Re: [PATCH] INSTALL: clarify that libserf is auto-detected by pkg-config

Daniel Sahlberg <[email protected]> Tue, 4 Aug 2026 19:09:15 +0200
Newsgroups gmane.comp.version-control.subversion.devel
Message-ID <CAMHy98N4wyygkr+uxNsWzCF8rSM39siNit975bKF--L1OYeQPA@mail.gmail.com>
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tis 4 aug. 2026 kl. 18:37 skrev Pavel Lyalyakin via dev <
[email protected]>:

> Hello,
>
> On Tue, 4 Aug 2026 at 10:45, Daniel Sahlberg <[email protected]=
>
> wrote:
>
>> Den m=C3=A5n 3 aug. 2026 kl 19:02 skrev Pavel Lyalyakin via dev <
>> [email protected]>:
>>
>>> Hello,
>>>
>>> INSTALL says that I have to explicitly specify --with-serf when running
>>> ./configure to enable ra_serf. This doesn't seem to be the case because
>>> pkg-config is used to automatically detect whether libserf is installed=
 on
>>> the system.
>>>
>>> (I think that the current wording is from the ra_neon era, when
>>> --with-serf selected ra_serf instead of ra_neon).
>>>
>>
>> I see that the existing text use the word "place" but for all other uses
>> (except for BDB) we use the word "location" so I would take the opportun=
ity
>> to change it here.
>>
>> I would suggest to add something about "if you don't have pkg-config
>> installed" (as you already discovered in an earlier mail onlist[1] ). I =
do
>> see that we mention pkg-config elsewhere and I assume the same issue occ=
ur
>> for all dependencies if you don't have pkg-config installed so maybe tha=
t
>> is something that could go into section I.C.14?
>>
>
> That pkg-config part can be improved by changing the document's layout an=
d
> by explicitly stating that pkg-config is used for automatic detection of
> some of SVN's dependencies (with a list of said dependencies). Adding a
> note about pkg-config to each dependency's section is somewhat bulky and
> just duplicates info that can be stated once is a single place (like a
> hypothetical section 'Build system dependencies', separate from the other
> dependencies).
>
> The thing is that the INSTALL document needs a major rework (I think that
> everyone can agree with this). Right now I'm going through the document a=
nd
> attempting to fix the most obvious issues where a small fix would be a re=
al
> improvement over the current version. The pkg-config issue is more of a
> structural one, IMHO, so I'm putting it off until the smaller issues are
> fixed. I hope I should be able to suggest a better INSTALL layout a bit
> later, which by itself might resolve many of the issues with the document=
.
>

Thanks for looking at this not-so-glamorous-but-very-important work!


>
>> If you want to add the pkg-config related note under the Serf headline,
>> maybe something like:
>>
>> "If you don't use pkg-config and serf is installed in a non-standard
>> location, you should use"
>>
>
> Yep, this reads better, but I changed "..., you should use" to "..., then
> use:" for consistency.
>
>
>> Whichever way you choose, you have my +1 to edit INSTALL as you see fit,
>> either this patch or a variation thereof.
>>
>
> An updated variant committed in r1936877.
>

Thank you! (And thanks for the other commit as well!)


> Thanks for the review!
>
>
>> Thanks,
>> Daniel
>>
>>
>> [1] https://lists.apache.org/thread/7f51kjmlxqls7nql8q5v0l22f0m5c372
>>
>>
>>>
>>> Log message:
>>>
>>> * INSTALL
>>>   (I.C.7): clarify that libserf is automatically detected by pkg-config
>>>
>>> Patch by: Pavel Lyalyakin <[email protected]>
>>>
>>
>>> --
>>> With best regards,
>>> Pavel Lyalyakin
>>> VisualSVN Team
>>>
>>
>
> --
> With best regards,
> Pavel Lyalyakin
> VisualSVN Team
>

