./configure without python3?

[Martin Schwenke]

On Tue, 11 Dec 2018 13:59:05 +1300, Andrew Bartlett
<abartlet at samba.org> wrote:

> On Tue, 2018-12-11 at 10:47 +1100, Martin Schwenke via samba-technical
> wrote:
> > On Tue, 11 Dec 2018 12:17:16 +1300, Andrew Bartlett
> > <abartlet at samba.org> wrote:
> > 
> > 
> > I don't think my feelings come into it.  :-D
> > 
> > The build falls over by default on CentOS 7, RHEL 6, FreeBSD 11 and AIX
> > 7.  We either save our (manual installing) users some pain and make it
> > work if they don't have python3...  
> 
> Sure.  But please do remember that python2 support, except for the --
> disable-python fileserver build, is going away after 4.10 branches. 

OK, so maybe I retreat and go along with the idea that this is expected
behaviour.  I'm happy with that, as long as it is documented somewhere.

> > > My gut feeling is that we want the current behaviour.    
> > 
> > ... or we don't.  :-)
> >   
> > > However, the alternative would need us to have the ./configure script
> > > rewrite the Makefile (eg an autoconf style Makefile.in -> Makefile) to
> > > then run waf with the detected $PYTHON.
> > > 
> > > Not the end of the world of course, and if you would like us to go that
> > > way perhaps you could create something that does that?  
> > 
> > I think the Makefile.in -> Makefile idea probably adds more fragility
> > that we don't need... and it is quite a fundamental change that causes
> > a lot of churn.
> > 
> > I like the suggestion I saw in another reply where someone suggested
> > using buildtools/python.sh and have that script run the right
> > version.  ;-)  
> 
> ENOPATCH?  

It's a substantial amount of work and I'd like to believe it is
necessary before ending up knee deep in this stuff.  :-)

> As long as PYTHON becomes a python interpreter, and not the shell
> script I suppose that might work, and assuming it runs identically
> between the configure and make steps.

Well, I was going to set PYTHON to the script and have it exec the
interpreter.

> Finally, I think some work needs to be done on the interaction of this
> as the SAMBA_CHECK_PYTHON code in buildtools/wafsamba/samba_python.py. 
> Currently that looks for 'python' but is always being overridden by the
> ./configure script, and then soon your configure-before-the-configure
> script. 

OK, this is looking like too much work.

Unless others complain that we're making things hard for users, I
propose that we document this change in appropriate places, including
WHATSNEW.txt and get on with life...  :-)

peace & happiness,
martin