Filename><IndexTerm><Primary>opts.mk</Primary></IndexTerm></Term>
1926 defines <Command>make</Command> variables for option
1927 strings to pass to each program. For example, it defines
1928 <Constant>HC_OPTS</Constant><IndexTerm><Primary>HC_OPTS</Primary></IndexTerm>, the option strings to pass to the Haskell
1929 compiler. See <Xref LinkEnd="sec-suffix">.
1931 </ListItem></VarListEntry>
1933 <Term><Filename>suffix.mk</Filename><IndexTerm><Primary>suffix.mk</Primary></IndexTerm></Term>
1936 defines standard pattern rules—see <Xref LinkEnd="sec-suffix">.
1938 </ListItem></VarListEntry>
1943 Any of the variables and pattern rules defined by the boilerplate file
1944 can easily be overridden in any particular <Filename>Makefile</Filename>, because the
1945 boilerplate <Literal>include</Literal> comes first. Definitions after this <Literal>include</Literal>
1946 directive simply override the default ones in <Filename>boilerplate.mk</Filename>.
1951 <Sect2 id="sec-suffix">
1952 <Title>Pattern rules and options
1954 <IndexTerm><Primary>Pattern rules</Primary></IndexTerm></Title>
1957 The file <Filename>suffix.mk</Filename><IndexTerm><Primary>suffix.mk</Primary></IndexTerm> defines standard <Emphasis>pattern
1958 rules</Emphasis> that say how to build one kind of file from another, for
1959 example, how to build a <Filename>.o</Filename> file from a <Filename>.c</Filename> file. (GNU <Command>make</Command>'s
1960 <Emphasis>pattern rules</Emphasis> are more powerful and easier to use than Unix
1961 <Command>make</Command>'s <Emphasis>suffix rules</Emphasis>.)
1965 Almost all the rules look something like this:
1973 $(CC) $(CC_OPTS) -c $< -o $@
1979 Here's how to understand the rule. It says that
1980 <Emphasis>something</Emphasis><Filename>.o</Filename> (say <Filename>Foo.o</Filename>) can be built from
1981 <Emphasis>something</Emphasis><Filename>.c</Filename> (<Filename>Foo.c</Filename>), by invoking the C compiler
1982 (path name held in <Constant>$(CC)</Constant>), passing to it the options
1983 <Constant>$(CC_OPTS)</Constant> and the rule's dependent file of the rule
1984 <Literal>$<</Literal> (<Filename>Foo.c</Filename> in this case), and putting the result in
1985 the rule's target <Literal>$@</Literal> (<Filename>Foo.o</Filename> in this case).
1989 Every program is held in a <Command>make</Command> variable defined in
1990 <Filename>mk/config.mk</Filename>—look in <Filename>mk/config.mk</Filename> for the
1991 complete list. One important one is the Haskell compiler, which is
1992 called <Constant>$(HC)</Constant>.
1996 Every program's options are are held in a <Command>make</Command> variables called
1997 <Constant><prog>_OPTS</Constant>. the <Constant><prog>_OPTS</Constant> variables are defined in
1998 <Filename>mk/opts.mk</Filename>. Almost all of them are defined like this:
2004 CC_OPTS = $(SRC_CC_OPTS) $(WAY$(_way)_CC_OPTS) $($*_CC_OPTS) $(EXTRA_CC_OPTS)
2010 The four variables from which <Constant>CC_OPTS</Constant> is built have the following meaning:
2017 <Term><Constant>SRC_CC_OPTS</Constant><IndexTerm><Primary>SRC_CC_OPTS</Primary></IndexTerm>:</Term>
2020 options passed to all C
2023 </ListItem></VarListEntry>
2025 <Term><Constant>WAY_<way>_CC_OPTS</Constant>:</Term>
2029 compilations for way <Literal><way></Literal>. For example,
2030 <Constant>WAY_mp_CC_OPTS</Constant> gives options to pass to the C compiler when
2031 compiling way <Literal>mp</Literal>. The variable <Constant>WAY_CC_OPTS</Constant> holds
2032 options to pass to the C compiler when compiling the standard way.
