Please integrate build framework into the compiler

[Kristian Kilpi]

On Sat, 21 Mar 2009 22:19:31 +0200, grauzone <none at example.net> wrote:
> I don't really understand what you mean. But if you want the compiler to  
> scan for dependencies, I fully agree.
>
> I claim that we don't even need incremental compilation. It would be  
> better if the compiler would scan for dependencies, and if a source file  
> has changed, recompile the whole project in one go. This would be simple  
> and efficient.

Well, why not get rid of the imports altogether... Ok, that would not be  
feasible because of the way compilers (D, C++, etc) are build nowadays.

I find adding of #includes/imports laborious. (Is this component already  
#included/imported? Where's that class defined? Did I forgot something?)  
And when you modify or refractor the file, you have to update the  
#includes/imports accordingly...

(In case of modification/refractoring) the easiest way is just to compile  
the file, and see if there's errors... Of course, that approach will not  
help to remove the unnecessary #includes/imports.

So, sometimes (usually?) I give up, create one huge #include/import file  
that #includes/imports all the stuff, and use that instead. Efficient?  
Pretty? No. Easy? Simple? Yes.

#includes/imports are redundant information: the source code of course  
describes what's used in it. So, the compiler could be aware of the whole  
project (and the libraries used) instead of one file at the time.