[Openmcl-devel] Debian packaging for CCL

[Faheem Mitha]

On Tue, 17 Jul 2012, R. Matthew Emerson wrote:

> In addition to the heap image file, we also need the interface
> databases, which make the #_ and #$ and #& reader macros work.
> These reader macros are used in the CCL sources, so these
> databases have to be present for CCL to compile itself. Users
> don't normally rebuild the interfaces, but it's not terribly
> difficult to do: http://trac.clozure.com/ccl/wiki/BuildFFIGEN
> explains how.

I was able to follow the instructions in the link above. However, I think 
this misses a step. The above just says how to build and install ffigen. 
The link below seems to say how to actually rebuild the interface 
databases.

http://ccl.clozure.com/manual/chapter12.7.html#The-Interface-Translator

However, it seems you need the interface databases to build the interface 
databases. I.e. one cannot just build from scratch from source. So this 
seems like a pointless exercise from the Debian packaging point of view. I 
mean, why bother to build the databases if one needs them to build? Is 
this correct, or am I missing something?

                                                            Regards, Faheem