Modifying the AutoMake Process

The automake system helps ensure UCVM builds on a variety of computer systems. However it adds a layer of complexity onto the makefile system which can be obscure by itself.

Without full details, here are a few things to know if you want to modify the ucvm_setup.py script, which runs the automake process.

ucvm_setup.py calls configure, make, and install on a series of native models, then does the same for the ucvm software.

Certain required parameters are defined in the system.list file. If you add new models to the ucvm, you will probably need to add an entry there. We'll add more details on this given a chance, but you should not need to modify that file, but it does contain compiler parameters used during the make process.

The makefiles are constructed by the automake process. Strongly against editting the makefiles themselves.

To modify the build, two main files in the root main source directory involved in the build process are Makefile.am and configure.ac. Both of these contains lists of directories into which the make will descend. If you rename directories, or remove makefiles from subdirectories, without changing these two files, you make get obscure build errors.

In subdirectories, there are Makefile.am. Edit these to add new codes, or new install steps.

The ucvm_setup.py run install on all models. This copies what is needed from the source directory over to the installation directory. If you want to change what is copied over, you can edit the install targets in the Makefile.am files.