GNU Build Tools

[MTK]

I wanted to learn about the GNU build tools but couldn't seem to find a decent and simple tutorial that explains it. The only ones I found deal with a single source file, anyway, and didn't explain how to have a separate src directory. I was hoping that someone might help explain this to me or find a better tutorial?

Anyway, here is my directory tree for now:

gnu-build-test
    src
        main.cpp
        hello.h
        hello.cpp

Both main.cpp and hello.cpp include hello.h, and all main.cpp does is call function sayHello() from hello.cpp and then returns.

[Carsto]

Did you google GNU Build tools (sic)? I also think with tutorials only you are putting yourself under bad constraints. See if you can read up and get a broad understanding of that subject. Try to adopt an holistic approach to Linux. It will serve you better in future. It will also ensure that you keep on reaping the benefits of Linux.

[darkrose0510]

Here's a nice little make tutorial to get you started:
Make - a tutorial

[merrill541]

If you know how to use Makefile.am and configure.in then all that you have to do is put a Makefile.am in the directory that you want to build inside and add a SUBDIRS statement into your Makefile.am in your base directory. For example, in your case you might have:
configure.in (in the base of your build directory)

AC_INIT(src/main.cpp)
AM_INIT_AUTOMAKE(yourprogramname, 0.0.0)
AC_PROG_CXX
AC_PROG_CC
AC_PROG_INSTALL
AC_OUTPUT(Makefile src/Makefile)

The 0.0.0 is version information.

For Makefile.am (in the base of your build directory)

SUBDIRS = src

And for Makefile.am in the src directory:

bin_PROGRAMS = yourprogramname
yourprogramname_SOURCES = main.cpp hello.h hello.cpp

Pretty much you need a Makefile.am in the build subdirectory.
Hope that helps.

Also, don't expect to find a simple tutorial on the GNU build tools. Since I am not allowed to post URLs, to find my favorite automake tutorial, type in "automake tutorial" on google, and it should be the first link in some subdomain of washington.edu.