autoconf/doc/autoconf.texi

\input texinfo @c -*-texinfo-*-
@c %**start of header
@setfilename autoconf.info
@settitle Autoconf
@setchapternewpage odd
@c %**end of header
@c Use on instead of odd in the setchapternewpage for single-sided printing.

@set EDITION 1.7.0
@set VERSION 1.7.0
@set UPDATED December 1993

@iftex
@finalout
@end iftex

@ifinfo
This file documents the GNU Autoconf package for creating scripts to
configure source code packages using templates and an @code{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.

@ignore
Permission is granted to process this file through TeX and print the
results, provided the printed document carries copying permission
notice identical to this one except for the removal of this paragraph
(this paragraph not being relevant to the printed manual).

@end ignore
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.
@end ifinfo

@titlepage
@title Autoconf
@subtitle Generating Automatic Configuration Scripts
@subtitle Edition @value{EDITION}, for Autoconf version @value{VERSION}
@subtitle @value{UPDATED}
@author by David MacKenzie, Roland McGrath, and Noah Friedman

@page
@vskip 0pt plus 1filll
Copyright @copyright{} 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.
@end titlepage

@c Define a macro index that @@defmacro doesn't write to.
@defcodeindex ma

@node Top, Introduction, , (dir)
@comment  node-name,  next,  previous,  up

@ifinfo
This file documents the GNU Autoconf package for creating scripts to
configure source code packages using templates and an @code{m4} macro
package.  This is edition @value{EDITION}, for Autoconf version @value{VERSION}.

@end ifinfo

@c The master menu, created with texinfo-master-menu, goes here.

@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 @file{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.

 --- The Detailed Node Listing ---

Making @code{configure} Scripts

* 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.

Specific Tests

* Alternative Programs::	Selecting between alternative programs.
* Header Files::		Header files that might be missing.
* Typedefs::			@code{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.

General Purpose Macros

* Setup::			Controlling Autoconf operation.
* General Tests::		Check for kinds of features.
* Setting Variables::		Setting shell and @code{make} variables.
* Macro Ordering::		Enforcing ordering constraints.

Writing Macros

* 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.

Dependencies Between Macros

* Prerequisite Macros::		Ensuring required information.
* Suggested Ordering::		Warning about possible ordering problems.

Test Programs

* Guidelines::			General rules for writing test programs.
* Tricks::			Special ways to work around problems.

Makefiles

* Predefined Variables::	Heavily used @code{make} variables.
* Installation Prefixes::	A special variable substitution.
* VPATH Substitutions::		Compiling in a different directory.
* Automatic Remaking::		Makefile rules for configuring.

Running @code{configure} Scripts

* Overriding variables::        Workarounds for unusual systems.
* Running config.status::       Recreating a configuration.

An Example

* Sample configure.in::		An example of a @file{configure} template.
* Sample Makefile.in::		An example of a @file{Makefile} template.
@end menu

@node Introduction, Distributing, Top, Top
@chapter 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.  The configuration scripts produced by Autoconf are
independent of Autoconf when they are run, so their users do not need to
have Autoconf.

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 the software package they are for might need individually.
(Before each check, they print 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.

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.  After the shell code to
recognize and respond to an operating system feature has been written,
Autoconf allows it to be shared by 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.

Larry Wall's Metaconfig package is similar in purpose to Autoconf, but
is more general.  The scripts it produces 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
@code{#ifdef} in C programs (@pxref{Preprocessor Symbol Index}).

Autoconf requires GNU @code{m4} in order to generate the scripts.  It
uses features that some UNIX versions of @code{m4} do not have; it is
also reported to overflow internal limits of some versions of @code{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 macros @code{AC_FUNC_CHECK} and
@code{AC_REPLACE_FUNCS} test, indicating that certain functions are
stubs (@pxref{General Tests}, for more information on checking for
functions).

@ifinfo
Autoconf was written by David MacKenzie, with help from Franc,ois
@end ifinfo
@tex
Autoconf was written by David MacKenzie, with help from Fran\c cois
@end tex
Pinard, Karl Berry, Richard Pixley, Ian Lance Taylor, Roland McGrath,
and Noah Friedman.  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.

