[FreeVMS] Build system questions

[Roar Thronæs]

On Fri, Mar 13, 2015 at 12:01:55PM +0100, Guido wrote:
> 
> - What is the reason that a symbolic linked copy of the entire source 
> tree is created?
> At first I thought that maybe this had to do with cross compilation, but 
> the tree is create based on the host build machine hardware (uname -m). 
> It seems unnecessary.

To use the same source for many binary builds (useful in a time when disk
was more scarce).
Cross-compiling is possible, using NFS. Previously, it was also possible
to build User Mode Linux on the same PC, but that support is removed.

> - What are the really old Debian packages need for?
> I also noticed that these packages only seem to be required for x86_64 
> and not for i386.

Because gs register usage (on at least x86_64) has changed in the libraries
used in newer Debian.
One of many signs of a need for more native code.

> - Could the source tree easily be resructured?
> The source tree contains the kernel, libraries and system 
> tools/application that are all put into the main freevms directory. I 
> would like to create seperate directories, say "vmskernel", "vmslibs" 
> and "vmsapps" for instance, and put each in the appropriate subdir. Note 
> that I'd like to immediatly get the dependencies right, so "vmsapps" 
> depends on "vmslibs" and "vmslibs" depend on "vmskernel" but no more. 
> Probably some "common" stuff must be split off too to make that 
> possible. Any suggestions on how to do this easily?

Not easily, changing/improving the paths/build system may take some time,
I suspect.
There are some specially privileged images that are linked against the
kernel routines and data structures.

-- 
Regards,
Roar Thronæs