How do I use an install prefix

Which directorys should I expected to have in a prefix, when I'm writing makefiles? I've noticed that in the common prefix usr there is no etc yet there is an include dir. Which paths are hard-coded such as etc and var maybe?? and wh开发者_开发问答ich directorys lie in a prefix?

By omitting the --install-prefix or --prefix you leave the defaults to the application. If you have a different structure for your file system, in terms of directory layout, etc. then this is where you would modify it. A program like Apache or PHP allows you to see all of the various options:

./configure --help

The first section of the help will show you the various options you have available.

If you have no need to change it, or have no desire to install it to a temporary directory for testing, and have no issues with overwriting which may exist, leave the install prefix as the default or post to https://unix.stackexchange.com/