Mail suggestions and bug reports for Autoconf to
@code{bug-gnu-utils@@prep.ai.mit.edu}.  Please include the Autoconf version
number, which you can get by running @samp{autoconf --version}.

@node Distributing, Making configure Scripts, Introduction, Top
@chapter 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.  As applied to Autoconf,
the GPL just means that you need to distribute @file{configure.in} along
with @file{configure}.

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 @emph{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.

@node Making configure Scripts, Specific Tests, Distributing, Top
@chapter Making @code{configure} Scripts

The configuration scripts that Autoconf produces are by convention
called @code{configure} when they are distributed.  When run, they
create several files:

@itemize @bullet
@item
one or more @file{Makefile} files (one in each subdirectory of the
package), from template @file{Makefile.in} files (@pxref{Makefiles});

@item
optionally, a C header file, the name of which is configurable,
containing @code{#define} statements (@pxref{Setup});

@item
a shell script called @file{config.status} that, when run, will recreate
the current configuration parameter settings
(@pxref{Running config.status}).
@end itemize

To create a @code{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:

@example
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   /
@end example

@noindent
Executables are suffixed by @samp{*}, while files appearing twice are
linked with lines of @samp{|}.

@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.
@end menu

@node Writing configure.in, Invoking autoconf, , Making configure Scripts
@section Writing @file{configure.in}

To produce a @code{configure} script for a software package, create a
file called @file{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
@ref{Specific Tests}, for their descriptions.  For most other
features, you can use Autoconf template macros to produce custom checks;
see @ref{General Tests}, for information about them.  For especially
tricky or specialized features, @file{configure.in} might need to
contain some hand-crafted shell commands.  @xref{Writing Macros}, for
guidelines on writing tests from scratch.

Every @file{configure.in} must begin with a call to @code{AC_INIT} and
end with a call to @code{AC_OUTPUT} (@pxref{Setup}).  Other than that,
the order in which @file{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 (@pxref{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
(@pxref{Specific Tests}).  Note that there must not be any space
between the macro name and the open parentheses.

@display
@group
@code{AC_INIT(@var{file})}
checks for alternative programs
checks for UNIX variants that set C preprocessor variables
checks for header files
checks for typedefs
checks for library functions
checks for structures
checks for compiler characteristics
checks for system services
other checks for UNIX variants
@code{AC_OUTPUT(@r{[}@var{file@dots{}}@r{]})}
@end group
@end display

You can include comments in @file{configure.in} files by starting them
with the @code{m4} predefined macro @code{dnl}, which discards text up
through the next newline.  These comments do not appear in the generated
@code{configure} scripts.  For example, it is helpful to begin
@file{configure.in} files with a line like this:

@example
dnl Process this file with autoconf to produce a configure script.
@end example

@xref{Sample configure.in}, for an example of a real @file{configure.in}
script.

@node Invoking autoconf, Invoking autoheader, Writing configure.in, Making configure Scripts
@section Invoking @code{autoconf}

To create @code{configure} from @file{configure.in}, run the
@code{autoconf} program with no arguments.  @code{autoconf} processes
@file{configure.in} with the @code{m4} macro processor, using the
Autoconf macros.  If you give @code{autoconf} an argument, it reads that
file instead of @file{configure.in} and writes the configuration script
to the standard output instead of to @file{configure}.  If you give
@code{autoconf} the argument @samp{-}, it reads the standard input
instead of @file{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: @code{autoconf} first reads
@file{acgeneral.m4} (@pxref{General Purpose Macros}), then
@file{acspecific.m4} (@pxref{Specific Tests}).  After reading them,
@code{autoconf} looks for an optional file called @file{aclocal.m4},
first in the directory that contains other installed Autoconf macro
files, and then 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 (@pxref{Writing Macros}, for more
information).  If a macro is defined in more than one of the files that
@code{autoconf} reads, the last definition it reads overrides the
earlier ones.

You can override the directory where @code{autoconf} looks for the
installed macro files by setting the @code{AC_MACRODIR} environment
variable to a different directory.  You can also give @code{autoconf}
the @samp{--macrodir} option, which overrides @code{AC_MACRODIR}.

