@setfilename standards.info
@settitle GNU Coding Standards
@c This date is automagically updated when you save this file:
-@set lastupdate June 10, 2008
+@set lastupdate April 16, 2009
@c %**end of header
@dircategory GNU organization
The GNU coding standards, last updated @value{lastupdate}.
Copyright @copyright{} 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999,
-2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008 Free Software
+2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009 Free Software
Foundation, Inc.
Permission is granted to copy, distribute and/or modify this document
-under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1.2
-or any later version published by the Free Software Foundation;
-with no Invariant Sections, with no
-Front-Cover Texts, and with no Back-Cover Texts.
-A copy of the license is included in the section entitled ``GNU
-Free Documentation License''.
+under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1.3 or
+any later version published by the Free Software Foundation; with no
+Invariant Sections, with no Front-Cover Texts, and with no Back-Cover
+Texts. A copy of the license is included in the section entitled
+``GNU Free Documentation License''.
@end copying
@titlepage
write modern GUI functionality within Guile. We don't reject programs
written in other ``scripting languages'' such as Perl and Python, but
using Guile is very important for the overall consistency of the GNU
-system.
+system.
@node Compatibility
* Graphical Interfaces:: Standards for graphical interfaces.
* Command-Line Interfaces:: Standards for command line interfaces.
* Option Table:: Table of long options.
+* OID Allocations:: Table of OID slots for GNU.
* Memory Usage:: When and how to care about memory needs.
* File Usage:: Which files to use, and where.
@end menu
@cindex address for bug reports
@cindex bug reports
-Near the end of the @samp{--help} option's output there should be a line
-that says where to mail bug reports. It should have this format:
+Near the end of the @samp{--help} option's output, please place lines
+giving the email address for bug reports, the package's home page
+(normally @indicateurl{http://www.gnu.org/software/@var{pkg}}, and the
+general page for help using GNU programs. The format should be like this:
@example
-Report bugs to @var{mailing-address}.
+Report bugs to: @var{mailing-address}
+@var{pkg} home page: <http://www.gnu.org/software/@var{pkg}/>
+General help using GNU software: <http://www.gnu.org/gethelp/>
@end example
+It is ok to mention other appropriate mailing lists and web pages.
+
@node Option Table
@section Table of Long Options
@samp{-z} in @code{gprof}.
@end table
+@node OID Allocations
+@section OID Allocations
+@cindex OID allocations for GNU
+@cindex SNMP
+@cindex LDAP
+@cindex X.509
+
+The OID (object identifier) 1.3.6.1.4.1.11591 has been assigned to the
+GNU Project (thanks to Werner Koch). These are used for SNMP, LDAP,
+X.509 certificates, and so on. The web site
+@url{http://www.alvestrand.no/objectid} has a (voluntary) listing of
+many OID assignments.
+
+If you need a new slot for your GNU package, write
+@email{maintainers@@gnu.org}. Here is a list of arcs currently
+assigned:
+
+@example
+@include gnu-oids.texi
+@end example
+
+
@node Memory Usage
@section Memory Usage
@cindex memory usage
Each GNU distribution should come with a shell script named
@code{configure}. This script is given arguments which describe the
kind of machine and system you want to compile the program for.
-
The @code{configure} script must record the configuration options so
that they affect compilation.
-One way to do this is to make a link from a standard name such as
-@file{config.h} to the proper configuration file for the chosen system.
-If you use this technique, the distribution should @emph{not} contain a
-file named @file{config.h}. This is so that people won't be able to
-build the program without configuring it first.
+The description here is the specification of the interface for the
+@code{configure} script in GNU packages. Many packages implement it
+using GNU Autoconf (@pxref{Top,, Introduction, autoconf, Autoconf})
+and/or GNU Automake (@pxref{Top,, Introduction, automake, Automake}),
+but you do not have to use these tools. You can implement it any way
+you like; for instance, by making @code{configure} be a wrapper around
+a completely different configuration system.
+
+Another way for the @code{configure} script to operate is to make a
+link from a standard name such as @file{config.h} to the proper
+configuration file for the chosen system. If you use this technique,
+the distribution should @emph{not} contain a file named
+@file{config.h}. This is so that people won't be able to build the
+program without configuring it first.
Another thing that @code{configure} can do is to edit the Makefile. If
you do this, the distribution should @emph{not} contain a file named
The @file{README} file should also refer to the file which contains the
copying conditions. The GNU GPL, if used, should be in a file called
@file{COPYING}. If the GNU LGPL is used, it should be in a file called
-@file{COPYING.LIB}.
+@file{COPYING.LESSER}.
Naturally, all the source files must be in the distribution. It is okay
to include non-source files in the distribution, provided they are
projects / pspp / blobdiff