Re: Making 'file' an implicit native input in core-updates

[Eric Bavier <ericbavier@gmail.com>]

mhw@netris.org writes:

> Unfortunately, all three of them fail on MIPS, for the same reason that
> sudo and gawk currently need workarounds: all of these packages were
> bootstrapped with a version of 'libtool' that requires /usr/bin/file on
> MIPS.
>
> Given that this problem is becoming increasingly common, I think we
> should add 'file' as an implicit native-input for the gnu-build-system
> in core-updates, and also add a new phase to %standard-phases that
> substitutes /usr/bin/file in the usual places with a path that works in
> the build environment.
>
> What do you think?

I had wanted to do this a while back for pedenatic reasons.  The reason
at the time for not doing it was that "it doesn't create a real problem
in most cases".  Causing failed builds on MIPS seems to me to be enough
of a real problem to justify the change.

-- 
Eric Bavier