[openssl-dev] [openssl.org #3960] make install fails with --prefix=./relative-path

[John Denker via RT]

Scenario:
  :; git clone https://github.com/openssl/openssl openssl-temp
  :; cd openssl-temp
  :; ./config --prefix=./relpath
  :; make
  :; make install
  [spewage snipped]

  created directory `./relpath'
  Cannot create directory ./relpath/.: File exists
  Makefile:669: recipe for target 'install_docs' failed
  make: *** [install_docs] Error 17

Discussion:

It could be argued that an implicit relative path of the
form --prefix=usr is probably a user error, i.e. a typo
in lieu of --prefix=/usr.  However, if you think it 
should be treated as an error, it should be caught at 
./config time ... rather than waiting until the middle 
of the install process.  Also, there should be some
meaningful, helpful error message, rather than "file 
exists".

Furthermore, an explicit relative path (i.e. one with 
a leading "./" or "../" in it) is probably not a user
error.  The expected and desired behavior is that it
should just work.

  If for some reason this cannot work, it should be
  caught at ./config time.  A meaningful, helpful
  error message should be given.

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