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1993-05-15
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This is Info file autoconf.info, produced by Makeinfo-1.54 from the
input file ./autoconf.texi.
This file documents the GNU Autoconf package for creating scripts to
configure source code packages using templates and an `m4' macro
package.
Copyright (C) 1992, 1993 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
Permission is granted to make and distribute verbatim copies of this
manual provided the copyright notice and this permission notice are
preserved on all copies.
Permission is granted to copy and distribute modified versions of
this manual under the conditions for verbatim copying, provided that
the entire resulting derived work is distributed under the terms of a
permission notice identical to this one.
Permission is granted to copy and distribute translations of this
manual into another language, under the above conditions for modified
versions, except that this permission notice may be stated in a
translation approved by the Foundation.
File: autoconf.info, Node: Top, Next: Introduction, Up: (dir)
This file documents the GNU Autoconf package for creating scripts to
configure source code packages using templates and an `m4' macro
package.
* Menu:
* Introduction:: Autoconf's purpose, strengths, and weaknesses.
* Distributing:: Legal restrictions on Autoconf output.
* Making configure Scripts:: How to organize and produce Autoconf scripts.
* Specific Tests:: Macros that check for particular features.
* General Purpose Macros:: Macros that check for kinds of features.
* Writing Macros:: How to add your own macros to Autoconf.
* Makefiles:: Information Autoconf uses in `Makefile's.
* Running configure Scripts:: How to use the Autoconf output.
* Example:: Sample Autoconf input files.
* Preprocessor Symbol Index:: Index of C preprocessor symbols defined.
* Macro Index:: Index of Autoconf macros.
File: autoconf.info, Node: Introduction, Next: Distributing, Prev: Top, Up: Top
Introduction
************
Autoconf is a tool for producing shell scripts that automatically
configure software source code packages to adapt to many kinds of
UNIX-like systems. For each software package that Autoconf is used
with, it creates a configuration script from a template file that lists
the operating system features that the package can use.
The configuration scripts produced by Autoconf normally require no
manual user intervention when run; they do not even take an argument
specifying the system type. Instead, they test for the presence of each
feature that might be needed individually (after printing a one-line
message stating what they are checking for, so the user doesn't get too
bored while waiting for the script to finish). As a result, they deal
well with systems that are hybrids or customized from the more common
UNIX variants. There is no need to maintain files that list the
features supported by each release of each variant of UNIX, except for
occasional quirks.
After the shell code needed to recognize and respond to an operating
system feature has been written, Autoconf allows it to be shared between
many software packages that can use (or need) that feature. If it later
turns out that the shell code needs adjustment for some reason, it needs
to be changed in only one place; all of the the configuration scripts
can be regenerated automatically to take advantage of the updated code.
Autoconf was developed for configuring packages of small utilities;
it might not be able to deduce all of the information needed to
configure programs with more specialized needs. Larry Wall's
Metaconfig package is similar in purpose to Autoconf, but is more
general; the scripts it produces are hairier and require manual user
intervention, which is quite inconvenient when configuring large source
trees.
Unlike Metaconfig scripts, Autoconf scripts can support
cross-compiling if some care is taken in writing them. They should
avoid executing test programs, since test programs compiled with a
cross-compiler can not be executed on the host system. Also, they
shouldn't do anything that tests features of the host system instead of
the target system.
Autoconf imposes some restrictions on the names of macros used with
`#ifdef' in C programs (*note Preprocessor Symbol Index::.).
Autoconf was written by David MacKenzie, with help from Franc,ois
Pinard, Karl Berry, Richard Pixley, Ian Lance Taylor, and Roland
McGrath. It was inspired by Brian Fox's automatic configuration system
for BASH, by Larry Wall's Metaconfig, and by Richard Stallman, Richard
Pixley, and John Gilmore's configuration tools for the GNU compiler and
object file utilities.
File: autoconf.info, Node: Distributing, Next: Making configure Scripts, Prev: Introduction, Up: Top
Distributing Autoconf Output
****************************
The configuration scripts that Autoconf produces are covered by the
GNU General Public License. This is because they consist almost
entirely of parts of Autoconf itself, rearranged somewhat, and Autoconf
is distributed under the terms of the GPL. However, programs that use
Autoconf scripts to configure themselves do not automatically come under
the GPL. Distributing an Autoconf configuration script as part of a
program is considered to be *mere aggregation* of that work with the
Autoconf script. Such programs are not derivative works based on
Autoconf; only their configuration scripts are. We still encourage
software authors to distribute their work under terms like those of the
GPL, but doing so is not required to use Autoconf.
File: autoconf.info, Node: Making configure Scripts, Next: Specific Tests, Prev: Distributing, Up: Top
Making `configure' Scripts
**************************
The configuration scripts that Autoconf produces are by convention
called `configure' when they are distributed. When run, they create
several files:
* one or more `Makefile' files (one in each subdirectory of the
package), from template `Makefile.in' files (*note Makefiles::.);
* optionally, a C header file, the name of which is configurable,
containing `#define' statements;
* a shell script called `config.status' that, when run, will recreate
the current configuration parameter settings.
To create a `configure' script with Autoconf, you need to write an
Autoconf input file and run Autoconf on it to produce the script. And,
of course, test the resulting script.
Here is a diagram showing how the files that can be used in
configuration are produced:
acgeneral.m4 \ Makefile.in \
acspecific.m4 \ \
autoconf* -> m4* -> configure* -> config.status* -> Makefile \
configure.in / | | \
| | | | make* -> your
| | | | /package
| | config.status* -> config.h /
configure.in \ /
autoheader* -> - - - - - - - - - - -> config.h.in /
acconfig.h /
Executables are suffixed by `*', while files appearing twice are linked
with lines of `|'.
* Menu:
* Writing configure.in:: What to put in an Autoconf input file.
* Invoking autoconf:: How to create configuration scripts.
* Invoking autoheader:: How to create configuration header files.
File: autoconf.info, Node: Writing configure.in, Next: Invoking autoconf, Up: Making configure Scripts
Writing `configure.in'
======================
To produce a `configure' script for a software package, create a
file called `configure.in' that contains invocations of the Autoconf
macros that test the system features your package needs or can use.
Autoconf macros already exist to check for many features; see *Note
Specific Tests::, for their descriptions. For most other features, you
can use Autoconf template macros to produce custom checks; see *Note
General Tests::, for information about them. For especially tricky or
specialized features, `configure.in' might need to contain some
hand-crafted shell commands. *Note Writing Macros::, for guidelines on
writing tests from scratch.
Every `configure.in' must begin with a call to `AC_INIT' and end
with a call to `AC_OUTPUT' (*note Setup::.). Other than that, the
order in which `configure.in' calls the Autoconf macros is generally
not important, except that some macros rely on other macros having been
called first, because they check previously set values of some
variables to decide what to do. These macros are noted in the
individual descriptions (*note Specific Tests::.).
To encourage consistency, here is a suggested order for calling the
Autoconf macros. A few macros need to be called in a different order
from the one given here; they are noted in their individual descriptions
(*note Specific Tests::.). (Note that there must not be any space
between the macro name and the open parentheses.)
`AC_INIT(FILE)'
checks for programs
checks for UNIX variants that set `DEFS'
checks for header files
checks for typedefs
checks for functions
checks for structure members
checks for compiler characteristics
checks for operating system services
other checks for UNIX variants
`AC_OUTPUT([FILE...])'
You can include comments in `configure.in' files by starting them
with the `m4' predefined macro `dnl', which discards text up through
the next newline. These comments do not appear in the generated
`configure' scripts. For example, it is helpful to begin
`configure.in' files with a line like this:
dnl Process this file with autoconf to produce a configure script.
*Note Sample configure.in::, for an example of a real `configure.in'
script.
File: autoconf.info, Node: Invoking autoconf, Next: Invoking autoheader, Prev: Writing configure.in, Up: Making configure Scripts
Invoking `autoconf'
===================
To create `configure' from `configure.in', run the `autoconf'
program with no arguments. `autoconf' processes `configure.in' with
the `m4' macro processor, using the Autoconf macros. If you give
`autoconf' an argument, it reads that file instead of `configure.in'
and writes the configuration script to the standard output instead of
to `configure'. If you give `autoconf' the argument `-', it reads the
standard input instead of `configure.in' and writes the configuration
script on the standard output.
The Autoconf macros are defined in two or more files. Two of the
files are distributed with Autoconf: `acgeneral.m4' (*note General
Purpose Macros::.) and `acspecific.m4' (*note Specific Tests::.).
`autoconf' also looks for an optional file called `aclocal.m4' both in
the directory that contains other installed Autoconf macro files and in
the current directory. (If both files exist, it uses both of them.)
Those files can contain your site's own locally written Autoconf macro
definitions. *Note Writing Macros::, for more information.
You can override the location where `autoconf' looks for the
installed macro files by setting the `AC_MACRODIR' environment variable
to the appropriate value. You can also use the `--macrodir' option
(which has higher precedence than the value of `AC_MACRODIR').
Autoconf requires GNU `m4'. It uses features that some UNIX
versions of `m4' do not have; it is also reported to overflow internal
limits of some versions of `m4'.
Autoconf does not work well with GNU C library releases before 1.06.
The GNU C library contains stubs (which always return an error) for
functions that are not available instead of omitting them from the
library. As a result, Autoconf scripts are fooled into thinking that
those functions are available. This problem does not exist with
releases 1.06 and later of the GNU C library, which define C
preprocessor macros that the Autoconf macro `AC_FUNC_CHECK' tests,
indicating that certain functions are stubs (*note General Tests::., for
more information on checking for functions).
File: autoconf.info, Node: Invoking autoheader, Prev: Invoking autoconf, Up: Making configure Scripts
Invoking `autoheader'
=====================
You can use the program `autoheader' to create a template file of C
`#define' statements for `configure' to use. By default, the file that
`autoheader' creates is called `config.h.in'. `autoheader' scans
`configure.in' and figures out which C preprocessor symbols it might
define. It copies comments and `#define' and `#undef' statements from
a file called `acconfig.h', which comes with Autoconf; it also uses a
file called `acconfig.h' in the current directory, if present. For
symbols that `AC_HAVE_HEADERS' or `AC_HAVE_FUNCS' define, `autoheader'
generates comments itself rather than copying them from a file, since
the possible symbols are effectively limitless.
If you give `autoheader' an argument, it uses that file instead of
`configure.in' and writes the header file to the standard output
instead of to `config.h.in'. If you give `autoheader' an argument of
`-', it reads the standard input instead of `configure.in' and writes
the header file to the standard output.