2033 (<Xref LinkEnd="sec-ways"> dicusses multi-way
2036 </ListItem></VarListEntry>
2038 <Term><Constant><module>_CC_OPTS</Constant>:</Term>
2042 pass to the C compiler that are specific to module <Literal><module></Literal>. For example, <Constant>SMap_CC_OPTS</Constant> gives the specific options
2043 to pass to the C compiler when compiling <Filename>SMap.c</Filename>.
2045 </ListItem></VarListEntry>
2047 <Term><Constant>EXTRA_CC_OPTS</Constant><IndexTerm><Primary>EXTRA_CC_OPTS</Primary></IndexTerm>:</Term>
2050 extra options to pass to all
2051 C compilations. This is intended for command line use, thus:
2057 gmake libHS.a EXTRA_CC_OPTS="-v"
2061 </ListItem></VarListEntry>
2067 <Sect2 id="sec-targets">
2068 <Title>The main <Filename>mk/target.mk</Filename> file
2070 <IndexTerm><Primary>target.mk</Primary></IndexTerm></Title>
2073 <Filename>target.mk</Filename> contains canned rules for all the standard targets
2074 described in <Xref LinkEnd="sec-standard-targets">. It is complicated by the fact that you don't want all of
2075 these rules to be active in every <Filename>Makefile</Filename>. Rather than have a
2076 plethora of tiny files which you can include selectively, there is a
2077 single file, <Filename>target.mk</Filename>, which selectively includes rules based on
2078 whether you have defined certain variables in your <Filename>Makefile</Filename>. This
2079 section explains what rules you get, what variables control them, and
2080 what the rules do. Hopefully, you will also get enough of an idea of
2081 what is supposed to happen that you can read and understand any weird
2082 special cases yourself.
2089 <Term><Constant>HS_PROG</Constant><IndexTerm><Primary>HS_PROG</Primary></IndexTerm>.</Term>
2092 If <Constant>HS_PROG</Constant> is defined, you get
2093 rules with the following targets:
2097 <Term><Filename>HS_PROG</Filename><IndexTerm><Primary>HS_PROG</Primary></IndexTerm></Term>
2100 itself. This rule links <Constant>$(OBJS)</Constant>
2101 with the Haskell runtime system to get an executable called
2102 <Constant>$(HS_PROG)</Constant>.
2104 </ListItem></VarListEntry>
2106 <Term><Literal>install</Literal><IndexTerm><Primary>install</Primary></IndexTerm></Term>
2109 installs <Constant>$(HS_PROG)</Constant>
2110 in <Constant>$(bindir)</Constant>.
2112 </ListItem></VarListEntry>
2115 </ListItem></VarListEntry>
2117 <Term><Constant>C_PROG</Constant><IndexTerm><Primary>C_PROG</Primary></IndexTerm></Term>
2120 is similar to <Constant>HS_PROG</Constant>, except that
2121 the link step links <Constant>$(C_OBJS)</Constant> with the C runtime system.
2123 </ListItem></VarListEntry>
2125 <Term><Constant>LIBRARY</Constant><IndexTerm><Primary>LIBRARY</Primary></IndexTerm></Term>
2128 is similar to <Constant>HS_PROG</Constant>, except that
2129 it links <Constant>$(LIB_OBJS)</Constant> to make the library archive <Constant>$(LIBRARY)</Constant>, and
2130 <Literal>install</Literal> installs it in <Constant>$(libdir)</Constant>.
