[SOLVED] custom install hook and rpmbuild

Issue

I have a package that uses autotools for build/install/etc. It is a Python module written in C++. (This isn't important except to know that the python scripts I have to install aren't part of what's being built, i.e. they're not a xxxxx_SOURCES primary.) This module is used solely for some "unit tests" for a driver that our team distributes in a HW solution. For various reasons, I have need to "install" the python unit tests with the system.

Since these python scripts aren't part of the module, I'm managing the installation separately in the Makefile. Here's what I have in my Makefile.am:

EXTRA_DIST = setupenv.sh bootstrap tests

dist-hook:
    rm -rf $$(find $(distdir)/tests -name \*.swp -o -name \*.pyc)


install-exec-hook:
    mkdir -p $(prefix)/unit_tests/unittest2
    for f in tests/*.py; do \
        cp $$f $(prefix)/unit_tests; \
    done

    for f in tests/unittest2/*.py; do \
        cp $$f $(prefix)/unit_tests/unittest2; \
    done

uninstall-hook:
    rm -r $(prefix)/unit_tests

This works just fine except during rpmbuild for the module. The install-exec-hook rule isn't written correctly to make the directory where the rpm process redirects it. That is, when mkdir - $(prefix)/... is executed, the script literally tries to make the dir: /opt/oursw/.... How should this rule be rewritten so that rpmbuild puts them in the same place as the installation for the module?

Solution

You want to add $(DESTDIR) as a prefix to all those directories. That's standard for autotools installs.

As an aside, you also might want to look at the _SCRIPTS suffix, which allows "make install" to copy your scripts in for you the "official" way, removing the need for this hack in the first place.

Answered By - Aaron D. Marasco

Answer Checked By - Candace Johnson (WPSolving Volunteer)