You can override the location where `autoheader' looks for the
installed macro and `acconfig.h' files by setting the `AC_MACRODIR'
environment variable to the appropriate value. You can also use the
`--macrodir' option (which has higher precedence than the value of
`AC_MACRODIR').
File: autoconf.info, Node: Specific Tests, Next: General Purpose Macros, Prev: Making configure Scripts, Up: Top
Specific Tests
**************
These macros test for particular operating system features that
packages might need or want to use. If you need to test for a feature
that none of these macros check for, you can probably do it by calling
one of the general purpose test macros with appropriate arguments
(*note General Tests::.).
All of these macros that set `make' variables call `AC_SUBST' on
those variables (*note Setting Variables::., for details about
`AC_SUBST'). The phrase "define NAME" is used below as a shorthand to
mean either add `-DNAME=1' to the `make' variable `DEFS', or put
`#define NAME 1' in the configuration header file, depending on whether
`AC_CONFIG_HEADER' has been called. *Note Setting Variables::, for
more information.
Within each section below, the macros are listed in alphabetical
order. The macros are generally named for the `make' variables or C
preprocessor macros that they define; those names are based largely on
what existing GNU programs use. These macros are defined in the file
`acspecific.m4'.
* Menu:
* Alternative Programs:: Selecting between alternative programs.
* Header Files:: Header files that might be missing.
* Typedefs:: `typedef's that might be missing.
* Library Functions:: C library functions that might be missing.
* Structures:: Structures or members that might be missing.
* Compiler Characteristics:: C compiler or machine architecture features.
* System Services:: Operating system services.
* UNIX Variants:: Special cases for specific UNIX variants.
File: autoconf.info, Node: Alternative Programs, Next: Header Files, Up: Specific Tests
Alternative Programs
====================
The following macros check for the presence or behavior of particular
programs:
`AC_DECLARE_YYTEXT'
Define `DECLARE_YYTEXT' to declare `yytext' appropriately,
depending on whether `lex' or `flex' is being used. This macro
calls `AC_PROG_CPP' and `AC_PROG_LEX' if they haven't been called
already.
`AC_LN_S'
If `ln -s' works on the current filesystem (the O.S. and filesystem
support symbolic links), set shell and `make' variable `LN_S' to
`ln -s', otherwise set it to `ln'.
`AC_MINUS_C_MINUS_O'
If the C compiler does not accept the `-c' and `-o' options
simultaneously, define `NO_MINUS_C_MINUS_O'.
`AC_PROG_YACC'
If `bison' is found, set `make' variable `YACC' to `bison -y'.
Otherwise, if `byacc' is found, set `YACC' to `byacc'. Otherwise
set `YACC' to `yacc'.
`AC_PROG_CPP'
Set shell and `make' variable `CPP' to a command that runs the C
preprocessor. If `$CC -E' doesn't work, it uses `/lib/cpp'.
Many of the specific test macros use the value of `CPP' indirectly
by calling `AC_TEST_CPP', `AC_HEADER_CHECK', `AC_HEADER_EGREP', or
`AC_PROGRAM_EGREP'. Those macros call this macro first if it
hasn't been called already. It should be called after
`AC_PROG_CC'.
`AC_PROG_LEX'
If `flex' is found, set `make' variable `LEX' to `flex' and
`LEXLIB' to `-lfl' (or the full pathname of the `fl' library, if
it is in a standard place). Otherwise set `LEX' to `lex' and
`LEXLIB' to `-ll'.
`AC_PROG_AWK'
Check for `mawk', `gawk', `nawk', and `awk', in that order, and
set `make' variable `AWK' to the first one that it finds.
`AC_PROG_CC'
If `gcc' is found, set `make' variable `CC' to `gcc', and set
shell variable `GCC' to 1 for use by macros such as
`AC_GCC_TRADITIONAL'.
`AC_GCC_TRADITIONAL'
Add `-traditional' to `make' variable `CC' if using the GNU C
compiler and `ioctl' does not work properly without
`-traditional'. This macro calls `AC_PROG_CC' and `AC_PROG_CPP'
if they haven't been called already.
`AC_PROG_INSTALL'
Set `make' variable `INSTALL_PROGRAM' to `install -c' and the
variable `INSTALL_DATA' to `install -c -m 644' if `install' is
found, otherwise set both to `cp'. Screens out the false matches
`/etc/install' and `/usr/sbin/install' (shell scripts found on
System V).
`AC_PROG_RANLIB'
Set `make' variable `RANLIB' to `ranlib' if `ranlib' is found,
otherwise to `:' (do nothing).
`AC_RSH'
If a remote shell is available, put `rtapelib.o' in `make'
variable `RTAPELIB'. Otherwise, also do so if `netdb.h' exists
(implying the `rexec' function), and in addition define
`HAVE_NETDB_H'. If neither a remote shell nor `rexec' is
available, define `NO_REMOTE'.
File: autoconf.info, Node: Header Files, Next: Typedefs, Prev: Alternative Programs, Up: Specific Tests
Header Files
============
The following macros check for the presence of certain C header
files:
`AC_DIR_HEADER'
If the system has `dirent.h', define `DIRENT'; otherwise, if it
has `sys/ndir.h', define `SYSNDIR'; otherwise, if it has
`sys/dir.h', define `SYSDIR'; otherwise, if it has `ndir.h',
define `NDIR'. Also, if the directory library header file
contains a declaration of the `closedir' function with a `void'
return type, define `VOID_CLOSEDIR'. The directory library
declarations in the source code should look something like the
following:
/* unistd.h defines _POSIX_VERSION on POSIX.1 systems. */
#if defined(DIRENT) || defined(_POSIX_VERSION)
#include <dirent.h>
#define NLENGTH(dirent) (strlen((dirent)->d_name))
#else /* not (DIRENT or _POSIX_VERSION) */
#define dirent direct
#define NLENGTH(dirent) ((dirent)->d_namlen)
#ifdef SYSNDIR
#include <sys/ndir.h>
#endif /* SYSNDIR */
#ifdef SYSDIR
#include <sys/dir.h>
#endif /* SYSDIR */
#ifdef NDIR
#include <ndir.h>
#endif /* NDIR */
#endif /* not (DIRENT or _POSIX_VERSION) */
Using the above declarations, the program would declare variables
to be type `struct dirent', not `struct direct', and would access
the length of a directory entry name by passing a pointer to a
`struct dirent' to the `NLENGTH' macro.
`AC_MAJOR_HEADER'
If `sys/types.h' does not define `major', `minor', and `makedev',
but `sys/mkdev.h' does, define `MAJOR_IN_MKDEV'; otherwise, if
`sys/sysmacros.h' does, define `MAJOR_IN_SYSMACROS'.
`AC_MEMORY_H'
Define `NEED_MEMORY_H' if `memcpy', `memcmp', etc. are not
declared in `string.h' and `memory.h' exists. This macro is
obsolete; instead, use `AC_HAVE_HEADERS(memory.h)'. See the
example for `AC_STDC_HEADERS'.
`AC_STDC_HEADERS'
Define `STDC_HEADERS' if the system has ANSI C header files.
Specifically, this macro checks for `stdlib.h', `stdarg.h',
`string.h', and `float.h'; if the system has those, it probably
has the rest of the ANSI C header files. This macro also checks
whether `string.h' declares `memchr' (and thus presumably the
other `mem' functions) and whether the `ctype.h' macros work on
characters with the high bit set, as ANSI C requires.
Use `STDC_HEADERS' instead of `__STDC__' to determine whether the
system has ANSI-compliant header files (and probably C library
functions) because many systems that have GCC do not have ANSI C
header files.
To check whether to use the System V/ANSI C string functions and
header file, you can put the following in `configure.in':
AC_STDC_HEADERS
AC_HAVE_HEADERS(string.h memory.h)
Then, in the code, use a test like this:
#if STDC_HEADERS || HAVE_STRING_H
#include <string.h>
/* An ANSI string.h and pre-ANSI memory.h might conflict. */
#if !STDC_HEADERS && HAVE_MEMORY_H
#include <memory.h>
#endif /* not STDC_HEADERS and HAVE_MEMORY_H */
#define index strchr
#define rindex strrchr
#define bcopy(s, d, n) memcpy ((d), (s), (n))
#define bcmp(s1, s2, n) memcmp ((s1), (s2), (n))
#define bzero(s, n) memset ((s), 0, (n))
#else /* not STDC_HEADERS and not HAVE_STRING_H */
#include <strings.h>
/* memory.h and strings.h conflict on some systems. */
#endif /* not STDC_HEADERS and not HAVE_STRING_H */
This example asssumes that your code uses the BSD style functions.
If you use the System V/ANSI C style functions, you will need to
replace the macro definitions with ones that go in the other
direction.
`AC_UNISTD_H'
Define `HAVE_UNISTD_H' if the system has `unistd.h'. The way to
check if the system supports POSIX.1 is:
#if HAVE_UNISTD_H
#include <sys/types.h>
#include <unistd.h>
#endif
#ifdef _POSIX_VERSION
/* Code for POSIX.1 systems. */
#endif
`_POSIX_VERSION' is defined when `unistd.h' is included on POSIX.1
systems. If there is no `unistd.h', it is definitely not a
POSIX.1 system. However, some non-POSIX.1 systems do have
`unistd.h'.
`AC_USG'
Define `USG' if the system does not have `strings.h', `rindex',
`bzero', etc. This implies that it has `string.h', `strrchr',
`memset', etc.
The symbol `USG' is obsolete. Instead of this macro, use
`AC_HAVE_HEADERS(string.h)' and use `HAVE_STRING_H' in your code.
See the example for `AC_STDC_HEADERS'.
File: autoconf.info, Node: Typedefs, Next: Library Functions, Prev: Header Files, Up: Specific Tests
Typedefs
========
The following macros check for predefined C types:
`AC_GETGROUPS_T'
Define `GETGROUPS_T' to be whichever of `gid_t' or `int' is the
base type of the array argument to `getgroups'.
`AC_MODE_T'
If `mode_t' is not defined in `sys/types.h', define `mode_t' to be
`int'.
`AC_PID_T'
If `pid_t' is not defined in `sys/types.h', define `pid_t' to be
`int'.
`AC_RETSIGTYPE'
If `signal.h' declares `signal' as returning a pointer to a
function returning `void', define `RETSIGTYPE' to be `void';
otherwise, define it to be `int'.
Define signal handlers as returning type `RETSIGTYPE':
RETSIGTYPE
hup_handler ()
{
...
