mesonbuild/meson

Add support for runstatedir

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#4,141 opened on Sep 8, 2018

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 (6 comments) (4 reactions) (0 assignees)Python (4,978 stars) (1,465 forks)batch import
good first issue

Description

Newer autotools versions have support for runstatedir which is typically set to /run. While /run is not officially part of the FHS, all linux distros I know use and support that nowadays. From the autotools documentation at https://www.gnu.org/prep/standards/html_node/Directory-Variables.html

‘runstatedir’

    The directory for installing data files which the programs modify while they run, that pertain to one 
specific machine, and which need not persist longer than the execution of the program—which is 
generally long-lived, for example, until the next reboot. PID files for system daemons are a typical use. 
In addition, this directory should not be cleaned except perhaps at reboot, while the general /tmp 
(TMPDIR) may be cleaned arbitrarily. This should normally be /var/run, but write it as 
$(localstatedir)/run. Having it as a separate variable allows the use of /run if desired, for example. (If 
you are using Autoconf 2.70 or later, write it as ‘@runstatedir@’.)

While individual projects could introduce a -Drunstatedir option, it would be better if meson provided first class support for setting this directory, similar to --libdir. I would suggest choosing the same name as autotools, i.e. --runstatedir

Contributor guide

Tech stack
python
Domain
build system
Issue type
feature
DifficultyEstimated implementation difficulty for a new contributor, from 1 for very small changes to 5 for expert-level work.
3
Estimated timeA rough time range for an experienced contributor to investigate, implement, test, and prepare a pull request.
half day
Activity statusHow available the issue appears right now: fresh, active, stale, blocked, or waiting on maintainer input.
stale
ClarityHow clearly the issue explains the expected change, acceptance criteria, and next step.
clear
Prerequisites
Meson build system basicsPython programmingAutotools conventionsDirectory variables
Newbie friendlinessA 1-100 score estimating how approachable this issue is for first-time contributors.
45
Research direction
Examine how Meson handles libdir and other directory options in the source code, likely in mesonbuild/options.py and related files. Understand the autotools runstatedir convention as described in the linked documentation. Review any previous discussions in the issue comments for implementation constraints. Then implement a new runstatedir option following the same pattern.