<para>
The <filename>inherit</filename> directive is a rudimentary
- means of specifying what classes of functionality your
- recipes require.
+ means of specifying functionality contained in class files
+ that your recipes require.
For example, you can easily abstract out the tasks involved in
building a package that uses Autoconf and Automake and put
- those tasks into a class file that can be used by your recipe.
+ those tasks into a class file and then have your recipe
+ inherit that class file.
</para>
<para>
</para>
<para>
- If necessary, it is possible to inherit a class
- conditionally by using
- a variable expression after the <filename>inherit</filename>
- statement.
+ An advantage with the inherit directive as compared to both
+ the
+ <link linkend='include-directive'>include</link> and
+ <link linkend='require-inclusion'>require</link> directives
+ is that you can inherit class files conditionally.
+ You can accomplish this by using a variable expression
+ after the <filename>inherit</filename> statement.
Here is an example:
<literallayout class='monospaced'>
inherit ${VARNAME}
within <filename>BBPATH</filename>.
</para>
+ <para>
+ The include directive is a more generic method of including
+ functionality as compared to the
+ <link linkend='inherit-directive'>inherit</link> directive,
+ which is restricted to class (i.e. <filename>.bbclass</filename>)
+ files.
+ The include directive is applicable for any other kind of
+ shared or encapsulated functionality or configuration that
+ does not suit a <filename>.bbclass</filename> file.
+ </para>
+
<para>
As an example, suppose you needed a recipe to include some
self-test definitions:
being parsed at the location of the directive.
</para>
+ <para>
+ The require directive, like the include directive previously
+ described, is a more generic method of including
+ functionality as compared to the
+ <link linkend='inherit-directive'>inherit</link> directive,
+ which is restricted to class (i.e. <filename>.bbclass</filename>)
+ files.
+ The require directive is applicable for any other kind of
+ shared or encapsulated functionality or configuration that
+ does not suit a <filename>.bbclass</filename> file.
+ </para>
+
<para>
Similar to how BitBake handles
<link linkend='include-directive'><filename>include</filename></link>,