}
`AC_SIZE_T'
If `size_t' is not defined in `sys/types.h', define `size_t' to be
`unsigned'.
`AC_UID_T'
If `uid_t' is not defined in `sys/types.h', define `uid_t' to be
`int' and `gid_t' to be `int'.
File: autoconf.info, Node: Library Functions, Next: Structures, Prev: Typedefs, Up: Specific Tests
Library Functions
=================
The following macros check for particular C library functions:
`AC_ALLOCA'
Check how to get `alloca'. Tries to get a builtin version by
checking for `alloca.h' or the predefined C preprocessor macros
`__GNUC__' and `_AIX'. If that fails, it looks for a function in
the standard C library. If that fails, it sets the `make'
variable `ALLOCA' to `alloca.o'. This variable is separate from
`LIBOBJS' so multiple programs can share the value of `ALLOCA'
without needing to create an actual library.
If this macro finds `alloca.h', it defines `HAVE_ALLOCA_H'.
This macro does not try to get `alloca' from the SVR3 `libPW' or
the SVR4 `libucb' because those libraries contain some
incompatible functions that cause trouble. Some versions do not
even contain `alloca' or contain a buggy version. If you still
want to use their `alloca', use `ar' to extract `alloca.o' from
them instead of compiling `alloca.c'.
Source files that use `alloca' should start with a piece of code
like the following, to declare it properly. Note that in some
versions of AIX, the declaration of `alloca' must precede
everything else except for comments and preprocessor directives.
The `#pragma' directive is indented so that pre-ANSI C compilers
will ignore it, rather than choke on it.
/* AIX requires this to be the first thing in the file. */
#ifdef __GNUC__
#define alloca __builtin_alloca
#else /* not __GNUC__ */
#if HAVE_ALLOCA_H
#include <alloca.h>
#else /* not HAVE_ALLOCA_H */
#ifdef _AIX
#pragma alloca
#else /* not _AIX */
char *alloca ();
#endif /* not _AIX */
#endif /* not HAVE_ALLOCA_H */
#endif /* not __GNUC__ */
`AC_GETLOADAVG'
Check how to get the system load averages. It tries to get the
`getloadavg' function from `/usr/lib/libutils.a', if present (such
as on 4.4BSD), or from `/usr/lib/libgetloadavg.a' or
`/usr/local/lib/libgetloadavg.a' (such as is commonly installed on
AIX systems). Otherwise, it adds `getloadavg.o' to the `make'
variable `LIBOBJS' and defines `SVR4', `DGUX', `UMAX', or
`UMAX4_3' if on those systems. It then checks for `nlist.h'. If
it finds it, it defines `NLIST_STRUCT' and checks whether `struct
nlist' has an `n_un' member; if so, it defines `NLIST_NAME_UNION'.
Then it determines whether compiling `getloadavg.c' would define
the `LDAV_PRIVILEGED'; this indicates whether the program will
need to be installed specially for `getloadavg' to work. If so,
it defines `GETLOADAVG_PRIVILEGED'. It always defines the `make'
variable `NEED_SETGID'; the value is `true' if special
installation is required, or `false' if not. If `NEED_SETGID' is
defined to `true', the `make' variable `KMEM_GROUP' is also
defined to be the special group which should own the installed
program.
`AC_SETVBUF_REVERSED'
If `setvbuf' takes the buffering type as its second argument and
the buffer pointer as the third, instead of the other way around,
define `SETVBUF_REVERSED'. This is the case on System V before
release 3.
`AC_STRCOLL'
Check for a proper declaration of the `strcoll' function. This
does a bit more than `AC_HAVE_FUNCS(strcoll)', because some systems
have incorrect definitions of `strcoll', which should not be used.
`AC_UTIME_NULL'
If `utime(FILE, NULL)' sets FILE's timestamp to the present,
define `HAVE_UTIME_NULL'.
`AC_VFORK'
If `vfork.h' is found, define `HAVE_VFORK_H'. If a working
`vfork' is not found, define `vfork' to be `fork'. This macro
checks for several known errors in implementations of `vfork' and
considers the system to not have a working `vfork' if it detects
any of them.
`AC_VPRINTF'
If `vprintf' is found, define `HAVE_VPRINTF'. Otherwise, if
`_doprnt' is found, define `HAVE_DOPRNT'.
`AC_WAIT3'
If `wait3' is found and fills in the contents of its third argument
(a `struct rusage *'), which HP-UX does not do, define
`HAVE_WAIT3'.
File: autoconf.info, Node: Structures, Next: Compiler Characteristics, Prev: Library Functions, Up: Specific Tests
Structures
==========
The following macros check for certain structures or structure
members:
`AC_ST_BLKSIZE'
If `struct stat' contains an `st_blksize' member, define
`HAVE_ST_BLKSIZE'.
`AC_ST_BLOCKS'
If `struct stat' contains an `st_blocks' member, define
`HAVE_ST_BLOCKS'. Otherwise, add `fileblocks.o' to the `make'
variable `LIBOBJS'.
`AC_ST_RDEV'
If `struct stat' contains an `st_rdev' member, define
`HAVE_ST_RDEV'.
`AC_TIME_WITH_SYS_TIME'
If a program may include both `time.h' and `sys/time.h', define
`TIME_WITH_SYS_TIME'. On some older systems `sys/time.h' includes
`time.h', but `time.h' is not protected against multiple
inclusion, so programs should not explicitly include both files.
This macro is useful in programs that use for example `struct
timeval' or `struct timezone' as well as `struct tm'. It is best
used in conjunction with HAVE_SYS_TIME_H.
#ifdef TIME_WITH_SYS_TIME
#include <sys/time.h>
#include <time.h>
#else
#ifdef HAVE_SYS_TIME_H
#include <sys/time.h>
#else
#include <time.h>
#endif
#endif
`AC_STRUCT_TM'
If `time.h' does not define `struct tm', define `TM_IN_SYS_TIME',
which means that including `sys/time.h' defines `struct tm'.
`AC_TIMEZONE'
Figure out how to get the current timezone. If `struct tm' has a
`tm_zone' member, define `HAVE_TM_ZONE'. Otherwise, if the
external array `tzname' is found, define `HAVE_TZNAME'. This
macro calls `AC_STRUCT_TM' if it hasn't been called already.
File: autoconf.info, Node: Compiler Characteristics, Next: System Services, Prev: Structures, Up: Specific Tests
Compiler Characteristics
========================
The following macros check for C compiler or machine architecture
features:
`AC_ARG_ARRAY'
If the address of an argument to a C function can not be used like
the start of an array, define `NO_ARG_ARRAY'. This ability allows
a sequence of arguments with the same type to be accessed as if
they were an array of values.
`AC_CROSS_CHECK'
If the C compiler being used does not produce executables that can
run on the system where `configure' is being run, set the shell
variable `cross_compiling' to 1. This information can be used by
`AC_TEST_PROGRAM' to determine whether to take a default action
instead of trying to run a test program (*note General Tests::.).
`AC_CHAR_UNSIGNED'
If the C type `char' is unsigned, define `__CHAR_UNSIGNED__',
unless the C compiler predefines it.
`AC_CONST'
If the C compiler does not fully support the keyword `const',
define `const' to be empty. Some C compilers that do not define
`__STDC__' do support `const'; some compilers that define
`__STDC__' do not completely support `const'. Programs can simply
use `const' as if every C compiler supported it; for those that
don't, the `Makefile' or configuration header file will define it
as empty.
`AC_INLINE'
If the C compiler is a version of GCC that supports the keyword
`__inline' but not `inline' (such as some NeXT versions), define
`inline' to be `__inline'. This macro calls `AC_PROG_CC' if it
hasn't been called already.
`AC_INT_16_BITS'
If the C type `int' is smaller than the type `long', define
`INT_16_BITS'.
`AC_LONG_DOUBLE'
If the C compiler supports the `long double' type, define
`HAVE_LONG_DOUBLE'. Some C compilers that do not define
`__STDC__' do support the `long double' type; some compilers that
define `__STDC__' do not support `long double'.
`AC_WORDS_BIGENDIAN'
If words are stored with the most significant byte first, define
`WORDS_BIGENDIAN'.
File: autoconf.info, Node: System Services, Next: UNIX Variants, Prev: Compiler Characteristics, Up: Specific Tests
System Services
===============
The following macros check for operating system services:
`AC_HAVE_POUNDBANG(ACTION-IF-EXISTS [, ACTION-IF-NOT-EXISTS]])'
Prints `checking if `#!' works in shell scripts' to the standard
output, then creates sample shell scripts to determine whether
using lines of the form `#!/bin/csh' have any effect on what shell
is invoked to read the script. ACTION-IF-EXISTS is a list of shell
commands to run if #! works; ACTION-IF-NOT-EXISTS is a list of
shell commands to run otherwise. There are no default actions.
`AC_LONG_FILE_NAMES'
If the system supports file names longer than 14 characters, define
`HAVE_LONG_FILE_NAMES'.
`AC_REMOTE_TAPE'
If BSD tape drive ioctls are available, define `HAVE_SYS_MTIO_H',
and if sockets are available add `rmt' to `make' variable `PROGS'.
`AC_RESTARTABLE_SYSCALLS'
If the system automatically restarts a system call that is
interrupted by a signal, define `HAVE_RESTARTABLE_SYSCALLS'.
File: autoconf.info, Node: UNIX Variants, Prev: System Services, Up: Specific Tests
UNIX Variants
=============
The following macros check for certain operating systems that need
special treatment for some programs, due to exceptional oddities in
their header files or libraries:
`AC_AIX'
If on AIX, define `_ALL_SOURCE'. Allows the use of some BSD
functions. Should be called before any macros that run the C
compiler.
`AC_DYNIX_SEQ'
If on DYNIX/ptx (Sequent UNIX), add `-lseq' to `make' variable
`LIBS'. Allows use of some BSD system calls and `getmntent'.
`AC_IRIX_SUN'
If on IRIX (Silicon Graphics UNIX), add `-lsun' to `make' variable
`LIBS'. Needed to get `getmntent'.
`AC_ISC_POSIX'
If on a POSIXized ISC UNIX, define `_POSIX_SOURCE' and add
`-posix' (for the GNU C compiler) or `-Xp' (for other C compilers)
to `make' variable `CC'. This allows the use of POSIX facilities.
Must be called after `AC_PROG_CC' and before any other macros
that run the C compiler.
