Re: generated-autoload-file sometimes not created

[Stefan Monnier <monnier@iro.umontreal.ca>]

>> So I suggest the patch below.  Can someone test it and fix/install it?

> I guess this will have the effect of scanning every file for an
> autoload while bootstrapping, which is inefficient but not important.

Yes, the "inefficiency" isn't much of a problem.  The main source of
inefficiency of bootstrap is the time it takes to byte-compile every
file.  The autoloads are negligible in comparison.

Also, reconstructing the loaddefs.el file from scratch is a good
practice, since it ensures we don't carry along old stuff from
ldefs-boot.el.  I.e. it's a cleaner bootstrap.

> IIUC, if I happen to delete just calc-loaddefs.el and then run `make
> autoloads', it won't be recreated. I don't have a better solution though...

If it hurts, don't do that.

> (I guess the autoload time-stamp check is to reduce the number of
> files that need to be read, and checking for a local value of
> generated-autoload-file would defeat that?)

Exactly.


        Stefan