[Ecls-list] Rewriting autoconf -> autoconf/automake

[Goffioul Michael]

> As far as a I can tell, and Michael should correct me, the 
> biggest problems arise not just because of Makefiles, but 
> because of other
> issues:
> 
> * Changes in the GMP library
> * Changes also in how the Boehm-Weiser library builds

Indeed, you'd need to re-create Makefiles for the dependent
libraries (GMP and GC)

> * Changes in the parameters that Microsoft's tools require

I guess this is automatically handled at the Makefile and/or
project file generation. Using a CMake build system (for instance)
would also help handle this problem.

> * Symbols which are added or removed from ECL and which have 
> to be added to the *.def files

This could (should?) be handled in the headers by using some
API macros as many other projects are using. You tag exported
functions with ECL_API and use something like:

#if defined (_WIN32) || defined (WIN32)
# if defined (ECL_LIBRARY_BUILD)
#  define ECL_API __declspec(dllexport)
# else
#  define ECL_API __declspec(dllimport)
# endif
#else
# define ECL_API
#endif

Then you don't need a .def file at all.

Michael.