`AC_MINIX'
If on Minix, define `_MINIX' and `_POSIX_SOURCE' and define
`_POSIX_1_SOURCE' to be 2. This allows the use of POSIX
facilities. Should be called before any macros that run the C
compiler.
`AC_SCO_INTL'
If on SCO UNIX, add `-lintl' to `make' variable `LIBS'. Used to
get `strftime'. It must be called before checking for `strftime'.
`AC_XENIX_DIR'
If on Xenix, define `VOID_CLOSEDIR' and add `-lx' to `make'
variable `LIBS'. Also, if `sys/ndir.h' is not being used, add
`-ldir' to `LIBS'. Needed when using the directory reading
functions. This macro must be called after `AC_DIR_HEADER'.
File: autoconf.info, Node: General Purpose Macros, Next: Writing Macros, Prev: Specific Tests, Up: Top
General Purpose Macros
**********************
These macros provide ways for other macros to control the kind of
output that Autoconf produces or to check whether various features are
available. They all take arguments. When calling these macros, there
must not be any blank space between the macro name and the open
parentheses.
Arguments to these macros can be more than one line long if they are
enclosed within the `m4' quote characters `[' and `]'.
Within each section below, the macros are listed in alphabetical
order. These macros are defined in the file `acgeneral.m4'.
* Menu:
* Setup:: Controlling Autoconf operation.
* General Tests:: Check for kinds of features.
* Setting Variables:: Setting shell and `make' variables.
* Macro Ordering:: Enforcing ordering constraints.
File: autoconf.info, Node: Setup, Next: General Tests, Up: General Purpose Macros
Controlling Autoconf Setup
==========================
The following macros control the kind of output that Autoconf
produces.
`AC_CONFIG_HEADER(HEADER-TO-CREATE)'
Create a file HEADER-TO-CREATE containing C preprocessor `#define'
statements instead of setting the `DEFS' variable in a `Makefile'.
This macro should be called right after `AC_INIT'. Your
distribution should contain a file `HEADER-TO-CREATE.in' that
looks as you want the final header file to look, including
comments, with default values in the `#define' statements. A
default value can be to `#undef' the variable instead of to define
it to a value, if your code tests for configuration options using
`#ifdef' instead of `#if'.
The usual name for the configuration header file is `config.h'.
Some GNU library routines contain
#ifdef HAVE_CONFIG_H
#include "config.h"
#endif
so if you use those routines, you should add `-DHAVE_CONFIG_H' to
CFLAGS in `Makefile.in' and call your configuration header file
`config.h'. If you use `AC_CONFIG_HEADER', then `AC_OUTPUT'
replaces the string `@DEFS@' with `-DHAVE_CONFIG_H' instead of
with the value of `DEFS' (*note Setup::.).
You can use the program `autoheader' to create
`HEADER-TO-CREATE.in' (*note Invoking autoheader::.).
`AC_INIT(UNIQUE-FILE-IN-SOURCE-DIR)'
Process the command-line arguments and find the source code
directory. UNIQUE-FILE-IN-SOURCE-DIR is some file that is in the
package's source directory; `configure' checks for this file's
existence to make sure that the directory that it is told contains
the source code in fact does (*note Running configure Scripts::.,
for more information).
`AC_PREPARE(UNIQUE-FILE-IN-SOURCE-DIR)'
Find the source code directory and set up shell variables
necessary for other Autoconf macros to work.
uNIQUE-FILE-IN-SOURCE-DIR is some file that is in the package's
source directory; `configure' checks for this file's existence to
make sure that the directory that it is told contains the source
code in fact does (*note Running configure Scripts::., for more
information). `AC_PREPARE' is the last thing done by `AC_INIT'.
Use `AC_PREPARE' instead of `AC_INIT' if you want to do argument
parsing yourself; never use both.
`AC_OUTPUT([FILE...])'
Create output files (typically one or more `Makefile's) and
`config.status'. If `AC_CONFIG_HEADER' has been called, also
create the header file that was named as its argument. The
argument is a whitespace-separated list of files to create; if it
is omitted, no files are created. `AC_OUTPUT' creates each file
`FILE' in the list by copying `FILE.in', substituting the variable
values that have been selected by calling `AC_SUBST'. It creates
the directory that each file is in if it doesn't exist (but not the
parents of that directory). A plausible value for the argument to
`AC_OUTPUT' is `Makefile src/Makefile man/Makefile X/Imakefile'.
File: autoconf.info, Node: General Tests, Next: Setting Variables, Prev: Setup, Up: General Purpose Macros
Checking for Kinds of Features
==============================
These macros are templates that, when called with actual parameters,
check for various kinds of features. Many of these macros handle two
cases: what to do if the given condition is met, and what to do if the
condition is not met. In some places you you might want to do something
if a condition is true but do nothing if it's false, or vice versa. To
omit the true case, pass an empty value for the ACTION-IF-FOUND
argument to the macro. To omit the false case, omit the
ACTION-IF-NOT-FOUND argument to the macro, including the comma before
One shell programming construction that you should not use in the
action arguments to these macros is `VAR=${VAR:-VALUE}'. Old BSD
shells, including the Ultrix `sh', don't understand the colon, and
complain and die. If you omit the colon, it works fine:
`VAR=${VAR-VALUE}'.
*Note Writing Macros::, for more information on how best to use these
macros.
`AC_COMPILE_CHECK(ECHO-TEXT, INCLUDES, FUNCTION-BODY, ACTION-IF-FOUND [, ACTION-IF-NOT-FOUND])'
Print `checking for ECHO-TEXT' to the standard output. Then
create a test C program to see whether a function whose body
consists of FUNCTION-BODY can be compiled and linked; INCLUDES is
any `#include' statements needed by the code in FUNCTION-BODY. If
the file compiles and links successfully, run shell commands
ACTION-IF-FOUND, otherwise run ACTION-IF-NOT-FOUND. To include
double quotes in FUNCTION-BODY or INCLUDES, quote them with
backslashes.
`AC_FUNC_CHECK(FUNCTION, ACTION-IF-FOUND [, ACTION-IF-NOT-FOUND])'
If FUNCTION is available, run shell commands ACTION-IF-FOUND,
otherwise ACTION-IF-NOT-FOUND.
`AC_HAVE_FUNCS(FUNCTION...)'
For each given FUNCTION in the whitespace-separated argument list
that is available, define `HAVE_FUNCTION' (in all caps). *Note
Specific Tests::, for a precise definition of "define" as it is
used here.
To check whether a particular library exists, you can use the
`AC_HAVE_LIBRARY' macro. If you need to check whether a library
other than the default C library actually contains a particular
function, temporarily change the shell variable `LIBS', which
contains a list of libraries to use when compiling test files.
Here is an example that checks whether the function `rint' is
present in the math library:
LIBS_save="$LIBS"
LIBS="$LIBS -lm"
AC_HAVE_FUNCS(rint)
LIBS="$LIBS_save"
Note that the above code does not decide whether to link the
program with `-lm'.
`AC_HAVE_HEADERS(HEADER-FILE...)'
For each given HEADER-FILE in the whitespace-separated argument
list that exists, define `HAVE_HEADER-FILE' (in all caps). *Note
Specific Tests::, for a precise definition of "define" as it is
used here.
`AC_HAVE_LIBRARY(LIBRARY [, ACTION-IF-FOUND [, ACTION-IF-NOT-FOUND]])'
Print `checking for LIBRARY' to the standard output. Then create
a test C program to see whether that program can be linked with
the specified library. ACTION-IF-FOUND is a list of shell
commands to run if the link succeeds (which means that the library
is present); ACTION-IF-NOT-FOUND is a list of shell commands to run
if the link fails. If ACTION-IF-FOUND and ACTION-IF-NOT-FOUND are
not specified, the default action is to add `-lfoo' to `LIBS' and
define `HAVE_LIBfoo' for library `foo'. LIBRARY can be written as
any of `foo', `-lfoo', or `libfoo.a'. In all of those cases, the
compiler is passed `-lfoo'.
`AC_HEADER_CHECK(HEADER-FILE, ACTION-IF-FOUND [, ACTION-IF-NOT-FOUND])'
If HEADER-FILE exists, execute shell commands ACTION-IF-FOUND,
otherwise execute ACTION-IF-NOT-FOUND.
`AC_HEADER_EGREP(PATTERN, HEADER-FILE, ACTION-IF-FOUND [, ACTION-IF-NOT-FOUND])'
If the output of running the C preprocessor on HEADER-FILE
contains the `egrep' regular expression PATTERN, execute shell
commands ACTION-IF-FOUND, otherwise execute ACTION-IF-NOT-FOUND.
`AC_PREFIX(PROGRAM)'
If the user did not specify an installation prefix on the command
line, guess a value for it by looking for PROGRAM in `PATH', the
way the shell does. If PROGRAM is found, set the prefix to the
parent of the directory containing PROGRAM; otherwise leave the
prefix specified in `Makefile.in' unchanged. For example, if
PROGRAM is `gcc' and the `PATH' contains `/usr/local/gnu/bin/gcc',
set the prefix to `/usr/local/gnu'.
`AC_PROGRAM_CHECK(VARIABLE, PROG-TO-CHECK-FOR, VALUE-IF-FOUND, VALUE-IF-NOT-FOUND)'
Check whether program PROG-TO-CHECK-FOR exists in `PATH'. If it
is found, set VARIABLE to VALUE-IF-FOUND, otherwise to
VALUE-IF-NOT-FOUND. Calls `AC_SUBST' for VARIABLE.
`AC_PROGRAM_EGREP(PATTERN, PROGRAM, ACTION-IF-FOUND [, ACTION-IF-NOT-FOUND])'
PROGRAM is the text of a C program, on which shell variable and
backquote substitutions are performed. If the output of running
the C preprocessor on PROGRAM contains the `egrep' regular
expression PATTERN, execute shell commands ACTION-IF-FOUND,
otherwise execute ACTION-IF-NOT-FOUND.
`AC_PROGRAMS_CHECK(VARIABLE, PROGS-TO-CHECK-FOR [, VALUE-IF-NOT-FOUND])n'
Check for each program in the whitespace-separated list
PROGS-TO-CHECK-FOR exists in `PATH'. If it is found, set VARIABLE
to the name of that program. Otherwise, continue checking the
next program in the list. If none of the programs in the list are
found, set VARIABLE to VALUE-IF-NOT-FOUND; if VALUE-IF-NOT-FOUND
is not specified, the value of VARIABLE will not be changed.
Calls `AC_SUBST' for VARIABLE.
`AC_REPLACE_FUNCS(FUNCTION-NAME...)'