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<div dir=3D"auto">tis 4 aug. 2026 kl. 18:37 skrev Pavel Lyalyakin via dev &=
lt;<a href=3D"mailto:[email protected]">[email protected]</=
a>&gt;:<br></div><div dir=3D"auto"><div class=3D"gmail_quote gmail_quote_co=
ntainer"><blockquote class=3D"gmail_quote" style=3D"margin:0px 0px 0px 0.8e=
x;border-left:1px solid rgb(204,204,204);padding-left:1ex"><div dir=3D"ltr"=
><div dir=3D"ltr"><div dir=3D"ltr"><div dir=3D"ltr"><div dir=3D"ltr"><div d=
ir=3D"ltr"><div dir=3D"ltr">Hello,</div><br><div class=3D"gmail_quote"><div=
 dir=3D"ltr" class=3D"gmail_attr">On Tue, 4 Aug 2026 at 10:45, Daniel Sahlb=
erg &lt;<a href=3D"mailto:[email protected]" target=3D"_blank">da=
[email protected]</a>&gt; wrote:<br></div><blockquote class=3D"gmai=
l_quote" style=3D"margin:0px 0px 0px 0.8ex;border-left:1px solid rgb(204,20=
4,204);padding-left:1ex"><div dir=3D"ltr"><div dir=3D"ltr"><div dir=3D"ltr"=
><span style=3D"background-color:transparent">Den m=C3=A5n 3 aug. 2026 kl 1=
9:02 skrev Pavel Lyalyakin via dev &lt;</span><a href=3D"mailto:dev@subvers=
ion.apache.org" style=3D"background-color:transparent" target=3D"_blank">de=
[email protected]</a><span style=3D"background-color:transparent">&gt=
;:</span></div><div class=3D"gmail_quote"><blockquote class=3D"gmail_quote"=
 style=3D"margin:0px 0px 0px 0.8ex;border-left:1px solid rgb(204,204,204);p=
adding-left:1ex"><div dir=3D"ltr"><div dir=3D"ltr"><div dir=3D"ltr"><div>He=
llo,</div><div><br></div><div>INSTALL says that I have to explicitly specif=
y --with-serf when running ./configure to enable ra_serf. This doesn&#39;t =
seem to be the case because pkg-config is used to automatically detect whet=
her libserf is installed on the system.</div><div><br></div><div>(I think t=
hat the current wording is from the ra_neon era, when --with-serf selected =
ra_serf instead of ra_neon).</div></div></div></div></blockquote><div><br><=
/div><div>I see that the existing text use the word &quot;place&quot; but f=
or all other uses (except for BDB) we use the word &quot;location&quot; so =
I would take the opportunity to change it here.</div><div><br></div><div>I =
would suggest to add something about &quot;if you don&#39;t have pkg-config=
 installed&quot; (as you already discovered in an earlier mail onlist[1] ).=
 I do see that we mention pkg-config elsewhere and I assume the same issue =
occur for all dependencies if you don&#39;t have pkg-config installed so ma=
ybe that is something that could go into section I.C.14?</div></div></div><=
/div></blockquote><div><br></div><div>That pkg-config part can be improved =
by changing the document&#39;s layout and by explicitly stating that pkg-co=
nfig is used for automatic detection of some of SVN&#39;s dependencies (wit=
h a list of said dependencies). Adding a note about pkg-config to each depe=
ndency&#39;s section is somewhat bulky and just duplicates info that can be=
 stated once is a single place (like a hypothetical section &#39;Build syst=
em dependencies&#39;, separate from the other dependencies).</div><div><br>=
</div><div>
The thing is that the INSTALL document needs a major rework (I think that e=
veryone can agree with this). Right now I&#39;m going through the document =
and attempting to fix the most obvious issues where a small fix would be a =
real improvement over the current version. The pkg-config issue is more of =
a structural one, IMHO, so I&#39;m putting it off until the smaller issues =
are fixed. I hope I should be able to suggest a better INSTALL layout a bit=
 later, which by itself might resolve many of the issues with the document.=
</div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></blockquote><div dir=3D"au=
to"><br></div><div dir=3D"auto">Thanks for looking at this not-so-glamorous=
-but-very-important work!</div><div dir=3D"auto"><br></div><blockquote clas=
s=3D"gmail_quote" style=3D"margin:0px 0px 0px 0.8ex;border-left:1px solid r=
gb(204,204,204);padding-left:1ex"><div dir=3D"ltr"><div dir=3D"ltr"><div di=
r=3D"ltr"><div dir=3D"ltr"><div dir=3D"ltr"><div dir=3D"ltr"><div class=3D"=
gmail_quote"><div dir=3D"auto"></div><div>=C2=A0</div><blockquote class=3D"=