2132 </ListItem></VarListEntry>
2134 <Term><Constant>LIB_DATA</Constant><IndexTerm><Primary>LIB_DATA</Primary></IndexTerm></Term>
2139 </ListItem></VarListEntry>
2141 <Term><Constant>LIB_EXEC</Constant><IndexTerm><Primary>LIB_EXEC</Primary></IndexTerm></Term>
2146 </ListItem></VarListEntry>
2148 <Term><Constant>HS_SRCS</Constant><IndexTerm><Primary>HS_SRCS</Primary></IndexTerm>, <Constant>C_SRCS</Constant><IndexTerm><Primary>C_SRCS</Primary></IndexTerm>.</Term>
2151 If <Constant>HS_SRCS</Constant>
2152 is defined and non-empty, a rule for the target <Literal>depend</Literal> is included,
2153 which generates dependency information for Haskell programs.
2154 Similarly for <Constant>C_SRCS</Constant>.
2156 </ListItem></VarListEntry>
2161 All of these rules are ``double-colon'' rules, thus
2167 install :: $(HS_PROG)
2168 ...how to install it...
2174 GNU <Command>make</Command> treats double-colon rules as separate entities. If there
2175 are several double-colon rules for the same target it takes each in
2176 turn and fires it if its dependencies say to do so. This means that
2177 you can, for example, define both <Constant>HS_PROG</Constant> and <Constant>LIBRARY</Constant>, which will
2178 generate two rules for <Literal>install</Literal>. When you type <Command>gmake install</Command> both
2179 rules will be fired, and both the program and the library will be
2180 installed, just as you wanted.
2185 <Sect2 id="sec-subdirs">
2188 <IndexTerm><Primary>recursion, in makefiles</Primary></IndexTerm>
2189 <IndexTerm><Primary>Makefile, recursing into subdirectories</Primary></IndexTerm></Title>
2192 In leaf <Filename>Makefile</Filename>s the variable <Constant>SUBDIRS</Constant><IndexTerm><Primary>SUBDIRS</Primary></IndexTerm> is undefined.
2193 In non-leaf <Filename>Makefile</Filename>s, <Constant>SUBDIRS</Constant> is set to the list of
2194 sub-directories that contain subordinate <Filename>Makefile</Filename>s. <Emphasis>It is up to
2195 you to set <Constant>SUBDIRS</Constant> in the <Filename>Makefile</Filename>.</Emphasis> There is no automation here—<Constant>SUBDIRS</Constant> is too important to automate.
2199 When <Constant>SUBDIRS</Constant> is defined, <Filename>target.mk</Filename> includes a rather
2200 neat rule for the standard targets (<Xref LinkEnd="sec-standard-targets"> that simply invokes
2201 <Command>make</Command> recursively in each of the sub-directories.
2205 <Emphasis>These recursive invocations are guaranteed to occur in the order
2206 in which the list of directories is specified in <Constant>SUBDIRS</Constant>. </Emphasis>This
2207 guarantee can be important. For example, when you say <Command>gmake boot</Command> it
2208 can be important that the recursive invocation of <Command>make boot</Command> is done
2209 in one sub-directory (the include files, say) before another (the
2210 source files). Generally, put the most independent sub-directory
2211 first, and the most dependent last.
2216 <Sect2 id="sec-ways">
2217 <Title>Way management
2219 <IndexTerm><Primary>way management</Primary></IndexTerm></Title>
2222 We sometimes want to build essentially the same system in several
2223 different ``ways''. For example, we want to build GHC's <Literal>Prelude</Literal>
2224 libraries with and without profiling, with and without concurrency,
2225 and so on, so that there is an appropriately-built library archive to
2226 link with when the user compiles his program. It would be possible to
2227 have a completely separate build tree for each such ``way'', but it
2228 would be horribly bureaucratic, especially since often only parts of
2229 the build tree need to be constructed in multiple ways.