For each given FUNCTION-NAME in the whitespace-separated argument
list that is not in the C library, add `FUNCTION-NAME.o' to the
value of the `make' variable `LIBOBJS'.
`AC_TEST_PROGRAM(PROGRAM, ACTION-IF-TRUE [, ACTION-IF-FALSE] [, ACTION-IF-CROSS-COMPILING])'
PROGRAM is the text of a C program, on which shell variable and
backquote substitutions are performed. If it compiles and links
successfully and returns an exit status of 0 when executed, run
shell commands ACTION-IF-TRUE. Otherwise run shell commands
ACTION-IF-FALSE.
If the optional argument ACTION-IF-CROSS-COMPILING is given and
the C compiler being used does not produce executables that run on
the system where `configure' is being run, then the test program
is not run. Instead, the shell commands ACTION-IF-CROSS-COMPILING
are run. If that argument is given, this macro calls
`AC_CROSS_CHECK' if it has not already been called (*note Compiler
Characteristics::.).
`AC_TEST_CPP(INCLUDES, ACTION-IF-TRUE [, ACTION-IF-FALSE])'
INCLUDES is C `#include' statements and declarations, on which
shell variable and backquote substitutions are performed.
(Actually, it can be any C program, but other statements are
probably not useful.) If the C preprocessor produces no error
messages while processing it, run shell commands ACTION-IF-TRUE.
Otherwise run shell commands ACTION-IF-FALSE.
This macro calls `AC_PROG_CPP' if it hasn't been called already.
`AC_WITH(PACKAGE, ACTION-IF-TRUE [, ACTION-IF-FALSE])'
If the user gave `configure' the option `--with-PACKAGE', run
shell commands ACTION-IF-TRUE. Otherwise run shell commands
ACTION-IF-FALSE. The name PACKAGE should consist only of
alphanumeric characters and dashes; typical package names are
`gnu-libc' and `x'.
File: autoconf.info, Node: Setting Variables, Next: Macro Ordering, Prev: General Tests, Up: General Purpose Macros
Setting Variables
=================
These macros help provide ways for other macros to define shell and
`make' variables.
`AC_DEFINE(VARIABLE [, VALUE])'
Define C preprocessor variable VARIABLE. If VALUE is given, set
VARIABLE to that value, otherwise set it to 1. To use a VALUE
containing double quotes, protect them with backslashes.
This macro adds to the shell variable `DEFS'. `AC_OUTPUT' later
substitutes the values in `DEFS' into the `Makefile.in' file(s),
or if `AC_CONFIG_HEADER' has been called, into the header file
named as its argument.
`AC_OUTPUT' creates HEADER-TO-CREATE from `HEADER-TO-CREATE.in' by
substituting the correct values in `#define' statements. For
example, suppose your `configure.in' calls
`AC_CONFIG_HEADER(conf.h)' and `AC_UNISTD_H'. You could have code
like this in `conf.h.in':
/* Define as 1 if you have unistd.h. */
#define HAVE_UNISTD_H 0
On systems that have `unistd.h', `configure' will change the 0 to
a 1. On other systems, it will leave the line unchanged.
Alternately, if you prefer to use `#ifdef', your `conf.h.in' could
have code like this:
/* Define if you have unistd.h. */
#undef HAVE_UNISTD_H
On systems that have `unistd.h', `configure' will change the
second line to read `#define HAVE_UNISTD_H 1'. On other systems,
it will leave the line unchanged.
If HEADER-TO-CREATE already exists and its contents are identical
to what `AC_OUTPUT' would put in it, it is left alone. Doing this
allows some changes in configuration without needlessly causing
object files that depend on the header file to be recompiled.
`AC_DEFINE_UNQUOTED(VARIABLE [, VALUE])'
This is just like `AC_DEFINE', but it does nothing to quote VALUE
from various shell and `sed' expansions it will undergo. VALUE
will be used in many different contexts requiring different
quoting, and it is up to you to make sure it works right.
`AC_SUBST(VARIABLE)'
Substitute the variable VARIABLE when creating the output files
(typically one or more `Makefile's). This means replace instances
of `@VARIABLE@', e.g. in `Makefile.in', with the current value of
the shell variable VARIABLE. If this macro were not called, the
value of VARIABLE would not be set in the output files, even
though `configure' had figured out a value for it.
You can set or add to the value of VARIABLE in the usual shell
way. For example, to add `-ltermcap' to the value of the variable
`LIBS':
LIBS="$LIBS -ltermcap"
File: autoconf.info, Node: Macro Ordering, Prev: Setting Variables, Up: General Purpose Macros
Macro Ordering
==============
These macros provide ways for other macros to make sure that they are
called in the correct order.
`AC_BEFORE(THIS-MACRO-NAME, CALLED-MACRO-NAME)'
Make `m4' print a warning message on the standard error output if
CALLED-MACRO-NAME has already been called. THIS-MACRO-NAME should
be the name of the macro that is calling `AC_BEFORE'. The macro
CALLED-MACRO-NAME must contain a call to `AC_PROVIDE' to indicate
that it has been called.
This macro should be used when one macro makes changes that might
affect another macro, so that the other macro should probably not
be called first. For example, `AC_PROG_CPP' checks whether the C
compiler can run the C preprocessor when given the `-E' option.
It should therefore be called after any macros that change which C
compiler is being used, such as `AC_PROG_CC'. So `AC_PROG_CC'
contains:
AC_BEFORE([$0], [AC_PROG_CPP])
This warns the user if a call to `AC_PROG_CPP' has already occurred
when `AC_PROG_CC' is called.
`AC_PROVIDE(MACRO-NAME)'
Set a flag recording that MACRO-NAME has been called. The
argument should be the name of the macro that is calling
`AC_PROVIDE'. An easy way to get it is from the `m4' builtin
variable `$0', like this:
AC_PROVIDE([$0])
`AC_REQUIRE(MACRO-NAME)'
If the `m4' macro MACRO-NAME has not already been called, call it
(without any arguments). Make sure to quote MACRO-NAME with
square brackets. The body of MACRO-NAME must contain a call to
`AC_PROVIDE' to indicate that it has been called.
Macros that need some other macro to be called before they are
called can use `AC_REQUIRE' to ensure that it has been, in case
the person who made `configure.in' forgot or didn't know to do it.
`AC_REQUIRE' and `AC_PROVIDE' together can ensure that a macro is
only called if it is needed, and only called once. *Note
Dependencies Between Macros::, for more information.
File: autoconf.info, Node: Writing Macros, Next: Makefiles, Prev: General Purpose Macros, Up: Top
Writing Macros
**************
If your package needs to test for some feature that none of the
macros supplied with Autoconf handles, you'll need to write one or more
new Autoconf macros. Here are some suggestions and some of the
rationale behind why the existing macros are written the way they are.
You can also learn a lot about how to write Autoconf macros by looking
at the existing ones. If something goes wrong in one or more of the
Autoconf tests, this information can help you understand why they work
the way they do and the assumptions behind them, which might help you
figure out how to best solve the problem.
If you add macros that you think would be useful to other people, or
find problems with the distributed macros, please send electronic mail
to `bug-gnu-utils@prep.ai.mit.edu', so we can consider them for future
releases of Autoconf. Please include the Autoconf version number,
which you can get by running `autoconf --version'.
* Menu:
* Macro Format:: Basic format of an Autoconf macro.
* Quoting:: Protecting macros from unwanted expansion.
* Dependencies Between Macros:: What to do when macros depend on other macros.
* Checking for Files:: Finding whether a file exists.
* Checking for Symbols:: Finding whether a symbol is defined.
* Test Programs:: Writing programs to test for features.
* Multiple Cases:: Tests for several possible values.
File: autoconf.info, Node: Macro Format, Next: Quoting, Up: Writing Macros
Macro Format
============
Autoconf macros are defined as arguments to the `m4' builtin command
`define'. Their overall structure looks like this:
define(MACRO-NAME, [MACRO-BODY])dnl
The square brackets here do not indicate optional text: they should
literally be present in the macro definition.
All of the Autoconf macros have names starting with `AC_' to prevent
them from accidentally conflicting with other text. You should prefix
your own macro names with some other sequence, such as your initials or
an abbreviation for the name of your organization or software package,
to ensure that their names don't conflict with the names of present or
future Autoconf macros.
The `m4' builtin `dnl' prevents a newline from being inserted in the
output where the macro is defined; without it, the generated
`configure' script would begin with dozens of blank lines. `dnl' is
also used to introduce comments in `m4'; it causes `m4' to discard the
rest of the input line.
You should quote the entire macro body with square brackets to avoid
macro expansion problems (*note Quoting::.). You can refer to any
arguments passed to the macro as `$1', `$2', etc.
*Note How to define new macros: (m4.info)Definitions, for more
complete information on writing `m4' macros.
File: autoconf.info, Node: Quoting, Next: Dependencies Between Macros, Prev: Macro Format, Up: Writing Macros
Quoting
=======
Macros that are called by other macros are evaluated by `m4' several
times; each evaluation might require another layer of quotes to prevent
unwanted expansions of macros or `m4' builtins, such as `include' and
`$1'. Quotes are also required around macro arguments that contain
commas, since commas separate the arguments from each other.
Autoconf (in `acgeneral.m4') changes the `m4' quote characters from
the default ``' and `'' to `[' and `]', because many of the macros use
``' and `'', mismatched. However, in a few places the macros need to
use brackets. In those places, they use the `m4' builtin command
`changequote' to temporarily disable quoting before the code that uses
brackets, like this:
changequote(,)dnl
Then they turn quoting back on again with another call to `changequote':
changequote([,])dnl
When you create a `configure' script using newly written macros,
examine it carefully to check whether you need to add more quotes in
your macros. If one or more words have disappeared in the `m4' output,
you need more quotes. When in doubt, quote.
However, it's also possible to put on too many layers of quotes. If
this happens, the resulting `configure' script will contain unexpanded
macros. The `autoconf' program checks for this problem by doing `grep
AC_ configure'.
File: autoconf.info, Node: Dependencies Between Macros, Next: Checking for Files, Prev: Quoting, Up: Writing Macros
Dependencies Between Macros
===========================
Some Autoconf macros depend on other macros having been called first
in order to work correctly, or in some cases, to work at all. Autoconf
provides a way to ensure that certain macros are called if needed and a
way to warn the user if macros are called in an order that might cause
incorrect operation.
* Menu:
* Prerequisite Macros:: Ensuring required information.
* Suggested Ordering:: Warning about possible ordering problems.