@code{autoconf} also accepts the options @code{--version}, which prints
the Autoconf version number and exits, and @code{--help}, which prints a
summary of the command-line options and exits.

@node Invoking autoheader, , Invoking autoconf, Making configure Scripts
@section Invoking @code{autoheader}

You can use the program @code{autoheader} to create a template file of C
@samp{#define} statements for @code{configure} to use.  By default, the
file that @code{autoheader} creates is called @file{config.h.in}; if
@file{configure.in} invokes @code{AC_CONFIG_HEADER(@var{file})},
@code{autoheader} creates @file{@var{file}.in}.

@code{autoheader} scans @file{configure.in} and figures out which C
preprocessor symbols it might define.  It copies comments and
@code{#define} and @code{#undef} statements from a file called
@file{acconfig.h}, which comes with and is installed with Autoconf.  It
also uses a file called @file{acconfig.h} in the current directory, if
present; you must create that file to contain entries for symbols that
you @code{AC_DEFINE}.  For symbols that @code{AC_HAVE_HEADERS} or
@code{AC_HAVE_FUNCS} define, @code{autoheader} generates comments and
@code{#undef} statements itself rather than copying them from a file,
since the possible symbols are effectively limitless.

The file that @code{autoheader} creates contains only @code{#define} and
@code{#undef} statements and their accompanying comments; there is no
provision in @code{autoheader} for adding other code or comments to the
file.

If you give @code{autoheader} an argument, it uses that file instead of
@file{configure.in} and writes the header file to the standard output
instead of to @file{config.h.in}.  If you give @code{autoheader} an
argument of @samp{-}, it reads the standard input instead of
@file{configure.in} and writes the header file to the standard output.

You can override the directory where @code{autoheader} looks for the
installed macro and @file{acconfig.h} files by setting the
@code{AC_MACRODIR} environment variable to a different directory.  You
can also give @code{autoheader} the @samp{--macrodir} option, which
overrides @code{AC_MACRODIR}.

@code{autoheader} also accepts the options @code{--version}, which prints
the Autoconf version number and exits, and @code{--help}, which prints a
summary of the command-line options and exits.

@node Specific Tests, General Purpose Macros, Making configure Scripts, Top
@chapter 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 (@pxref{General
Tests}).

All of these macros that set @code{make} variables call @code{AC_SUBST}
on those variables (@pxref{Setting Variables}, for details about
@code{AC_SUBST}).  The phrase ``define @var{name}'' is used below as a
shorthand to mean either add @samp{-D@var{name}=1} to the @code{make}
variable @code{DEFS}, or put @samp{#define @var{name} 1} in the
configuration header file, depending on whether @code{AC_CONFIG_HEADER} has
been called.  @xref{Setting Variables}, for more information.

Within each section below, the macros are listed in alphabetical order.
The macros are generally named for the @code{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
@file{acspecific.m4}.

@menu
* Alternative Programs::	Selecting between alternative programs.
* Header Files::		Header files that might be missing.
* Typedefs::			@code{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.
@end menu

@node Alternative Programs, Header Files, , Specific Tests
@section Alternative Programs

The following macros check for the presence or behavior of particular
programs:

@defmac AC_DECLARE_YYTEXT
@maindex DECLARE_YYTEXT
@vindex DECLARE_YYTEXT
Define @code{DECLARE_YYTEXT} to declare @code{yytext} appropriately,
depending on whether @code{lex} or @code{flex} is being used.  This
macro calls @code{AC_PROG_CPP} and @code{AC_PROG_LEX} if they haven't
been called already.
@end defmac

@defmac AC_LN_S
@maindex LN_S
If @samp{ln -s} works on the current filesystem (the O.S. and filesystem
support symbolic links), set shell and @code{make} variable @code{LN_S}
to @samp{ln -s}, otherwise set it to @samp{ln}.
@end defmac

@defmac AC_MINUS_C_MINUS_O
@maindex MINUS_C_MINUS_O
@vindex NO_MINUS_C_MINUS_O
If the C compiler does not accept the @samp{-c} and @samp{-o} options
simultaneously, define @code{NO_MINUS_C_MINUS_O}.
@end defmac