2233 Instead, the <Filename>target.mk</Filename><IndexTerm><Primary>target.mk</Primary></IndexTerm> contains some clever magic to
2234 allow you to build several versions of a system; and to control
2235 locally how many versions are built and how they differ. This section
2240 The files for a particular way are distinguished by munging the
2241 suffix. The ``normal way'' is always built, and its files have the
2242 standard suffices <Filename>.o</Filename>, <Filename>.hi</Filename>, and so on. In addition, you can build
2243 one or more extra ways, each distinguished by a <Emphasis>way tag</Emphasis>. The
2244 object files and interface files for one of these extra ways are
2245 distinguished by their suffix. For example, way <Literal>mp</Literal> has files
2246 <Filename>.mp_o</Filename> and <Filename>.mp_hi</Filename>. Library archives have their way tag the other
2247 side of the dot, for boring reasons; thus, <Filename>libHS_mp.a</Filename>.
2251 A <Command>make</Command> variable called <Constant>way</Constant> holds the current way tag. <Emphasis><Constant>way</Constant>
2252 is only ever set on the command line of a recursive invocation of
2253 <Command>gmake</Command>.</Emphasis> It is never set inside a <Filename>Makefile</Filename>. So it is a global
2254 constant for any one invocation of <Command>gmake</Command>. Two other <Command>make</Command>
2255 variables, <Constant>way_</Constant> and <Constant>_way</Constant> are immediately derived from <Constant>$(way)</Constant> and
2256 never altered. If <Constant>way</Constant> is not set, then neither are <Constant>way_</Constant> and
2257 <Constant>_way</Constant>, and the invocation of <Command>make</Command> will build the ``normal way''.
2258 If <Constant>way</Constant> is set, then the other two variables are set in sympathy.
2259 For example, if <Constant>$(way)</Constant> is ``<Literal>mp</Literal>'', then <Constant>way_</Constant> is set to ``<Literal>mp_</Literal>''
2260 and <Constant>_way</Constant> is set to ``<Literal>_mp</Literal>''. These three variables are then used
2261 when constructing file names.
2265 So how does <Command>make</Command> ever get recursively invoked with <Constant>way</Constant> set? There
2266 are two ways in which this happens:
2275 For some (but not all) of the standard targets, when in a leaf
2276 sub-directory, <Command>make</Command> is recursively invoked for each way tag in
2277 <Constant>$(WAYS)</Constant>. You set <Constant>WAYS</Constant> to the list of way tags you want these
2278 targets built for. The mechanism here is very much like the recursive
2279 invocation of <Command>make</Command> in sub-directories (<Xref LinkEnd="sec-subdirs">).
2281 It is up to you to set <Constant>WAYS</Constant> in your <Filename>Makefile</Filename>; this is how you
2282 control what ways will get built.
2288 For a useful collection of
2289 targets (such as <Filename>libHS_mp.a</Filename>, <Filename>Foo.mp_o</Filename>) there is a rule which
2290 recursively invokes <Command>make</Command> to make the specified target, setting the
2291 <Constant>way</Constant> variable. So if you say <Command>gmake Foo.mp_o</Command> you should see a
2292 recursive invocation <Command>gmake Foo.mp_o way=mp</Command>, and <Emphasis>in this
2293 recursive invocation the pattern rule for compiling a Haskell file
2294 into a <Filename>.o</Filename> file will match</Emphasis>. The key pattern rules (in <Filename>suffix.mk</Filename>)
2300 $(HC) $(HC_OPTS) $< -o $@
2315 <Title>When the canned rule isn't right</Title>
2318 Sometimes the canned rule just doesn't do the right thing. For
2319 example, in the <Literal>nofib</Literal> suite we want the link step to print out
2320 timing information. The thing to do here is <Emphasis>not</Emphasis> to define
2321 <Constant>HS_PROG</Constant> or <Constant>C_PROG</Constant>, and instead define a special purpose rule in
2322 your own <Filename>Makefile</Filename>. By using different variable names you will avoid
2323 the canned rules being included, and conflicting with yours.