File: autoconf.info, Node: Prerequisite Macros, Next: Suggested Ordering, Up: Dependencies Between Macros
Prerequisite Macros
-------------------
A macro that you write might need to use values that have previously
been computed by other macros. For example, if you write a new macro
that uses the C preprocessor, it depends on `AC_PROG_CPP' having been
called first to set the shell variable `CPP' (*note Alternative
Programs::.).
Rather than forcing the user of the macros to keep track of all of
the dependencies between them, you can use the macros `AC_PROVIDE' and
`AC_REQUIRE' to do it automatically. *Note Macro Ordering::, for more
information on their syntax.
The new macro that runs the C preprocessor should contain, somewhere
before `CPP' is used, the statement
AC_REQUIRE([AC_PROG_CPP])
and the macro `AC_PROG_CPP' should contain the statement (anywhere in
its body)
AC_PROVIDE([$0])
Then, when the new macro is run, it will invoke `AC_PROG_CPP' if and
only if `AC_PROG_CPP' has not already been run.
File: autoconf.info, Node: Suggested Ordering, Prev: Prerequisite Macros, Up: Dependencies Between Macros
Suggested Ordering
------------------
Some macros should be run before another macro if both are called,
but neither requires the other to be called. For example, a macro like
`AC_AIX' that changes the behavior of the C compiler (*note UNIX
Variants::.) should be called before any macros that run the C compiler.
Many of these dependencies are noted in the documentation.
Autoconf provides a way to warn users when macros with this kind of
dependency appear out of order in a `configure.in' file. The warning
occurs when creating `configure' from `configure.in', not when running
`configure'. It is not a fatal error; `configure' is created as usual.
The `AC_BEFORE' macro causes `m4' to print a warning message on the
standard error output when a macro is used before another macro which
might change its behavior. The macro which should come first should
contain a call to `AC_BEFORE' and the macro which should come later
should contain a call to `AC_PROVIDE'.
For example, `AC_AIX' contains
AC_BEFORE([$0], [AC_COMPILE_CHECK])
and `AC_COMPILE_CHECK' contains
AC_PROVIDE([$0])
As a result, if `AC_AIX' is called after `AC_COMPILE_CHECK', it will
note that `AC_COMPILE_CHECK' has already been called and print a
warning message.
File: autoconf.info, Node: Checking for Files, Next: Checking for Symbols, Prev: Dependencies Between Macros, Up: Writing Macros
Checking for Files
==================
If you need to check whether a file other than a C header file
exists, use `test -f FILENAME'. If you need to make multiple checks
using `test', combine them with the shell operators `&&' and `||'
instead of using the `test' operators `-a' and `-o'. On System V, the
precedence of `-a' and `-o' is wrong relative to the unary operators;
consequently, POSIX does not specify them, so using them is
nonportable. If you combine `&&' and `||' in the same statement, keep
in mind that they have equal precedence.
Do not use `test -x', because 4.3BSD does not have it. Use `test
-f' or `test -r' instead.
File: autoconf.info, Node: Checking for Symbols, Next: Test Programs, Prev: Checking for Files, Up: Writing Macros
Checking for Symbols
====================
If you need to check whether a symbol is defined in a C header file,
you can use `AC_HEADER_EGREP' if the symbol is not a C preprocessor
macro (*note General Tests::.), or compile a small test program that
includes the file and references the symbol (*note Test Programs::.).
Don't directly `grep' for the symbol in the file, because on some
systems it might be defined in another header file that the file you are
checking `#include's.
However, if you need to check for a particular UNIX variant which is
distinguished by having certain text in a certain file, then use `grep'
(or `egrep'). But don't use `grep -s' to suppress output, because
`grep -s' on System V does not suppress output, only error messages.
Instead, redirect the standard output and standard error (in case the
file doesn't exist) of `grep' to `/dev/null'. Check the exit status of
`grep' to determine whether it found a match.
To check whether the Autoconf macros have already defined a certain C
preprocessor symbol, you can use a `case' statement like this:
case "$DEFS" in
*HAVE_FOO*) ;;
*) LIBOBJS="$LIBOBJS foo.o" ;;
esac
Make sure to enclose the variable name you are checking (usually
`DEFS') in double quotes, because otherwise some old versions of `bash'
misinterpret the statement.
File: autoconf.info, Node: Test Programs, Next: Multiple Cases, Prev: Checking for Symbols, Up: Writing Macros
Test Programs
=============
Autoconf checks for many features by compiling small test programs.
To find out whether a library function is available, Autoconf tries to
compile a small program that uses it. This is unlike Larry Wall's
Metaconfig, which uses `nm' or `ar' on the C library to try to figure
out which functions are available. Trying to link with the function is
usually a more reliable and flexible approach because it avoids dealing
with the variations in the options and output formats of `nm' and `ar'
and in the location of the standard libraries. It also allows
`configure' to check aspects of the function's runtime behavior if
needed. On the other hand, it is sometimes slower than scanning the
libraries.
If you need to check for a condition other than whether some symbol
exists on the system or has a certain value, then you can't use
`AC_COMPILE_CHECK' (*note General Tests::.). You have to write a test
program by hand. You can compile and run it using `AC_TEST_PROGRAM'
(*note General Tests::.).
Try to avoid writing test programs if possible, because using them
prevents people from configuring your package for cross-compiling. If
it's really best that you test for a run-time behavior, try to provide a
default "worst case" value to use when cross-compiling makes run-time
tests impossible. You do this by passing the optional last argument to
`AC_TEST_PROGRAM'.
* Menu:
* Guidelines:: General rules for writing test programs.
* Tricks:: Special ways to work around problems.
File: autoconf.info, Node: Guidelines, Next: Tricks, Up: Test Programs
Guidelines for Test Programs
----------------------------
Test programs should return 0 if the test succeeds, nonzero
otherwise, so that success can be distinguished easily from a core dump
or other failure; segmentation violations and other failures produce a
nonzero exit status. Test programs should `exit', not `return', from
`main', because on some systems the argument to `return' in `main' is
ignored. They should not write anything to the standard output.
Test programs can use `#if' or `#ifdef' to check the values of
preprocessor macros defined by tests that have already run. For
example, if you call `AC_STDC_HEADERS', then later on in `configure.in'
you can have a test program that includes an ANSI C header file
conditionally:
#if STDC_HEADERS
#include <stdlib.h>
#endif
If a test program needs to use or create a data file, give it a name
that starts with `conftest', such as `conftestdata'. The `configure'
script cleans up by running `rm -f conftest*' after running test
programs and if the script is interrupted.
File: autoconf.info, Node: Tricks, Prev: Guidelines, Up: Test Programs
Tricks for Test Programs
------------------------
If a test program calls a function with invalid parameters (just to
see whether it exists), organize the program to ensure that it never
invokes that function. You can do this by calling it in another
function that is never invoked. You can't do it by putting it after a
call to `exit', because GCC version 2 knows that `exit' never returns
and optimizes out any code that follows it in the same block.
If you include any header files, make sure to call the functions
relevant to them with the correct number of arguments, even if they are
just 0, to avoid compilation errors due to prototypes. GCC version 2
has internal prototypes for several functions that it automatically
inlines; for example, `memcpy'. To avoid errors when checking for
them, either pass them the correct number of arguments or redeclare them
with a different return type (such as `char').
File: autoconf.info, Node: Multiple Cases, Prev: Test Programs, Up: Writing Macros
Multiple Cases
==============
Some operations are accomplished in several possible ways, depending
on the UNIX variant. Checking for them essentially requires a "case
statement". Autoconf does not directly provide one; however, it is
easy to simulate by using a shell variable to keep track of whether a
way to perform the operation has been found yet.
Here is an example excerpted from the `configure.in' for GNU `find'.
It uses the shell variable `fstype' to keep track of whether the
remaining cases need to be checked. There are several more cases which
are not shown here but follow the same pattern.
echo checking how to get filesystem type
# SVR4.
AC_TEST_CPP([#include <sys/statvfs.h>
#include <sys/fstyp.h>], AC_DEFINE(FSTYPE_STATVFS) fstype=1)
if test -z "$fstype"; then
# SVR3.
AC_TEST_CPP([#include <sys/statfs.h>
#include <sys/fstyp.h>], AC_DEFINE(FSTYPE_USG_STATFS) fstype=1)
fi
if test -z "$fstype"; then
# AIX.
AC_TEST_CPP([#include <sys/statfs.h>
#include <sys/vmount.h>], AC_DEFINE(FSTYPE_AIX_STATFS) fstype=1)
fi
File: autoconf.info, Node: Makefiles, Next: Running configure Scripts, Prev: Writing Macros, Up: Top
Makefiles
*********
Each subdirectory in a distribution should come with a file
`Makefile.in', from which `configure' will produce a `Makefile' in that
directory. Most of the substitutions that `configure' does are simple:
for each configuration variable that the package uses, it just replaces
occurrences of `@VARIABLE@' with the value that `configure' has
determined for that variable. Any occurrences of `@VARIABLE@' for
variables that `configure' does not know about are passed through
unchanged.
There is no point in checking for the correct value to give a
variable that is never used. Every variable that the `configure' script
might set a value for should appear in a `@VARIABLE@' reference in at
least one `Makefile.in'. If `AC_CONFIG_HEADER' is called, `configure'
replaces `@DEFS@' with `-DHAVE_CONFIG_H', since the contents of `DEFS'
would be redundant.
*Note Makefile Conventions: (standards.info)Makefiles, for more
information on what to put in Makefiles. *Note Sample Makefile.in::,
for an example of a real `Makefile.in'.
* Menu:
* Predefined Variables:: Heavily used `make' variables.
* Installation Prefixes:: A special variable substitution.
* VPATH Substitutions:: Compiling in a different directory.
* Automatic Remaking:: Makefile rules for configuring.
File: autoconf.info, Node: Predefined Variables, Next: Installation Prefixes, Up: Makefiles
Predefined Variables
====================
Some `make' variables are predefined by the Autoconf macros.
`AC_SUBST' is called for them automatically (*note Setting
Variables::.), so in your `Makefile.in' files you can get their values
by enclosing their names in `@' characters (*note Makefiles::.). The
variables that are defined by the general purpose Autoconf macros are:
`srcdir'
The directory that contains the source code for that `Makefile'.
`DEFS'
`-D' options to pass to the C compiler. Do not include `@DEFS@'
in your `Makefile.in' files if you are using `AC_CONFIG_HEADER'.
`LIBS'
`-l' and `-L' options to pass to the linker.
