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(autoconf.info)Making configure Scripts

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Making `configure' Scripts
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   The configuration scripts that Autoconf produces are by convention
called `configure'.  When run, `configure' creates several files,
replacing configuration parameters in them with appropriate values.
The files that `configure' creates are:

   - one or more `Makefile' files, one in each subdirectory of the
     package (Note: Makefile Substitutions);

   - optionally, a C header file, the name of which is configurable,
     containing `#define' directives (Note: Configuration Headers);

   - a shell script called `config.status' that, when run, will recreate
     the files listed above (*note config.status Invocation::);

   - an optional shell script normally called `config.cache' (created
     when using `configure --config-cache') that saves the results of
     running many of the tests (Note: Cache Files);

   - a file called `config.log' containing any messages produced by
     compilers, to help debugging if `configure' makes a mistake.

   To create a `configure' script with Autoconf, you need to write an
Autoconf input file `configure.ac' (or `configure.in') and run
`autoconf' on it.  If you write your own feature tests to supplement
those that come with Autoconf, you might also write files called
`aclocal.m4' and `acsite.m4'.  If you use a C header file to contain
`#define' directives, you might also run `autoheader', and you will
distribute the generated file `config.h.in' with the package.

   Here is a diagram showing how the files that can be used in
configuration are produced.  Programs that are executed are suffixed by
`*'.  Optional files are enclosed in square brackets (`[]').
`autoconf' and `autoheader' also read the installed Autoconf macro
files (by reading `autoconf.m4').

Files used in preparing a software package for distribution:
     your source files --> [autoscan*] --> [configure.scan] --> configure.ac
     
     configure.ac --.
                    |   .------> autoconf* -----> configure
     [aclocal.m4] --+---+
                    |   `-----> [autoheader*] --> [config.h.in]
     [acsite.m4] ---'
     
     Makefile.in -------------------------------> Makefile.in

Files used in configuring a software package:
                            .-------------> [config.cache]
     configure* ------------+-------------> config.log
                            |
     [config.h.in] -.       v            .-> [config.h] -.
                    +--> config.status* -+               +--> make*
     Makefile.in ---'                    `-> Makefile ---'

Writing configure.ac

What to put in an Autoconf input file

autoscan Invocation

Semi-automatic `configure.ac' writing

ifnames Invocation

Listing the conditionals in source code

autoconf Invocation

How to create configuration scripts

autoreconf Invocation

Remaking multiple `configure' scripts