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* NEWS: Use "M4" rather than "m4" when appropriate.

Browse Source 
Problem reported by Eric Blake.
* doc/autoconf.texi: Likewise.
Use @acronym around BSD, GCC, and GNU when appropriate.
(Why GNU M4): Renamed from "Why GNU m4".
(Redefined M4 Macros): Mention that Posix
m4wrap takes only 1 argument, but GNU M4 1.4.x takes more.
(Buffer Overruns): Mention size_t and ptrdiff_t as alternatives
to int.
This commit is contained in:
Paul Eggert 2006-06-20 19:49:14 +00:00
parent 472aafe0f5
commit d88b0fa532
3 changed files with 72 additions and 43 deletions
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12
ChangeLog
View File

@ -1,3 +1,15 @@
2006-06-20 Paul Eggert <eggert@cs.ucla.edu>
* NEWS: Use "M4" rather than "m4" when appropriate.
Problem reported by Eric Blake.
* doc/autoconf.texi: Likewise.
Use @acronym around BSD, GCC, and GNU when appropriate.
(Why GNU M4): Renamed from "Why GNU m4".
(Redefined M4 Macros): Mention that Posix
m4wrap takes only 1 argument, but GNU M4 1.4.x takes more.
(Buffer Overruns): Mention size_t and ptrdiff_t as alternatives
to int.
2006-06-20 Ralf Wildenhues <Ralf.Wildenhues@gmx.de>
* bin/autom4te.in (handle_output): Do not forbid the empty

18
NEWS
View File

@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
* Major changes in Autoconf 2.59e
** Autoconf no longer depends on whether m4wrap is FIFO (as Posix requires)
or LIFO (as in GNU m4 1.4.x). GNU m4 2.0 is expected to conform to Posix
or LIFO (as in GNU M4 1.4.x). GNU M4 2.0 is expected to conform to Posix
here, so m4wrap/m4_wrap users should no longer depend on LIFO behavior.
* Major changes in Autoconf 2.59d
@ -257,7 +257,7 @@
especially useful for initial "bootstrapping" of fresh CVS checkouts.
** AC_CONFIG_MACRO_DIR
Use this macro to declare the directory for local m4 macros for aclocal.
Use this macro to declare the directory for local M4 macros for aclocal.
** AC_LIBOBJS
No longer includes twice the same file in LIBOBJS if invoked
@ -325,7 +325,7 @@
Released 2002-12-03 by Paul Eggert.
Bug fixes for problems with AIX linker, with freestanding C compilers,
with GNU m4 limitations, and with obsolete copies of GNU documents.
with GNU M4 limitations, and with obsolete copies of GNU documents.
The Free Documentation License has been upgraded from 1.1 to 1.2.
@ -767,7 +767,7 @@ In particular, portability issues are better covered.
** Use of Automake
All the standard GNU Makefile targets are supported. The layout has
changed: m4/ holds the m4 extensions Autoconf needs for its
changed: m4/ holds the M4 extensions Autoconf needs for its
configuration, doc/ contains the documentation, and tests/ contains
the test suite.
@ -1146,9 +1146,9 @@ Library, need major changes because they relied on undocumented
internals of version 1. Future releases of those packages will have
updated configure.in files.
It's best to use GNU m4 1.3 (or later) with Autoconf version 2.
Autoconf now makes heavy use of m4 diversions, which were implemented
inefficiently in GNU m4 releases before 1.3.
It's best to use GNU M4 1.3 (or later) with Autoconf version 2.
Autoconf now makes heavy use of M4 diversions, which were implemented
inefficiently in GNU M4 releases before 1.3.
Major changes in Autoconf 2.0:
@ -1349,7 +1349,7 @@ Major changes in Autoconf 1.4:
* New macros AC_HAVE_POUNDBANG, AC_TIME_WITH_SYS_TIME, AC_LONG_DOUBLE,
AC_GETGROUPS_T, AC_DEFINE_UNQUOTED.
* autoconf and autoheader use the M4 environment variable to determine the
name of the m4 program to use.
name of the M4 program to use.
* The --macrodir option to autoconf and autoheader specifies the directory
in which acspecific.m4, acgeneral.m4, etc. reside if not the default.
* autoconf and autoheader can take `-' as their file names, which means to
@ -1361,7 +1361,7 @@ Major changes in Autoconf 1.4:
expansion done by the shell. If you don't want this, use
AC_DEFINE_UNQUOTED instead.
* Much textual processing done with external calls to tr and sed have been
internalized with builtin m4 `patsubst' and `translit' calls.
internalized with builtin M4 `patsubst' and `translit' calls.
* AC_OUTPUT doesn't hardwire the file names it outputs. Instead, you can
set the shell variables `gen_files' and `gen_config' to the list of
file names to output.