2330 <Sect1 id="sec-booting-from-C">
2331 <Title>Booting/porting from C (<Filename>.hc</Filename>) files
2333 <IndexTerm><Primary>building GHC from .hc files</Primary></IndexTerm>
2334 <IndexTerm><Primary>booting GHC from .hc files</Primary></IndexTerm>
2335 <IndexTerm><Primary>porting GHC</Primary></IndexTerm></Title>
2338 This section is for people trying to get GHC going by using the
2339 supplied intermediate C (<Filename>.hc</Filename>) files. This would probably be because
2340 no binaries have been provided, or because the machine is not ``fully
2345 The intermediate C files are normally made available together with a
2346 source release, please check the announce message for exact directions
2347 of where to find them. If we haven't made them available or you
2348 can't find them, please ask.
2352 Assuming you've got them, unpack them on top of a fresh source tree.
2353 Then follow the `normal' instructions in <Xref LinkEnd="sec-building-from-source"> for setting
2354 up a build tree. When you invoke the configure script, you'll have
2355 to tell the script about your intentions:
2361 foo% ./configure --enable-hc-boot
2364 <IndexTerm><Primary>--enable-hc-boot</Primary></IndexTerm>
2365 <IndexTerm><Primary>--disable-hc-boot</Primary></IndexTerm>
2369 Assuming it configures OK and you don't need to create <Filename>mk/build.mk</Filename>
2370 for any other purposes, the next step is to proceed with a <Command>make boot</Command>
2371 followed by <Command>make all</Command>. At the successful completion of <Command>make all</Command>,
2372 you should end up with a binary of the compiler proper,
2373 <Filename>ghc/compiler/hsc</Filename>, plus archives (but no <Filename>.hi</Filename> files!) of the prelude
2374 libraries. To generate the Prelude interface files (and test drive the
2375 bootstrapped compiler), re-run the <Command>configure</Command> script, but this time
2376 without the <Option>--enable-hc-boot</Option> option. After that re-create the
2377 contents of <Filename>ghc/lib</Filename>:
2394 That's the mechanics of the boot process, but, of course, if you're
2395 trying to boot on a platform that is not supported and significantly
2396 `different' from any of the supported ones, this is only the start of
2397 the adventure…(ToDo: porting tips—stuff to look out for, etc.)
2402 <Sect1 id="sec-build-pitfalls">
2403 <Title>Known pitfalls in building Glasgow Haskell
2405 <IndexTerm><Primary>problems, building</Primary></IndexTerm>
2406 <IndexTerm><Primary>pitfalls, in building</Primary></IndexTerm>
2407 <IndexTerm><Primary>building pitfalls</Primary></IndexTerm></Title>
2410 WARNINGS about pitfalls and known ``problems'':
2419 One difficulty that comes up from time to time is running out of space
2420 in <Filename>/tmp</Filename>. (It is impossible for the configuration stuff to
2421 compensate for the vagaries of different sysadmin approaches to temp
2423 <IndexTerm><Primary>tmp, running out of space in</Primary></IndexTerm>
2425 The quickest way around it is <Command>setenv TMPDIR /usr/tmp</Command><IndexTerm><Primary>TMPDIR</Primary></IndexTerm> or
2426 even <Command>setenv TMPDIR .</Command> (or the equivalent incantation with your shell
2429 The best way around it is to say
2432 export TMPDIR=<dir>
2435 in your <Filename>build.mk</Filename> file.
2436 Then GHC and the other <Literal>fptools</Literal> programs will use the appropriate directory
2445 In compiling some support-code bits, e.g., in <Filename>ghc/rts/gmp</Filename> and even
2446 in <Filename>ghc/lib</Filename>, you may get a few C-compiler warnings. We think these
2454 When compiling via C, you'll sometimes get ``warning: assignment from
2455 incompatible pointer type'' out of GCC. Harmless.
2462 Similarly, <Command>ar</Command>chiving warning messages like the following are not
2466 ar: filename GlaIOMonad__1_2s.o truncated to GlaIOMonad_
2467 ar: filename GlaIOMonad__2_2s.o truncated to GlaIOMonad_
2477 In compiling the compiler proper (in <Filename>compiler/</Filename>), you <Emphasis>may</Emphasis>
2478 get an ``Out of heap space'' error message. These can vary with the
2479 vagaries of different systems, it seems. The solution is simple:
2486 If you're compiling with GHC 4.00 or later, then the
2487 <Emphasis>maximum</Emphasis> heap size must have been reached. This
2488 is somewhat unlikely, since the maximum is set to 64M by default.
