dev-manual: Updates to "Using .bbappend Files" section

Fixes YOCTO #3664

Added some information in the note to point out that not all
append files add files into the mix.  Some just exist to add
build options.  And, in this case the _prepend part of the
FILESEXTRAPATHS statement is not necessary.

Reported-by: Robert P. J. Day <rpjday@crashcourse.ca>
(From yocto-docs rev: 388c441341006227be2f9e7d42bb1c509c32790d)

Signed-off-by: Scott Rifenbark <scott.m.rifenbark@intel.com>
Signed-off-by: Richard Purdie <richard.purdie@linuxfoundation.org>

1 files changed, 14 insertions, 5 deletions

diff --git a/documentation/dev-manual/dev-manual-common-tasks.xml b/documentation/dev-manual/dev-manual-common-tasks.xml
index 4372769c1c..e9555e6168 100644
--- a/documentation/dev-manual/dev-manual-common-tasks.xml
+++ b/documentation/dev-manual/dev-manual-common-tasks.xml
@@ -295,7 +295,7 @@
             </para>
 
             <para>
-                Append files must have the same name as the corresponding recipe.
+                Append files must have the same root name as the corresponding recipe.
                 For example, the append file <filename>someapp_&DISTRO;.bbappend</filename> must
                 apply to <filename>someapp_&DISTRO;.bb</filename>.
                 This means the original recipe and append file names are version number-specific.
@@ -304,6 +304,9 @@
                 During the build process, BitBake displays an error on starting if it detects a
                 <filename>.bbappend</filename> file that does not have a corresponding recipe
                 with a matching name.
+                See the
+                <ulink url='&YOCTO_DOCS_REF_URL;#var-BB_DANGLINGAPPENDS_WARNONLY'><filename>BB_DANGLINGAPPENDS_WARNONLY</filename></ulink>
+                variable for information on how to handle this error.
             </para>
 
             <para>
@@ -317,7 +320,7 @@
                 append file both from the
                 <link linkend='source-directory'>Source Directory</link>.
                 Here is the main formfactor recipe, which is named <filename>formfactor_0.0.bb</filename> and
-                located in the meta layer at <filename>meta/recipes-bsp/formfactor</filename>:
+                located in the "meta" layer at <filename>meta/recipes-bsp/formfactor</filename>:
                 <literallayout class='monospaced'>
      DESCRIPTION = "Device formfactor information"
      SECTION = "base"
@@ -364,10 +367,16 @@
                 of the reference to <filename>THISDIR</filename>.
                 The trailing colon character is important as it ensures that items in the list remain
                 colon-separated.
-                <note>BitBake automatically defines the <filename>THISDIR</filename> variable.
+                <note><para>BitBake automatically defines the
+                    <filename>THISDIR</filename> variable.
                     You should never set this variable yourself.
-                    Using <filename>_prepend</filename> ensures your path will be searched prior to other
-                    paths in the final list.
+                    Using <filename>_prepend</filename> ensures your path will
+                    be searched prior to other paths in the final list.</para>
+                    <para>Also, not all append files add extra files.
+                    Many append files simply exist to add build options
+                    (e.g. <filename>systemd</filename>).
+                    For these cases, it is not necessary to use the
+                    "_prepend" part of the statement.</para>
                 </note>
             </para>
         </section>