85
doc/autoconf.texi
View File

@ -589,7 +589,7 @@ Using an Autotest Test Suite
Frequent Autoconf Questions, with answers
* Distributing:: Distributing @command{configure} scripts
* Why GNU m4:: Why not use the standard M4?
* Why GNU M4:: Why not use the standard M4?
* Bootstrapping:: Autoconf and @acronym{GNU} M4 require each other?
* Why Not Imake:: Why @acronym{GNU} uses @command{configure} instead of Imake
* Defining Directories:: Passing @code{datadir} to program
@ -733,7 +733,7 @@ Peter Simons}.
@node The GNU Build System
@chapter The @acronym{GNU} Build System
@cindex GNU build system
@cindex @acronym{GNU} build system
Autoconf solves an important problem---reliable discovery of
system-specific build and runtime information---but this is only one
@ -1552,8 +1552,8 @@ Gettext supplies the @command{autopoint} command to add translation
infrastructure to a source package. If you use @command{autopoint},
your @file{configure.ac} should invoke both @code{AM_GNU_GETTEXT} and
@code{AM_GNU_GETTEXT_VERSION(@var{gettext-version})}. @xref{autopoint
Invocation, , Invoking the @code{autopoint} Program, gettext, GNU
@code{gettext} utilities}, for further details.
Invocation, , Invoking the @code{autopoint} Program, gettext,
@acronym{GNU} @code{gettext} utilities}, for further details.
@noindent
@command{autoreconf} accepts the following options:
@ -2487,7 +2487,7 @@ The top-level directory for installing documentation in man format.
@defvar oldincludedir
@ovindex oldincludedir
The directory for installing C header files for non-GCC compilers.
The directory for installing C header files for non-@acronym{GCC} compilers.
@end defvar
@defvar pdfdir
@ -4101,8 +4101,8 @@ longer need to be worried about.
On various old systems, e.g., HP-UX 9, @code{sscanf} requires that its
input string be writable (though it doesn't actually change it). This
can be a problem when using @command{gcc} since it normally puts
constant strings in read-only memory
(@pxref{Incompatibilities, Incompatibilities of GCC, , gcc, Using and
constant strings in read-only memory (@pxref{Incompatibilities,
Incompatibilities of @acronym{GCC}, , gcc, Using and
Porting the @acronym{GNU} Compiler Collection}). Apparently in some cases even
having format strings read-only can be a problem.
@ -4950,7 +4950,8 @@ additions. Please help us keeping it as complete as possible.
@item @file{limits.h}
C99 says that @file{limits.h} defines @code{LLONG_MIN},
@code{LLONG_MAX}, and @code{ULLONG_MAX}, but many almost-C99
environments (e.g., default GCC 4.0.2 + glibc 2.4) do not define them.
environments (e.g., default @acronym{GCC} 4.0.2 + glibc 2.4) do not
define them.
@item @file{inttypes.h} vs.@: @file{stdint.h}
@hdrindex{inttypes.h}
@ -5538,7 +5539,7 @@ For each of the @var{symbols} (@emph{comma}-separated list), define
execute when one of the function declarations is needed, otherwise
@var{action-if-found} is executed.
This macro uses an m4 list as first argument:
This macro uses an M4 list as first argument:
@example
AC_CHECK_DECLS([strdup])
AC_CHECK_DECLS([strlen])
@ -5730,7 +5731,7 @@ capitals, with spaces and dots replaced by underscores). If
members. If @var{action-if-not-found} is given, it is executed for each
of the members that could not be found.
This macro uses m4 lists:
This macro uses M4 lists:
@example
AC_CHECK_MEMBERS([struct stat.st_rdev, struct stat.st_blksize])
@end example
@ -5999,7 +6000,7 @@ specified, the default includes are used (@pxref{Default Includes}). If
when one of the types is found. If @var{action-if-not-found} is given,
it is executed when one of the types is not found.
This macro uses m4 lists:
This macro uses M4 lists:
@example
AC_CHECK_TYPES([ptrdiff_t])
AC_CHECK_TYPES([unsigned long long int, uintmax_t])
@ -6118,7 +6119,8 @@ Normally Autoconf ignores warnings generated by the compiler, linker, and
preprocessor. If this macro is used, warnings count as fatal
errors for the current language. This macro is useful when the
results of configuration are used where warnings are unacceptable; for
instance, if parts of a program are built with the GCC @option{-Werror}
instance, if parts of a program are built with the @acronym{GCC}
@option{-Werror}
option. If the whole program is built using @option{-Werror} it is
often simpler to put @option{-Werror} in the compiler flags (@code{CFLAGS},
etc.).
