newbie - hey walter, improvement potentials for installer

[Jacob Carlborg]

On 2012-02-14 10:04, Walter Bright wrote:
> On 2/14/2012 12:50 AM, Vincent wrote:
>>>> * Improvement potential #3 -- Linker executable name.
>>>>
>>>> The name [link.exe] conflicts with Microsoft's linker. Please name it
>>>> [optlink.exe].
>>
>>> This is why we switched away from relying solely on environment
>>> variables, such
>>> as PATH, to find the programs and set options. Instead, sc.ini is used:
>>
>> Hi, Walter!
>> I support Alf in renaming initiative. Even if you were so smart to use
>> sc.ini,
>> other vedors are not!
>
> It's fine if they do not, as sc.ini is designed to override any path set
> in the environment.
>
>
>> I put dmd/bin in PATH where dmd.exe can be found (obvious solution), BUT
>> link.exe sit at the same place!
>> Despite what dmd.exe uses, MS tools will catch wrong link.exe or dmd
>> will catch
>> MS' link.exe (if you put MS tools first in PATH).
>> So it's MUCH easier to rename link.exe (it's not a trademark, what a
>> problem!),
>> than spreading curses every time you get strange error from compiler.
>> Situation is that MS is dominating on the market, so DM should adapt
>> its tools
>> to be most painless after you add 'em on computer.
>>
>> Good luck!
>
> I am loathe to break 20+ years of working makefiles.
>
> But there is a simple solution for your case. Create a batch file,
> dmd.bat, with the contents:
>
> c:\dmd\windows\bin\dmd %1 %2 %3 %4
>
> and put it somewhere in your PATH. Then, dmd will run the correct
> dmd.exe without it being on the PATH, and it will find the correct
> link.exe (because of sc.ini). Meanwhile, if you just type link, it will
> find your MS-LINK.
>
> But what most people do is have multiple .bat files, one for each
> compiler, to switcheroo the environment for the compiler they wish to
> use at the moment. After all, it isn't just link.exe. It's all the
> tools, the .h files, the library files, etc.
>

For that problem we have DVM: https://bitbucket.org/doob/dvm

-- 
/Jacob Carlborg