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Date: Thu, 20 Mar 2008 10:28:10 +0000
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Subject: [PHP-DEV] Could PHP be used to build PHP?
From: rquadling@googlemail.com ("Richard Quadling")

With regard to the CMake SoC proposal ...

I may be a little naive here but surely it would be better to use PHP
to build PHP?

I know that outside of PHP, a LOT of tools which I have no knowledge
of (I'm a windows user. I use point and click interfaces to build apps
when I used Delphi - no need for command line, but it was present).

I know that most *nix devs use cli to do the build.

But, if the whole build process was PHP orientated, it would be a case
of keeping it in-house. No need to learn m4/cscript/etc. when we are
using PHP to build PHP.

The problem with this (as I see it) is the first build on those
systems where a binary isn't available (look - I'm on windows. I
download and go).

So, a PHP  Bootstrap would seem like a sensible tool to have.

Something would produce take a truly basic PHP interpreter. No
extensions (db, graphics, etc). As I see it it would need file I/O,
cli param handling. I think it would be nice to be able to get user
input via the console, so you could have something a little more
visual (not like the PEAR cli interface, but in that nature -
question/answer). Add in the ability to remember the last build
config, so no need to re-do all the q/a and off you go (ha ha. If only
it was that simple - but shouldn't it be?)

Ok. I know I've missed loads of what the build process does. I suspect
that PHP code necessary to build PHP would be quite extensive and I
suspect the first argument against this is wheel re-invention. I would
counter that with this is re-invention, but refactoring. The
improvement comes from not relying on anything other than the local C
compiler and userland PHP knowledge. Even I could build PHP now
without understanding a ton of different tools.

I'm no expert here.

So I know this isn't a full proposal or anything, but of those that
know this better than I...

1 - Could this be done?

2 - Would it be worth it (100% standalone pre-compiler process with no
third party tools).

3 - Would you use it if it was available - would something like this
be too different to other build systems you use?



Richard.


-- 
-----
Richard Quadling
Zend Certified Engineer : http://zend.com/zce.php?c=ZEND002498&r=213474731
"Standing on the shoulders of some very clever giants!"