@ -6223,7 +6225,8 @@ variable
If using the @acronym{GNU} C compiler, set shell variable @code{GCC} to
@samp{yes}. If output variable @code{CFLAGS} was not already set, set
it to @option{-g -O2} for the @acronym{GNU} C compiler (@option{-O2} on systems
where GCC does not accept @option{-g}), or @option{-g} for other compilers.
where @acronym{GCC} does not accept @option{-g}), or @option{-g} for
other compilers.
@end defmac
@defmac AC_PROG_CC_C_O
@ -6369,7 +6372,7 @@ If @command{autoconf} detects this situation, it leaves @code{const} alone,
as this generally yields better results in practice. However, using a
C++ compiler to compile C code is not recommended or supported, and
installers who run into trouble in this area should get a C compiler
like GCC to compile their C code.
like @acronym{GCC} to compile their C code.
This macro is obsolescent, as current C compilers support @code{const}.
New programs need not use this macro.
@ -6450,7 +6453,8 @@ stringizing operator. New programs need not use this macro.
@acindex{C_TYPEOF}
@cvindex HAVE_TYPEOF
@cvindex typeof
If the C compiler supports GCC's @code{typeof} syntax either directly or
If the C compiler supports @acronym{GCC}'s @code{typeof} syntax either
directly or
through a different spelling of the keyword (e.g., @code{__typeof__}),
define @code{HAVE_TYPEOF}. If the support is available only through a
different spelling, define @code{typeof} to that spelling.
@ -7472,12 +7476,14 @@ 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
@code{exit}, because GCC version 2 knows that @code{exit} never returns
@code{exit}, because @acronym{GCC} version 2 knows that @code{exit}
never returns
and optimizes out any code that follows it in the same block.
If you include any header files, be 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
just 0, to avoid compilation errors due to prototypes. @acronym{GCC}
version 2
has internal prototypes for several functions that it automatically
inlines; for example, @code{memcpy}. To avoid errors when checking for
them, either pass them the correct number of arguments or redeclare them
@ -9158,7 +9164,7 @@ overquoting in @code{AC_DEFINE} descriptions.
The Autoconf suite, including M4sugar, M4sh, and Autotest, in addition
to Autoconf per se, heavily rely on M4. All these different uses
revealed common needs factored into a layer over @command{m4}:
revealed common needs factored into a layer over M4:
@command{autom4te}@footnote{
@c
Yet another great name from Lars J. Aas.
@ -9185,7 +9191,8 @@ autom4te @var{options} @var{files}
@noindent
@evindex M4
where the @var{files} are directly passed to @command{m4}. By default,
@acronym{GNU} m4 is found during configure, but the environment variable
@acronym{GNU} M4 is found during configuration, but the environment
variable
@env{M4} can be set to tell @command{autom4te} where to look. In addition
to the regular expansion, it handles the replacement of the quadrigraphs
(@pxref{Quadrigraphs}), and of @samp{__oline__}, the current line in the
@ -9346,8 +9353,8 @@ output and traces at the same time. Traces are heavily used in the
@acronym{GNU} Build System: @command{autoheader} uses them to build
@file{config.h.in}, @command{autoreconf} to determine what
@acronym{GNU} Build System components are used, @command{automake} to
``parse'' @file{configure.ac} etc. To save the long runs of
@command{m4}, traces are cached while performing regular expansion,
``parse'' @file{configure.ac} etc. To avoid recomputation,
traces are cached while performing regular expansion,
and conversely. This cache is (actually, the caches are) stored in
the directory @file{autom4te.cache}. @emph{It can safely be removed}
at any moment (especially if for some reason @command{autom4te}
@ -9645,6 +9652,11 @@ reprocessed at @acronym{EOF} in the same order as the original calls.
@acronym{GNU} M4 versions through 1.4.x, however, reprocess them in
reverse order. Your code should not depend on the order.
Also, Posix requires @code{m4wrap} to ignore its second and succeeding
arguments, but @acronym{GNU} M4 versions through 1.4.x concatenate the
arguments with intervening spaces. Your code should not pass more than
one argument.
You are encouraged to end @var{text} with @samp{[]}, to avoid unexpected
token pasting between consecutive invocations of @code{m4_wrap}, as in:
@ -9689,7 +9701,7 @@ order.
@defmac m4_foreach (@var{var}, @var{list}, @var{expression})
@msindex{foreach}
Loop over the comma-separated m4 list @var{list}, assigning each value
Loop over the comma-separated M4 list @var{list}, assigning each value
to @var{var}, and expand @var{expression}. The following example
outputs two lines:
@ -10069,7 +10081,7 @@ AC_DEFUN(@var{macro-name}, @var{macro-body})
You can refer to any arguments passed to the macro as @samp{$1},
@samp{$2}, etc. @xref{Definitions, , How to define new macros, m4.info,
@acronym{GNU} m4}, for more complete information on writing M4 macros.