gmail_quote" style=3D"margin:0px 0px 0px 0.8ex;border-left:1px solid rgb(20=
4,204,204);padding-left:1ex"><div dir=3D"ltr"><div dir=3D"ltr"><div class=
=3D"gmail_quote"><div>If you want to add the pkg-config related note under =
the Serf headline, maybe something like:</div><div><br></div><div>&quot;If =
you don&#39;t use pkg-config and serf is installed in a non-standard locati=
on, you should use&quot;</div></div></div></div></blockquote><div><br></div=
><div>Yep, this reads better, but I changed &quot;..., you should use&quot;=
 to &quot;..., then use:&quot; for consistency.</div><div>=C2=A0</div><bloc=
kquote class=3D"gmail_quote" style=3D"margin:0px 0px 0px 0.8ex;border-left:=
1px solid rgb(204,204,204);padding-left:1ex"><div dir=3D"ltr"><div dir=3D"l=
tr"><div class=3D"gmail_quote"><div>Whichever way you choose, you have=C2=
=A0<span style=3D"background-color:transparent">my=C2=A0</span><span style=
=3D"background-color:transparent">+1 to edit INSTALL as you see fit, either=
 this patch or a variation thereof.</span></div></div></div></div></blockqu=
ote><div><br></div><div>An updated variant committed in=C2=A0r1936877.</div=
></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></blockquote><div dir=3D"auto"><=
br></div><div dir=3D"auto">Thank you! (And thanks for the other commit as w=
ell!)</div><div dir=3D"auto"><br></div><blockquote class=3D"gmail_quote" st=
yle=3D"margin:0px 0px 0px 0.8ex;border-left:1px solid rgb(204,204,204);padd=
ing-left:1ex"><div dir=3D"ltr"><div dir=3D"ltr"><div dir=3D"ltr"><div dir=
=3D"ltr"><div dir=3D"ltr"><div dir=3D"ltr"><div class=3D"gmail_quote"><div =
dir=3D"auto"></div><div><br></div><div>Thanks for the review!</div><div>=C2=
=A0</div><blockquote class=3D"gmail_quote" style=3D"margin:0px 0px 0px 0.8e=
x;border-left:1px solid rgb(204,204,204);padding-left:1ex"><div dir=3D"ltr"=
><div dir=3D"ltr"><div class=3D"gmail_quote"><div><span style=3D"background=
-color:transparent">Thanks,</span></div><div><span style=3D"background-colo=
r:transparent">Daniel</span></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><span =
style=3D"background-color:transparent">[1]=C2=A0<a href=3D"https://lists.ap=
ache.org/thread/7f51kjmlxqls7nql8q5v0l22f0m5c372" target=3D"_blank">https:/=
/lists.apache.org/thread/7f51kjmlxqls7nql8q5v0l22f0m5c372</a></span></div><=
div>=C2=A0</div><blockquote class=3D"gmail_quote" style=3D"margin:0px 0px 0=
px 0.8ex;border-left:1px solid rgb(204,204,204);padding-left:1ex"><div dir=
=3D"ltr"><div dir=3D"ltr"><div dir=3D"ltr"><div><br></div><div>Log message:=
</div><div><br></div><div>
<div>* INSTALL</div><div>=C2=A0 (I.C.7): clarify that libserf is automatica=
lly detected by pkg-config</div><div><br></div><div>Patch by: Pavel Lyalyak=
in &lt;<a href=3D"mailto:[email protected]" target=3D"_blank">lyalyakin@=
apache.org</a>&gt;</div></div></div></div></div></blockquote></div></div></=
div></blockquote></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div dir=3D"ltr"=
><div dir=3D"ltr"><div dir=3D"ltr"><div dir=3D"ltr"><div dir=3D"ltr"><div d=
ir=3D"ltr"><div class=3D"gmail_quote"><blockquote class=3D"gmail_quote" sty=
le=3D"margin:0px 0px 0px 0.8ex;border-left:1px solid rgb(204,204,204);paddi=
ng-left:1ex"><div dir=3D"ltr"><div dir=3D"ltr"><div class=3D"gmail_quote"><=
blockquote class=3D"gmail_quote" style=3D"margin:0px 0px 0px 0.8ex;border-l=
eft:1px solid rgb(204,204,204);padding-left:1ex"><div dir=3D"ltr"><div dir=
=3D"ltr"><div dir=3D"ltr"><div>

<br></div><span class=3D"gmail_signature_prefix">-- </span><br><div dir=3D"=
ltr" class=3D"gmail_signature"><font style=3D"color:rgb(136,136,136)">With =
best regards,<br>
Pavel Lyalyakin<br>
VisualSVN Team</font></div></div>
</div>
</div>
</blockquote></div>
</div>
</div>
</blockquote></div><div><br clear=3D"all"></div><br><span class=3D"gmail_si=
gnature_prefix">-- </span><br><div dir=3D"ltr" class=3D"gmail_signature"><f=
ont style=3D"color:rgb(136,136,136)">With best regards,<br>
Pavel Lyalyakin<br>
VisualSVN Team</font></div></div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</blockquote></div></div>

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