Replace Makefile with autoconf for builds/detection/dist release

[fcartegnie]

The vc projects have to be checked as they might be broken.

[Conan-Kudo]

Why autoconf instead of CMake? It would make sense to use CMake to preserve a more portable build environment.

[tdaede]

Autoconf is also portable, and works well with cross-compiling. There are already hand-maintained VS projects. Was there another target you were looking for with CMake?

[fcartegnie]

If VS projects are maintained by hand, the main benefits of CMake goes away.
Autotools makes things easier for packagers, does cleanup... but is more complex.
Just a matter of choice. Not a strong request then.

[Conan-Kudo]

I use CLion and CodeBlocks for C/C++ development. The former actually uses CMake as its project data, and the latter is an export target for CMake. CMake also allows you to generate VS projects, Makefiles and Eclipse CDT project data.

CMake is dead easy for packagers to use (disclosure: I've made both RPM and Debian packages, and do make RPM packages for the Fedora Project). It's just as easy as autotools is, with the benefit of actually working properly in a native Windows environment for those who want that too.

[tdaede]

Any reason you closed this? Are you working on an updated version?

[fcartegnie]

As everone is pointing out that's no need, no need to merge then.
The 1st commit might have been useful though

[tdaede]

Uh, I didn't read that as there being no need. The existing Makefile is insufficient.

[elfring]

How do you think about a few extensions for this approach?

• I suggest to add the call of the macro "AC_CONFIG_AUX_DIR" to the shown configuration script so that auxiliary build tools will be stored in a dedicated directory.
• Would a call of the macro "LT_PREREQ" be useful here?