2489 Anyway, you can raise it with the
2490 <Option>-optCrts-M<size></Option> flag (add this flag to
2491 <Constant><module>_HC_OPTS</Constant>
2492 <Command>make</Command> variable in the appropriate
2493 <Filename>Makefile</Filename>).
2500 For GHC < 4.00, add a suitable <Option>-H</Option> flag to the <Filename>Makefile</Filename>, as
2509 and try again: <Command>gmake</Command>. (see <Xref LinkEnd="sec-suffix"> for information about
2510 <Constant><module>_HC_OPTS</Constant>.)
2512 Alternatively, just cut to the chase:
2516 % make EXTRA_HC_OPTS=-optCrts-M128M
2525 If you try to compile some Haskell, and you get errors from GCC about
2526 lots of things from <Filename>/usr/include/math.h</Filename>, then your GCC was
2527 mis-installed. <Command>fixincludes</Command> wasn't run when it should've been.
2529 As <Command>fixincludes</Command> is now automagically run as part of GCC installation,
2530 this bug also suggests that you have an old GCC.
2538 You <Emphasis>may</Emphasis> need to re-<Command>ranlib</Command><IndexTerm><Primary>ranlib</Primary></IndexTerm> your libraries (on Sun4s).
2542 % cd $(libdir)/ghc-x.xx/sparc-sun-sunos4
2543 % foreach i ( `find . -name '*.a' -print` ) # or other-shell equiv...
2545 ? # or, on some machines: ar s $i
2550 We'd be interested to know if this is still necessary.
2558 GHC's sources go through <Command>cpp</Command> before being compiled, and <Command>cpp</Command> varies
2559 a bit from one Unix to another. One particular gotcha is macro calls
2564 SLIT("Hello, world")
2568 Some <Command>cpp</Command>s treat the comma inside the string as separating two macro
2569 arguments, so you get
2573 :731: macro `SLIT' used with too many (2) args
2577 Alas, <Command>cpp</Command> doesn't tell you the offending file!
2579 Workaround: don't put weird things in string args to <Command>cpp</Command> macros.
2590 <Sect1 id="winbuild"><Title>Notes for building under Windows</Title>
2593 This section summarises how to get the utilities you need on your
2594 Win95/98/NT/2000 machine to use CVS and build GHC. Similar notes for installing and running GHC may be found in the user guide. In general, Win95/Win98 behave the same, and WinNT/Win2k behave the same. It is based largely on detailed advice from Sigbjørn Finne.
2598 <Sect2><Title>Installing ssh</Title>
2604 Extract the whole of <ULink URL="http://research.microsoft.com/~simonpj/ssh-1_2_26-cygwinb19.tar.gz">the ssh archive</ULink> into your <Filename>C:\</Filename> directory, and use the ``All files'' and ``User folder names'' options in WinZip extract dialogue box. This populates your <Filename>C:\usr\local</Filename> tree.
2610 Extract <ULink URL="http://research.microsoft.com/~simonpj/cygwinb19.dll.zip">cygwinb19.dll</ULink> into <Filename>/usr/local/bin</Filename>. The current version
2611 of Cywin is b20, but this version of ssh was compiled with b19.
2617 On a Win2k machine, open up a bash and do
2622 foo$ mkpasswd -l > passwd
2626 Check that your login entry is on the first line
2627 of that file. If not, move it to the top. It's OK
2628 for 'Administrator' to be the first entry, assuming you are one.