@acronym{GNU} M4}, for more complete information on writing M4 macros.
Be sure to properly quote both the @var{macro-body} @emph{and} the
@var{macro-name} to avoid any problems if the macro happens to have
@ -13392,7 +13404,7 @@ In Mac OS X 10.3, @command{od} does not support the
standard Posix options @option{-A}, @option{-j}, @option{-N}, or
@option{-t}, or the @acronym{XSI} option @option{-s}. The only
supported Posix option is @option{-v}, and the only supported
@acronym{XSI} options are those in @option{-bcdox}. The BSD
@acronym{XSI} options are those in @option{-bcdox}. The @acronym{BSD}
@command{hexdump} program can be used instead.
This problem no longer exists in Mac OS X 10.4.3.
@ -13669,10 +13681,10 @@ remove @file{U} with Posix make, but incompatible
@command{touch} fails. One way to work around this is to reword the
affected simple-commands so that they always succeed, e.g., @samp{touch
T || :; rm -f U}.
However, even this approach can run into common bugs in BSD
However, even this approach can run into common bugs in @acronym{BSD}
implementations of the @option{-e} option of @command{sh} and
@command{set} (@pxref{Limitations of Builtins}), so if you are worried
about porting to buggy BSD shells it may be simpler to migrate
about porting to buggy @acronym{BSD} shells it may be simpler to migrate
complicated @command{make} actions into separate scripts.
@node Special Chars in Names
@ -14554,8 +14566,9 @@ platforms.
Several standards have been developed to help make your programs more
portable. If you write programs with these standards in mind, you can
have greater confidence that your programs work on a wide variety
of systems. @xref{Standards, , Language Standards Supported by GCC,
gcc, Using the GNU Compiler Collection (GCC)}, for a list of C-related
of systems. @xref{Standards, , Language Standards Supported by
@acronym{GCC}, gcc, Using the @acronym{GNU} Compiler Collection
(@acronym{GCC})}, for a list of C-related
standards. Many programs also assume the
@uref{http://www.opengroup.org/susv3, Posix standard}.
@ -14634,7 +14647,7 @@ of these two values typically yields the same signal on these CPUs,
even though the C standard requires @code{INT_MIN % -1} to yield zero
because the expression does not overflow.
GCC users might consider using the
@acronym{GCC} users might consider using the
@option{-ftrapv} option if they are worried about porting their code to
the rare platforms where signed integer overflow does not wrap around
after addition, subtraction, or multiplication.
@ -14678,7 +14691,8 @@ reliable in general, and it is usually easy enough to avoid the
potential portability problem, e.g., by allocating an extra unused array
element at the start or end.
@uref{http://valgrind.org/, Valgrind} can catch many overruns. GCC
@uref{http://valgrind.org/, Valgrind} can catch many overruns.
@acronym{GCC}
users might also consider using the @option{-fmudflap} option to catch
overruns.
@ -14687,7 +14701,9 @@ more subtle ways to get them.
Using @code{int} values to index into an array or compute array sizes
causes problems on typical 64-bit hosts where an array index might
be @math{2^31} or larger.
be @math{2^31} or larger. Index values of type @code{size_t} avoid this
problem, but cannot be negative. Index values of type @code{ptrdiff_t}
are signed, and are wide enough in practice.
If you add or multiply two numbers to calculate an array size, e.g.,
@code{malloc (x * sizeof y + z)}, havoc ensues if the addition or
@ -14704,7 +14720,8 @@ portable code should not use them unless the inputs are known to be
within certain limits. The time-related functions can overflow their
buffers if given timestamps out of range (e.g., a year less than -999
or greater than 9999). Time-related buffer overflows cannot happen with
recent-enough versions of the GNU C library, but are possible with other
recent-enough versions of the @acronym{GNU} C library, but are possible
with other
implementations. The @code{gets} function is the worst, since it almost
invariably overflows its buffer when presented with an input line larger
than the buffer.
@ -17976,7 +17993,7 @@ are addressed.
@menu
* Distributing:: Distributing @command{configure} scripts
* Why GNU m4:: Why not use the standard M4?
* Why GNU M4:: Why not use the standard M4?
* Bootstrapping:: Autoconf and @acronym{GNU} M4 require each other?
* Why Not Imake:: Why @acronym{GNU} uses @command{configure} instead of Imake
* Defining Directories:: Passing @code{datadir} to program
@ -18008,7 +18025,7 @@ exception to the @acronym{GPL} when they are used with an Autoconf-generated
same terms as the rest of your package. @file{install-sh} is from the X
Consortium and is not copyrighted.
@node Why GNU m4
@node Why GNU M4
@section Why Require @acronym{GNU} M4?
@display