`LIBOBJS'
Names of object files (ending in `.o'). Set by `AC_REPLACE_FUNCS'
(*note General Tests::.).
File: autoconf.info, Node: Installation Prefixes, Next: VPATH Substitutions, Prev: Predefined Variables, Up: Makefiles
Installation Prefixes
=====================
If `configure' has figured out a value for the installation prefix,
either by the user supplying one on the command line (*note Running
configure Scripts::.) or with `AC_PREFIX', then it substitutes that
value in `Makefile's that it creates. Wherever a `Makefile.in'
contains a line like
prefix = /usr/local
`configure' substitutes the value it figured out. The word `prefix'
must not be preceded by any other characters on the line.
There can be separate installation prefixes for architecture-specific
files and architecture-independent files *note Running configure
Scripts::.). `configure' substitutes the word `exec_prefix' in the
same way that it does `prefix'.
File: autoconf.info, Node: VPATH Substitutions, Next: Automatic Remaking, Prev: Installation Prefixes, Up: Makefiles
`VPATH' Substitutions
=====================
You might want to compile a software package in a different directory
from the one that contains the source code. Doing this allows you to
compile the package for several architectures simultaneously from the
same copy of the source code and keep multiple sets of object files on
disk.
To support doing this, `make' uses the `VPATH' variable to find the
files that are in the source directory. GNU `make' and most other
recent `make' programs can do this. Older `make' programs do not
support `VPATH'; when using them, the source code must be in the same
directory as the object files.
To support `VPATH', each `Makefile.in' should contain two lines that
look like:
srcdir = @srcdir@
VPATH = @srcdir@
Do not set `VPATH' to the value of another variable, for example
`VPATH = $(srcdir)', because some versions of `make' do not do variable
substitutions on the value of `VPATH'.
`configure' substitutes in the correct value for `srcdir' when it
produces `Makefile.in'.
Do not use the `make' variable `$<', which expands to the pathname
of the file in the source directory (found with `VPATH'), except in
implicit rules. (An implicit rule is one such as `.c.o', which tells
how to create a `.o' file from a `.c' file.) Some versions of `make'
do not set `$<' in explicit rules; they expand it to an empty value.
Instead, `Makefile' command lines should always refer to source
files by prefixing them with `$(srcdir)/'. For example:
time.info: time.texinfo
makeinfo $(srcdir)/time.texinfo
File: autoconf.info, Node: Automatic Remaking, Prev: VPATH Substitutions, Up: Makefiles
Automatic Remaking
==================
You can put rules like the following in the top-level `Makefile.in'
for a package to automatically update the configuration information when
you change the configuration files.
# The next rule also takes care of making config.h from config.h.in.
# If remaking config.h does not change it, its timestamp is untouched.
Makefile: Makefile.in config.status $(SHELL) config.status
config.status: configure $(SHELL) $(srcdir)/configure -no-create
configure: configure.in cd $(srcdir); autoconf config.h.in:
configure.in cd $(srcdir); autoheader
File: autoconf.info, Node: Running configure Scripts, Next: Example, Prev: Makefiles, Up: Top
Running `configure' Scripts
***************************
A software package that uses a `configure' script generated by
Autoconf should be distributed with a file `Makefile.in', but no
`Makefile'; that way, the user has to properly configure the package
for the local system before compiling it. Normally, configuring
consists of simply doing a `cd' to the package's source code directory
and typing:
configure
If the `PATH' environment variable does not contain the directory
`.', the command is instead:
./configure
Users running `csh' on old versions of System V might have to
explicitly run `sh' on `configure':
sh configure
Running `configure' takes a minute or two. While it is running, it
prints some messages that tell what it is doing. If you don't want to
see the messages, run `configure' with its standard output redirected
to `/dev/null'; for example, `./configure >/dev/null'.
To compile the package in a different directory from the one
containing the source code, you must use a version of `make' that
supports the `VPATH' variable, such as GNU `make'. `cd' to the
directory where you want the object files and executables to go and run
`configure'. `configure' automatically checks for the source code in
the directory that `configure' is in and in `..'. If for some reason
`configure' is not in the source code directory that you are
configuring, then it will report that it can't find the source code.
In that case, run `configure' with the option `--srcdir=DIR', where DIR
is the directory that contains the source code.
By default, `make install' will install the package's files in
`/usr/local/bin', `/usr/local/man', etc. You can specify an
installation prefix other than `/usr/local' by giving `configure' the
option `--prefix=PATH'. Alternately, you can do so by giving a value
for the `prefix' variable when you run `make', e.g.,
make prefix=/usr/gnu
You can specify separate installation prefixes for machine-specific
files and machine-independent files. If you give `configure' the
option `--exec-prefix=PATH' or set the `make' variable `exec_prefix' to
PATH, the package will use PATH as the prefix for installing programs
and libraries. Normally, all files are installed using the same prefix.
Another `configure' option is useful mainly in `Makefile' rules for
updating `config.status' and `Makefile'. The `--no-create' option
figures out the configuration for your system and records it in
`config.status', without actually configuring the package (creating
`Makefile's and perhaps a configuration header file). Later, you can
run `./config.status' to actually configure the package. You can also
give `config.status' the `--recheck' option, which makes it re-run
`configure' with the same arguments you used before. This option is
useful if you change `configure'.
Some packages pay attention to `--with-PACKAGE' options to
`configure', where PACKAGE is something like `gnu-libc' or `x' (for X
windows). The README should mention any `--with-' options that the
package recognizes.
`configure' ignores any other arguments that you give it.
On systems that require unusual options for compilation or linking
that the package's `configure' script does not know about, you can give
`configure' initial values for variables by setting them in the
environment. In Bourne-compatible shells, you can do that on the
command line like this:
CC='gcc -traditional' LIBS=-lposix ./configure
The `make' variables that you might want to override with
environment variables when running `configure' are:
(For these variables, any value given in the environment overrides
the value that `configure' would choose:)
C compiler program. The default is `cc', or `gcc' if `gcc' is in
your `PATH'.
`INSTALL'
Program to use to install files. The default is `install' if you
have it, `cp' otherwise.
(For these variables, any value given in the environment is added to
the value that `configure' chooses:)
`DEFS'
Configuration options, in the form `-Dfoo -Dbar...'. Do not use
this variable in packages that use `AC_CONFIG_HEADER'.
`LIBS'
Libraries to link with, in the form `-lfoo -lbar...'.
Of course, in the long term, most problems requiring manual
intervention should be fixed by updating either the Autoconf macros or
the `configure.in' file for that package. *Note Making configure
Scripts::, for a discussion of that subject.
File: autoconf.info, Node: Example, Next: Preprocessor Symbol Index, Prev: Running configure Scripts, Up: Top
An Example
**********
Here are sample `configure.in' and `Makefile.in' files, to give a
real illustration of using Autoconf. They are from the GNU `cpio'
package, which also includes the `mt' and `rmt' programs.
* Menu:
* Sample configure.in:: An example of a `configure' template.
* Sample Makefile.in:: An example of a `Makefile' template.
File: autoconf.info, Node: Sample configure.in, Next: Sample Makefile.in, Up: Example
Sample `configure.in'
=====================
Here is `configure.in' from GNU `cpio'. Note the use of the `dnl'
macro after `AC_SUBST' to suppress an extra unwanted, though harmless,
newline in the generated `configure' script (because the `AC_SUBST'
macro does not produce any output where it is called).
dnl Process this file with autoconf to produce a configure script.
AC_INIT(cpio.h)
PROGS="cpio"
AC_SUBST(PROGS)dnl
AC_PROG_CC
AC_PROG_CPP
AC_GCC_TRADITIONAL
AC_PROG_INSTALL
AC_AIX
AC_MINIX
AC_ISC_POSIX
AC_RETSIGTYPE
AC_MAJOR_HEADER
AC_REMOTE_TAPE
test -n "$have_mtio" && PROGS="$PROGS mt"
AC_RSH
AC_CONST
AC_UID_T
AC_STDC_HEADERS
AC_UNISTD_H
AC_HAVE_HEADERS(string.h fcntl.h utime.h)
AC_REPLACE_FUNCS(bcopy mkdir strdup)
AC_HAVE_FUNCS(strerror lchown)
AC_VPRINTF
AC_ALLOCA
AC_XENIX_DIR
AC_HAVE_LIBRARY(socket, [LIBS="$LIBS -lsocket"])
AC_HAVE_LIBRARY(nsl, [LIBS="$LIBS -lnsl"])
AC_OUTPUT(Makefile)
File: autoconf.info, Node: Sample Makefile.in, Prev: Sample configure.in, Up: Example
Sample `Makefile.in'
====================
Here is `Makefile.in' from GNU `cpio', with some irrelevant lines
omitted, for brevity.
#### Start of system configuration section. ####
srcdir = @srcdir@
VPATH = @srcdir@
CC = @CC@
INSTALL = @INSTALL@
INSTALL_PROGRAM = @INSTALL_PROGRAM@
INSTALL_DATA = @INSTALL_DATA@
DEFS = @DEFS@
LIBS = @LIBS@
RTAPELIB = @RTAPELIB@
CFLAGS = -g
LDFLAGS = -g
prefix = /usr/local
exec_prefix = $(prefix)