2632 However, Win9x doesn't support the calls that <Command>mkpasswd</Command> relies on
2633 (e.g., <Function>NetUserEnum</Function>). If you run <Command>mkpasswd</Command> you
2638 linked to missing export netapi32.dll:NetUserEnum
2642 The passwd file is used
2643 by ssh in a fairly rudimentary manner, so I'd simply
2644 synthesise/copy an existing Unix <Filename>/etc/passwd</Filename>, i.e., create
2645 an <Filename>/etc/passwd</Filename> file containing the line
2649 <login>::500:513:::/bin/sh
2653 where <Literal><login></Literal> is your login id.
2659 Generate a key, by running <Filename>c:/user/local/bin/ssh-keygen1</Filename>.
2660 This generates a public key in <Filename>.ssh/identity.pub</Filename>, and a
2661 private key in <Filename>.ssh/identity</Filename>
2665 In response to the 'Enter passphrase' question, just hit
2666 return (i.e. use an empty passphrase). The passphrase is
2667 a password that protects your private key. But it's a pain
2668 to type this passphrase everytime you use <Command>ssh</Command>, so the best
2669 thing to do is simply to protect your <Filename>.ssh</Filename> directory, and
2670 <Filename>.ssh/identity</Filename> from access by anyone else. To do this
2671 right-click your <Filename>.ssh</Filename> directory, and select Properties.
2672 If you are not on the access control list, add yourself, and
2673 give yourself full permissions (the second panel).
2674 Remove everyone else from the access control list. (Don't
2675 leave them there but deny them access, because 'they' may be
2676 a list that includes you!)
2680 If you have problems running <Command>ssh-keygen1</Command>
2681 from within <Command>bash</Command>, start up <Filename>cmd.exe</Filename> and run it as follows:
2685 c:\tmp> set CYGWIN32=tty
2686 c:\tmp> c:/user/local/bin/ssh-keygen1
2692 If you don't have an account on <Literal>cvs.haskell.org</Literal>, send
2693 your <Filename>.ssh/identity.pub</Filename> to the CVS repository administrator
2694 (currently Jeff Lewis <Email>jlewis@cse.ogi.edu</Email>). He will set up
2699 If you do have an account on <Literal>cvs.haskell.org</Literal>, use TeraTerm
2700 to logon to it. Once in, copy the
2701 key that <Command>ssh-keygen1</Command> deposited in <Filename>/.ssh/identity.pub</Filename> into
2702 your <Filename>~/.ssh/authorized_keys</Filename>. Make sure that the new version
2703 of <Filename>authorized_keys</Filename> still has 600 file permission.
2712 <Sect2><Title>Installing CVS</Title>
2719 <ULink URL="http://research.microsoft.com/~simonpj/cvs-1_10-win.zip">
2720 CVS</ULink> and, following the instructions in the <Filename>README</Filename>, copy the
2721 appropriate files into <Filename>/usr/local/bin</Filename>.
2727 From the System control panel,
2728 set the following <Emphasis>user</Emphasis> environment variables (see the GHC user guide)
2734 <Constant>HOME</Constant>: points to your home directory. This is where CVS
2735 will look for its <Filename>.cvsrc</Filename> file.
2741 <Constant>CVS_RSH</Constant>: <Filename>c:/usr/local/bin/ssh1</Filename>
2747 <Constant>CVSROOT</Constant>: <Literal>:ext:username@cvs.haskell.org:/home/cvs/root</Literal>,
2748 where <Literal>username</Literal> is your userid
2754 <Constant>CVSEDITOR</Constant>: <Filename>bin/gnuclient.exe</Filename> if you want to use an Emacs buffer for typing in those long commit messages.
2762 Put the following in <Filename>$HOME/.cvsrc</Filename>:
2773 These are the default options for the specified CVS commands,
2774 and represent better defaults than the usual ones. (Feel
2775 free to change them.)
