Seems, almost all "mesonified" packages broken?

[Denis Feklushkin]

On Tuesday, 10 August 2021 at 08:08:50 UTC, Alexandru Ermicioi 
wrote:

>> As I understand, dub plugin system generates only for 
>> particular config what selected for current build. But 
>> meson.build files should cover all dub abilities 
>> simultaneously.
>
> The idea I had was, for a plugin that on deploy to package 
> registry would then generate by default meson build files, and 
> when fetched by dub on your local machine you'd already have 
> everything set up for meson projects.

I doubt the generated files will be good. Roughly, they will 
repeat dub capabilities, and only.

We might as well just keep using dub or improve already 
implemented D module inside of Meson.

>> For very simple projects only, because used by this way 
>> packages will not be able use Meson. For example, you won't be 
>> able to pass from Meson some tricky flag to some object file. 
>> Meson as a GNU license, it is pretty viral.
>
> Well, I doubt every person using meson or any other build 
> system would jump into changing stuff in libraries used in the 
> project.

I am on strongly opposite opinion. Any code that you cannot 
change dies very quickly.

> The point of build systems and package managers is just to say 
> 'I want this, and don't bother me setting every piece by 
> myself', hence having a plugin for meson that knows how to 
> convert dub libs at runtime to smth understandable for meson,

Such plugin is already implemented in Meson:

https://mesonbuild.com/D.html#integrating-with-dub
https://mesonbuild.com/Dependencies.html#some-notes-on-dub

> would be (imho) far more useful, and would cover all dub libs 
> by default. If someone though would want to 'pass special flag' 
> then I guess he can fallback to old way of doing everything 
> with your hands, or the plugin can itself help with parts of it 
> as you've mentioned.

Oh no! I've done it so often and a lot! But after the Meson I do 
not want to return to this horror.

> Note, that I don't use meson at all, so not sure if it is 
> possible to have plugins for dub, though if possible, then it 
> would be imho better thing to make compared to wrapper 
> packages. Just wanted to suggest you some ideas for 
> consideration.
>
> Also what has gpl license have to do with meson plugin? Per my 
> understanding it would be meson application that would use your 
> plugin not in reverse, so you should be able to have any 
> license you want.

An unfortunate analogy 
(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Viral_license)

If you have already started using a Meson, then all the 
dependencies are better, let them also be Meson as possible.