Put native compiled files in user-emacs-directory/eln-cache

[matsl]

What

Put native compiled files in user-emacs-directory/eln-cache.

• Makefile (HYPB_BYTE_COMP_ELN_LOAD_PATH): Add users eln-cache last in native-comp-eln-load-path so that batch-byte+native-compile uses that for storing the en-files. (%.elc): Use HYPB_BYTE_COMP_ELN_LOAD_PATH.

Why

The function batch-byte+native-compile stores the eln files in the last dir in native-comp-eln-load-path. This means that the system folder is preferred by this function. Only workaround is to append the user cache last. This was unnoticed since I used native compilation on a machine where I also build Emacs for the user and have write permission in the system folder. When trying the eln target on a machine with a system installed Emacs this does not work.

Note

I'm really thinking of removing the native build support from the Makefile. It does not seem to give us anything since the byte compilation provides all warnings and errors.

[rswgnu]

I think a lot of people today use native compilation so having a make target and build hyperbole with that is a useful feature to have if we can work out the location location to save the ELN files.

[rswgnu]

Also look at whether remove-package will update the eln-cache.

[matsl]

I think a lot of people today use native compilation so having a make target and build hyperbole with that is a useful feature to have if we can work out the location location to save the ELN files.

Having a make target for it is not really needed and its usefulness can be questioned:

1. Native compiled code is generally incompatible between systems so it can't practically be packaged.
2. Further more, an Emacs that can compile and load native code will by default native compile a file when loaded and replace the elc-loaded file with the definitions from the eln-file. That process is performed async in the background. Next time the eln-file will be used directly.
3. Users who download Hyperbole and have the parameter package-native-compile set to t will get the Hyperbole natively compiled as part of the installation.

[matsl]

Also look at whether remove-package will update the eln-cache.

I don't think that is a problem. The eln-file is not standalone as elc. Without an el- or elc-file it will not be used and I think there are timestamp and hash-code checks that the eln-file is a valid native version of the source file.

[rswgnu]

2. Further more, an Emacs that can compile and load native code will by default native compile a file when loaded and replace the elc-loaded file with the definitions from the eln-file. That process is performed async in the background. Next time the eln-file will be used directly.

Native compilation can be async or forced to happen synchronously at package build time. Maybe that is where the make target could be useful.

[matsl]

Native compilation can be async or forced to happen synchronously at package build time. Maybe that is where the make target could be useful.

If you by package build time mean when the user installs it using the package manager then that is what the flag package-native-compile is for, point 3 above. Make is never involved here. It is handled by the package manager inside of Emacs.

The make target is only useful for users downloading the source and really not that useful since they get it anyway just that it is async as point 2 above explains.

[rswgnu]

I leave it to you to decide on the make taget then.

[matsl]

I leave it to you to decide on the make taget then.

Thanks. It does not hurt at the moment but next time we do a change to the Makefile I might want to do this.