2779 Filenames starting with "<Filename>.</Filename>" were illegal in
2780 the 8.3 DOS filesystem, but that restriction should have
2781 been lifted by now (i.e., you're using VFAT or later filesystems.) If
2782 you're still having problems creating it, don't worry; <Filename>.cvsrc</Filename> is entirely
2789 Try doing <Command>cvs co fpconfig</Command>. All being well, bytes should
2790 start to trickle through, leaving a directory <Filename>fptools</Filename>
2791 in your current directory. (You can <Command>rm</Command> it if you don't want to keep it.) The following messages appear to be harmless:
2795 setsockopt IPTOS_LOWDELAY: Invalid argument
2796 setsockopt IPTOS_THROUGHPUT: Invalid argument
2800 At this point I found that CVS tried to invoke a little dialogue with
2801 me (along the lines of `do you want to talk to this host'), but
2802 somehow bombed out. This was from a bash shell running in emacs.
2803 I solved this by invoking a Cygnus shell, and running CVS from there.
2804 Once things are dialogue free, it seems to work OK from within emacs.
2810 If you want to check out part of large tree, proceed as follows:
2814 cvs -f checkout -l papers
2820 This sequence checks out the <Literal>papers</Literal> module, but none
2821 of its sub-directories.
2822 The "<Option>-l</Option>" flag says not to check out sub-directories.
2823 The "<Option>-f</Option>" flag says not to read the <Filename>.cvsrc</Filename> file
2824 whose <Option>-P</Option> default (don't check out empty directories) is
2829 The <Command>cvs update</Command> command sucks in a named sub-directory.
2836 There is a very nice graphical front-end to CVS for Win32 platforms,
2837 with a UI that people will be familiar with, at
2838 <ULink URL="http://www.wincvs.org/">wincvs.org</ULink>.
2839 I have not tried it yet.
2845 <Sect2><Title>Installing autoconf</Title>
2848 Only required if you are doing builds from GHC's sources
2849 checked out from the CVS tree.
2855 Fetch the (standard, Unix) <Command>autoconf</Command> distribution from
2856 <ULink URL="ftp://ftp.gnu.org/gnu/autoconf">ftp.gnu.org</ULink>.
2861 Unpack it into an arbitrary directory.
2866 Make sure that the directory <Filename>/usr/local/bin</Filename> exists.
2871 Say "<Filename>./configure</Filename>".
2876 Now <Command>make install</Command>. This should put <Filename>autoheader</Filename>
2877 and <Filename>autoconf</Filename> in <Filename>/usr/local/bin</Filename>.
2883 <Command>autoheader</Command> doesn't seem to work, but you don't need it
2890 <Sect2><Title>Building GHC</Title>
2896 In the <Filename>./configure</Filename> output, ignore
2898 checking whether #! works in shell scripts...
2899 ./configure: ./conftest: No such file or directory</Literal>",
2900 and "<Literal>not updating unwritable cache ./config.cache</Literal>".
2901 Nobody knows why these happen, but they seem to be harmless.
2907 You have to run <Command>autoconf</Command> both in <Filename>fptools</Filename>
2908 and in <Filename>fptools/ghc</Filename>. If you omit the latter step you'll
2909 get an error when you run <Filename>./configure</Filename>:
2914 creating mk/config.h
2915 mk/config.h is unchanged
2917 running /bin/sh ./configure --cache-file=.././config.cache --srcdir=.
2918 ./configure: ./configure: No such file or directory
2919 configure: error: ./configure failed for ghc
2925 You need <Filename>ghc</Filename> to be in your <Constant>PATH</Constant> before you run
2926 <Command>configure</Command>. The default GHC InstallShield creates only
2927 <Filename>ghc-4.05</Filename>, so you may need to duplicate this file as <Filename>ghc</Filename>
2928 in the same directory, in order that <Command>configure</Command> will see it (or
2929 just rename <Filename>ghc-4.05</Filename> to <Filename>ghc</Filename>.
2930 And make sure that the directory is in your path.
2936 Compile <Command>happy</Command> and <Command>ghc</Command>
2937 with <Option>-static</Option>. To do this, set
2946 in your <Filename>build.mk</Filename> file.
2947 [Actually, I successfully compiled Happy without <Option>-static</Option> on Win2k, but not GHC.]