binprefix =
manprefix =
bindir = $(exec_prefix)/bin
libdir = /etc
mandir = $(prefix)/man/man1
manext = 1
#### End of system configuration section. ####
SHELL = /bin/sh
SRCS = copyin.c copyout.c copypass.c dstring.c fnmatch.c global.c \
main.c tar.c util.c error.c getopt.c getopt1.c filemode.c version.c \
rtapelib.c dirname.c idcache.c makepath.c xmalloc.c stripslash.c \
userspec.c xstrdup.c bcopy.c mkdir.c strdup.c
OBJS = copyin.o copyout.o copypass.o dstring.o fnmatch.o global.o \
main.o tar.o util.o error.o getopt.o getopt1.o filemode.o version.o \
$(RTAPELIB) dirname.o idcache.o makepath.o xmalloc.o stripslash.o \
userspec.o xstrdup.o @LIBOBJS@ @ALLOCA@
# mt source files not shared with cpio.
MT_SRCS = mt.c argmatch.c
MT_OBJS = mt.o argmatch.o error.o getopt.o getopt1.o \
xmalloc.o $(RTAPELIB) @ALLOCA@
HDRS = cpio.h cpiohdr.h tar.h tarhdr.h dstring.h extern.h filetypes.h \
system.h fnmatch.h getopt.h rmt.h
DISTFILES = $(SRCS) $(HDRS) COPYING COPYING.LIB ChangeLog Makefile.in \
README NEWS INSTALL cpio.1 mt.1 makefile.pc cpio.def cpio.cs \
configure configure.in $(MT_SRCS) rmt.c tcexparg.c alloca.c
all: @PROGS@
.c.o:
$(CC) -c $(CFLAGS) $(CPPFLAGS) $(DEFS) -I$(srcdir) $<
install: all $(srcdir)/cpio.1 $(srcdir)/mt.1
$(INSTALL_PROGRAM) cpio $(bindir)/$(binprefix)cpio
test ! -f mt || $(INSTALL_PROGRAM) mt $(bindir)/$(binprefix)mt
-test ! -f rmt || $(INSTALL_PROGRAM) rmt /etc/rmt
$(INSTALL_DATA) $(srcdir)/cpio.1 $(mandir)/$(manprefix)cpio.$(manext)
test ! -f mt || \
$(INSTALL_DATA) $(srcdir)/mt.1 $(mandir)/$(manprefix)mt.$(manext)
cpio: $(OBJS)
$(CC) $(LDFLAGS) -o $@ $(OBJS) $(LIBS)
rmt: rmt.o
$(CC) $(LDFLAGS) -o $@ rmt.o $(LIBS)
mt: $(MT_OBJS)
$(CC) $(LDFLAGS) -o $@ $(MT_OBJS) $(LIBS)
TAGS: $(SRCS)
etags $(SRCS)
clean:
rm -f cpio rmt mt *.o core
mostlyclean: clean
distclean: clean
rm -f Makefile config.status
realclean: distclean
rm -f TAGS
dist:
echo cpio-`sed -e '/version_string/!d' \
-e 's/[^0-9.]*\([0-9.]*\).*/\1/' -e q version.c` > .fname
rm -rf `cat .fname`
mkdir `cat .fname`
ln $(DISTFILES) `cat .fname`
tar chZf `cat .fname`.tar.Z `cat .fname`
rm -rf `cat .fname` .fname
File: autoconf.info, Node: Preprocessor Symbol Index, Next: Macro Index, Prev: Example, Up: Top
Preprocessor Symbol Index
*************************
This is an alphabetical list of the C preprocessor symbols that the
Autoconf macros define. To work with Autoconf, C source code needs to
use these names in `#if' directives.
* Menu:
* const: Compiler Characteristics.
* DECLARE_YYTEXT: Alternative Programs.
* DIRENT: Header Files.
* GETGROUPS_T: Typedefs.
* GETLODAVG_PRIVILEGED: Library Functions.
* gid_t: Typedefs.
* HAVE_FUNCTION: General Tests.
* HAVE_HEADER: General Tests.
* HAVE_ALLOCA_H: Library Functions.
* HAVE_CONFIG_H: Setup.
* HAVE_DOPRNT: Library Functions.
* HAVE_LONG_DOUBLE: Compiler Characteristics.
* HAVE_LONG_FILE_NAMES: System Services.
* HAVE_NETDB_H: Alternative Programs.
* HAVE_RESTARTABLE_SYSCALLS: System Services.
* HAVE_STRCOLL: Library Functions.
* HAVE_ST_BLKSIZE: Structures.
* HAVE_ST_BLOCKS: Structures.
* HAVE_ST_RDEV: Structures.
* HAVE_SYS_MTIO_H: System Services.
* HAVE_TM_ZONE: Structures.
* HAVE_TZNAME: Structures.
* HAVE_UNISTD_H: Header Files.
* HAVE_UTIME_NULL: Library Functions.
* HAVE_VFORK_H: Library Functions.
* HAVE_VPRINTF: Library Functions.
* HAVE_WAIT3: Library Functions.
* inline: Compiler Characteristics.
* INT_16_BITS: Compiler Characteristics.
* MAJOR_IN_MKDEV: Header Files.
* MAJOR_IN_SYSMACROS: Header Files.
* mode_t: Typedefs.
* NDIR: Header Files.
* NEED_MEMORY_H: Header Files.
* NEED_SETGID: Library Functions.
* NLIST_NAME_UNION: Library Functions.
* NLIST_STRUCT: Library Functions.
* NO_ARG_ARRAY: Compiler Characteristics.
* NO_MINUS_C_MINUS_O: Alternative Programs.
* NO_REMOTE: Alternative Programs.
* pid_t: Typedefs.
* RETSIGTYPE: Typedefs.
* SETVBUF_REVERSED: Library Functions.
* size_t: Typedefs.
* STDC_HEADERS: Header Files.
* SYSDIR: Header Files.
* SYSNDIR: Header Files.
* TIME_WITH_SYS_TIME: Structures.
* TM_IN_SYS_TIME: Structures.
* uid_t: Typedefs.
* USG: Header Files.
* vfork: Library Functions.
* VOID_CLOSEDIR: UNIX Variants.
* VOID_CLOSEDIR: Header Files.
* WORDS_BIGENDIAN: Compiler Characteristics.
* _ALL_SOURCE: UNIX Variants.
* _MINIX: UNIX Variants.
* _POSIX_1_SOURCE: UNIX Variants.
* _POSIX_SOURCE: UNIX Variants.
* _POSIX_SOURCE: UNIX Variants.
* _POSIX_VERSION: Header Files.
* __CHAR_UNSIGNED__: Compiler Characteristics.
File: autoconf.info, Node: Macro Index, Prev: Preprocessor Symbol Index, Up: Top
Macro Index
***********
This is an alphabetical list of the Autoconf macros. To make the
list easier to use, the macros are listed without their preceding `AC_'.
* Menu:
* AIX: UNIX Variants.
* ALLOCA: Library Functions.
* ARG_ARRAY: Compiler Characteristics.
* BEFORE: Macro Ordering.
* CHAR_UNSIGNED: Compiler Characteristics.
* COMPILE_CHECK: General Tests.
* CONFIG_HEADER: Setup.
* CONST: Compiler Characteristics.
* CROSS_CHECK: Compiler Characteristics.
* DECLARE_YYTEXT: Alternative Programs.
* DEFINE: Setting Variables.
* DEFINE_UNQUOTED: Setting Variables.
* DIR_HEADER: Header Files.
* DYNIX_SEQ: UNIX Variants.
* FUNC_CHECK: General Tests.
* GCC_TRADITIONAL: Alternative Programs.
* GETGROUPS_T: Typedefs.
* GETLOADAVG: Library Functions.
* HAVE_FUNCS: General Tests.
* HAVE_HEADERS: General Tests.
* HAVE_LIBRARY: General Tests.
* HAVE_LONG_DOUBLE: Compiler Characteristics.
* HAVE_POUNDBANG: System Services.
* HEADER_CHECK: General Tests.
* HEADER_EGREP: General Tests.
* INIT: Setup.
* INLINE: Compiler Characteristics.
* INT_16_BITS: Compiler Characteristics.
* IRIX_SUN: UNIX Variants.
* ISC_POSIX: UNIX Variants.
* LN_S: Alternative Programs.
* LONG_FILE_NAMES: System Services.
* MAJOR_HEADER: Header Files.
* MEMORY_H: Header Files.
* MINIX: UNIX Variants.
* MINUS_C_MINUS_O: Alternative Programs.
* MODE_T: Typedefs.
* OUTPUT: Setup.
* PID_T: Typedefs.
* PREFIX: General Tests.
* PREPARE: Setup.
* PROGRAMS_CHECK: General Tests.
* PROGRAM_CHECK: General Tests.
* PROGRAM_EGREP: General Tests.
* PROG_AWK: Alternative Programs.
* PROG_CC: Alternative Programs.
* PROG_CPP: Alternative Programs.
* PROG_INSTALL: Alternative Programs.
* PROG_LEX: Alternative Programs.
* PROG_RANLIB: Alternative Programs.
* PROG_YACC: Alternative Programs.
* PROVIDE: Macro Ordering.
* REMOTE_TAPE: System Services.
* REPLACE_FUNCS: General Tests.
* REQUIRE: Macro Ordering.
* RESTARTABLE_SYSCALLS: System Services.
* RETSIGTYPE: Typedefs.
* RSH: Alternative Programs.
* SCO_INTL: UNIX Variants.
* SETVBUF_REVERSED: Library Functions.
* SIZE_T: Typedefs.
* STDC_HEADERS: Header Files.
* STRCOLL: Library Functions.
* STRUCT_TM: Structures.
* ST_BLKSIZE: Structures.
* ST_BLOCKS: Structures.
* ST_RDEV: Structures.
* SUBST: Setting Variables.
* TEST_CPP: General Tests.
* TEST_PROGRAM: General Tests.
* TIMEZONE: Structures.
* TIME_WITH_SYS_TIME: Structures.
* UID_T: Typedefs.
* UNISTD_H: Header Files.
* USG: Header Files.
* UTIME_NULL: Library Functions.
* VFORK: Library Functions.
* VPRINTF: Library Functions.
* WAIT3: Library Functions.
* WITH: General Tests.
* WORDS_BIGENDIAN: Compiler Characteristics.
* XENIX_DIR: UNIX Variants.
Tag Table:
Node: Top
Node: Introduction
Node: Distributing
Node: Making configure Scripts
Node: Writing configure.in
Node: Invoking autoconf
Node: Invoking autoheader
12132
Node: Specific Tests
13565
Node: Alternative Programs
15229
Node: Header Files
18189
Node: Typedefs
23109
Node: Library Functions
24175
Node: Structures
28555
Node: Compiler Characteristics
30319
Node: System Services
32512
Node: UNIX Variants
33657
Node: General Purpose Macros
35365
Node: Setup
36282
Node: General Tests
39486
Node: Setting Variables
47293
Node: Macro Ordering
50082
Node: Writing Macros
52235
Node: Macro Format
53731
Node: Quoting
55103
Node: Dependencies Between Macros
56562
Node: Prerequisite Macros
57183
Node: Suggested Ordering
58232
Node: Checking for Files
59611
Node: Checking for Symbols
60397
Node: Test Programs
61867
Node: Guidelines
63516
Node: Tricks
64658
Node: Multiple Cases
65661
Node: Makefiles
66865
Node: Predefined Variables
68273
Node: Installation Prefixes
69150
Node: VPATH Substitutions
70007
Node: Automatic Remaking
71725
Node: Running configure Scripts
72409
Node: Example
77005
Node: Sample configure.in
77474
Node: Sample Makefile.in
78617
Node: Preprocessor Symbol Index
81913
Node: Macro Index
85756
End Tag Table