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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 Invoking config.status::);

   * a shell script called `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.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 write `acconfig.h', and you will distribute
the Autoconf-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.in
     
     configure.in --.   .------> autoconf* -----> configure
                    +---+
     [aclocal.m4] --+   `---.
     [acsite.m4] ---'       |
                            +--> [autoheader*] -> [config.h.in]
     [acconfig.h] ----.     |
                      +-----'
     [config.h.top] --+
     [config.h.bot] --'
     
     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.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.