(autoconf.info)Top


   This file documents the GNU Autoconf package for creating scripts to
configure source code packages using templates and an `m4' macro
package.  This is edition 2.13, for Autoconf version 2.13.

Introduction: Autoconf's purpose, strengths, and weaknesses.
Making configure Scripts: How to organize and produce Autoconf scripts.
Setup: Initialization and output.
Existing Tests: Macros that check for particular features.
Writing Tests: How to write new feature checks.
Results: What to do with results from feature checks.
Writing Macros: Adding new macros to Autoconf.
Manual Configuration: Selecting features that can't be guessed.
Site Configuration: Local defaults for `configure'.
Invoking configure: How to use the Autoconf output.
Invoking config.status: Recreating a configuration.
Questions: Questions about Autoconf, with answers.
Upgrading: Tips for upgrading from version 1.
History: History of Autoconf.
Old Macro Names: Backward compatibility macros.
Environment Variable Index: Index of environment variables used.
Output Variable Index: Index of variables set in output files.
Preprocessor Symbol Index: Index of C preprocessor symbols defined.
Macro Index: Index of Autoconf macros.

--- The Detailed Node Listing --- Making `configure' Scripts

Writing configure.in: What to put in an Autoconf input file.
Invoking autoscan: Semi-automatic `configure.in' writing.
Invoking ifnames: Listing the conditionals in source code.
Invoking autoconf: How to create configuration scripts.
Invoking autoreconf: Remaking multiple `configure' scripts.

Initialization and Output Files

Input: Where Autoconf should find files.
Output: Creating output files.
Makefile Substitutions: Using output variables in `Makefile's.
Configuration Headers: Creating a configuration header file.
Subdirectories: Configuring independent packages together.
Default Prefix: Changing the default installation prefix.
Versions: Version numbers in `configure'.

Substitutions in Makefiles

Preset Output Variables: Output variables that are always set.
Build Directories: Supporting multiple concurrent compiles.
Automatic Remaking: Makefile rules for configuring.

Configuration Header Files

Header Templates: Input for the configuration headers.
Invoking autoheader: How to create configuration templates.

Existing Tests

Alternative Programs: Selecting between alternative programs.
Libraries: Library archives that might be missing.
Library Functions: C library functions that might be missing.
Header Files: Header files that might be missing.
Structures: Structures or members that might be missing.
Typedefs: `typedef's that might be missing.
C Compiler Characteristics
Fortran 77 Compiler Characteristics
System Services: Operating system services.
UNIX Variants: Special kludges for specific UNIX variants.

Alternative Programs

Particular Programs: Special handling to find certain programs.
Generic Programs: How to find other programs.

Library Functions

Particular Functions: Special handling to find certain functions.
Generic Functions: How to find other functions.

Header Files

Particular Headers: Special handling to find certain headers.
Generic Headers: How to find other headers.

Typedefs

Particular Typedefs: Special handling to find certain types.
Generic Typedefs: How to find other types.

Writing Tests

Examining Declarations: Detecting header files and declarations.
Examining Syntax: Detecting language syntax features.
Examining Libraries: Detecting functions and global variables.
Run Time: Testing for run-time features.
Portable Shell: Shell script portability pitfalls.
Testing Values and Files: Checking strings and files.
Multiple Cases: Tests for several possible values.
Language Choice: Selecting which language to use for testing.

Checking Run Time Behavior

Test Programs: Running test programs.
Guidelines: General rules for writing test programs.
Test Functions: Avoiding pitfalls in test programs.

Results of Tests

Defining Symbols: Defining C preprocessor symbols.
Setting Output Variables: Replacing variables in output files.
Caching Results: Speeding up subsequent `configure' runs.
Printing Messages: Notifying users of progress or problems.

Caching Results

Cache Variable Names: Shell variables used in caches.
Cache Files: Files `configure' uses for caching.

Writing Macros

Macro Definitions: Basic format of an Autoconf macro.
Macro Names: What to call your new macros.
Quoting: Protecting macros from unwanted expansion.
Dependencies Between Macros: What to do when macros depend on other macros.

Dependencies Between Macros

Prerequisite Macros: Ensuring required information.
Suggested Ordering: Warning about possible ordering problems.
Obsolete Macros: Warning about old ways of doing things.

Manual Configuration

Specifying Names: Specifying the system type.
Canonicalizing: Getting the canonical system type.
System Type Variables: Variables containing the system type.
Using System Type: What to do with the system type.

Site Configuration

External Software: Working with other optional software.
Package Options: Selecting optional features.
Site Details: Configuring site details.
Transforming Names: Changing program names when installing.
Site Defaults: Giving `configure' local defaults.

Transforming Program Names When Installing

Transformation Options: `configure' options to transform names.
Transformation Examples: Sample uses of transforming names.
Transformation Rules: `Makefile' uses of transforming names.

Running `configure' Scripts

Basic Installation: Instructions for typical cases.
Compilers and Options: Selecting compilers and optimization.
Multiple Architectures: Compiling for multiple architectures at once.
Installation Names: Installing in different directories.
Optional Features: Selecting optional features.
System Type: Specifying the system type.
Sharing Defaults: Setting site-wide defaults for `configure'.
Operation Controls: Changing how `configure' runs.

Questions About Autoconf

Distributing: Distributing `configure' scripts.
Why GNU m4: Why not use the standard `m4'?
Bootstrapping: Autoconf and GNU `m4' require each other?
Why Not Imake: Why GNU uses `configure' instead of Imake.

Upgrading From Version 1

Changed File Names: Files you might rename.
Changed Makefiles: New things to put in `Makefile.in'.
Changed Macros: Macro calls you might replace.
Invoking autoupdate: Replacing old macro names in `configure.in'.
Changed Results: Changes in how to check test results.
Changed Macro Writing: Better ways to write your own macros.

History of Autoconf

Genesis: Prehistory and naming of `configure'.
Exodus: The plagues of `m4' and Perl.
Leviticus: The priestly code of portability arrives.
Numbers: Growth and contributors.
Deuteronomy: Approaching the promises of easy configuration.

automatically generated by info2www version 1.2.2.9