Cabal-2.4.1.0: doc/file-format-changelog.rst

Cabal file format changelog
===========================

Changes in 2.4
--------------

* Wildcard matching has been expanded. All previous wildcard
  expressions are still valid; some will match strictly more files
  than before. Specifically:

  * Double-star (``**``) wildcards are now accepted for recursive
    matching immediately before the final slash; they must be followed
    by a filename wildcard (e.g., ``foo/**/*.html`` is valid;
    ``foo/**/bar/*.html`` and ``foo/**/**/*.html``,
    ``foo/**/bar.html`` are all invalid). As ``**`` was an error in
    globs before, this does not affect any existing ``.cabal`` files
    that previously worked.

  * Wildcards now match when the pattern's extensions form a suffix of
    the candidate file's extension, rather than requiring strict
    equality (e.g., previously ``*.html`` did not match
    ``foo.en.html``, but now it does).

* License fields use identifiers from SPDX License List version
  ``3.2 2018-07-10``


``cabal-version: 2.2``
----------------------

* New :pkg-section:`common` stanzas and :pkg-field:`import`
  pseudo-field added.

* New :pkg-field:`library:virtual-modules` field added.

* New :pkg-field:`cxx-sources` and :pkg-field:`cxx-options` fields
  added for suppporting bundled foreign routines implemented in C++.

* New :pkg-field:`asm-sources` and :pkg-field:`asm-options` fields
  added for suppporting bundled foreign routines implemented in
  assembler.

* New :pkg-field:`extra-bundled-libraries` field for specifying
  additional custom library objects to be installed.

* Extended ``if`` control structure with support for ``elif`` keyword.

* Changed default rules of :pkg-field:`build-type` field to infer
  "build-type:" for "Simple"/"Custom" automatically.

* :pkg-field:`license` field syntax changed to require SPDX
  expression syntax (using SPDX license list version ``3.0 2017-12-28``).

* Allow redundant leading or trailing commas in package fields (which
  require commas) such as :pkg-field:`build-depends`.


``cabal-version: 2.0``
----------------------

* New :pkg-field:`library:signatures` and :pkg-field:`mixins` fields
  added for supporting Backpack_.

* New :pkg-field:`build-tool-depends` field added for adding
  build-time dependencies of executable components.

* New :pkg-field:`custom-setup:autogen-modules` field added for declaring modules
  which are generated at build time.

* Support for new PVP_ caret-style version operator (``^>=``) added to
  :pkg-field:`build-depends`.

* Add support for new :pkg-section:`foreign-library` stanza.

* Add support for :ref:`internal library stanzas <sublibs>`.

* New CPP Macro ``CURRENT_PACKAGE_VERSION``.

``cabal-version: 1.24``
----------------------

* New :pkg-section:`custom-setup` stanza and
  :pkg-field:`custom-setup:setup-depends` field added for specifying dependencies
  of custom ``Setup.hs`` scripts.

* CPP Macros ``VERSION_$pkgname`` and ``MIN_VERSION_$pkgname`` are now
  also generated for the current package.

* New CPP Macros ``CURRENT_COMPONENT_ID`` and ``CURRENT_PACKAGE_KEY``.

* New :pkg-field:`extra-framework-dirs` field added for specifying
  extra locations to find OS X frameworks.

``cabal-version: 1.22``
----------------------

* New :pkg-field:`library:reexported-modules` field.

* Support for ``-none`` version constraint added to
  :pkg-field:`build-depends`.

* New :pkg-field:`license` type ``ISC`` added.

``cabal-version: 1.20``
----------------------

* Add support for new :pkg-field:`license-files` field for declaring
  multiple license documents.

* New CPP Macro ``MIN_TOOL_VERSION_$buildtool``.

* New :pkg-field:`license` types ``BSD2`` and ``MPL-2.0`` added.

``cabal-version: 1.18``
----------------------

* Add support for new :pkg-field:`extra-doc-files` field for
  specifying extra file assets referenced by the Haddock
  documentation.

* New :pkg-field:`license` type ``AGPL`` and ``AGPL-3`` added.

* Add support for specifying a C/C++/obj-C source file in
  :pkg-field:`executable:main-is` field.

* Add ``getSysconfDir`` operation to ``Paths_`` API.

``cabal-version: 1.16``
----------------------

.. todo::

   this needs to be researched; there were only few changes between
   1.12 and 1.18;

``cabal-version: 1.12``
----------------------

* Change syntax of :pkg-field:`cabal-version` to support the new recommended
  ``cabal-version: x.y`` style



.. include:: references.inc