@defmac AC_PROG_YACC
@maindex PROG_YACC
If @code{bison} is found, set @code{make} variable @code{YACC} to
@samp{bison -y}.  Otherwise, if @code{byacc} is found, set @code{YACC}
to @samp{byacc}.  Otherwise set @code{YACC} to @samp{yacc}.
@end defmac

@defmac AC_PROG_CPP
@maindex PROG_CPP
Set shell and @code{make} variable @code{CPP} to a command that runs the
C preprocessor.  If @samp{$CC -E} doesn't work, it uses @file{/lib/cpp}.

Many of the specific test macros use the value of @code{CPP} indirectly
by calling @code{AC_TEST_CPP}, @code{AC_HEADER_CHECK},
@code{AC_HEADER_EGREP}, or @code{AC_PROGRAM_EGREP}.  Those macros call
this macro first if it hasn't been called already.  It calls
@code{AC_PROG_CC} if it hasn't been called already.
@end defmac

@defmac AC_PROG_LEX
@maindex PROG_LEX
If @code{flex} is found, set @code{make} variable @code{LEX} to
@samp{flex} and @code{LEXLIB} to @samp{-lfl}, if that library is in a
standard place.  Otherwise set @code{LEX} to @samp{lex} and
@code{LEXLIB} to @samp{-ll}.
@end defmac

@defmac AC_PROG_AWK
@maindex PROG_AWK
Check for @code{mawk}, @code{gawk}, @code{nawk}, and @code{awk}, in that
order, and set @code{make} variable @code{AWK} to the first one that it
finds.
@end defmac

@defmac AC_PROG_CC
@maindex PROG_CC
If @code{gcc} is found, set @code{make} variable @code{CC} to @samp{gcc},
and set shell variable @code{GCC} to 1 for use by macros such as
@code{AC_GCC_TRADITIONAL}.
@end defmac

@defmac AC_GCC_TRADITIONAL
@maindex GCC_TRADITIONAL
Add @samp{-traditional} to @code{make} variable @code{CC} if using the
GNU C compiler and @code{ioctl} does not work properly without
@samp{-traditional}.  This macro calls @code{AC_PROG_CC} and
@code{AC_PROG_CPP} if they haven't been called already.
@end defmac

@defmac AC_PROG_INSTALL
@maindex PROG_INSTALL
Set @code{make} variable @code{INSTALL} to @samp{install -c} if
@code{install} is found and is compatible with the BSD and GNU versions.
Otherwise, set @code{INSTALL} to @samp{@var{srcdir}/install.sh -c} if that
script exists, or to @samp{cp} as a last resort.  Screens out the
false matches @file{/etc/install}, @file{/usr/sbin/install}, and other
instances of @code{install} known not to work.  Also sets the variable
@code{INSTALL_PROGRAM} to @samp{$(INSTALL)} and
@code{INSTALL_DATA} to @samp{$(INSTALL) -m 644}.
@end defmac

@defmac AC_PROG_RANLIB
@maindex PROG_RANLIB
Set @code{make} variable @code{RANLIB} to @samp{ranlib} if @code{ranlib}
is found, otherwise to @samp{:} (do nothing).
@end defmac

@defmac AC_RSH
@maindex RSH
@vindex NO_REMOTE
@vindex HAVE_NETDB_H
If a remote shell is available, put @samp{rtapelib.o} in @code{make}
variable @code{RTAPELIB}.  Otherwise, also do so if @file{netdb.h}
exists (implying the @code{rexec} function), and in addition define
@code{HAVE_NETDB_H}.  If neither a remote shell nor @code{rexec} is
available, define @code{NO_REMOTE}.
@end defmac

@node Header Files, Typedefs, Alternative Programs, Specific Tests
@section Header Files

The following macros check for the presence of certain C header files:

@defmac AC_DIR_HEADER
@maindex DIR_HEADER
@vindex DIRENT
@vindex SYSDIR
@vindex SYSNDIR
@vindex NDIR
@vindex VOID_CLOSEDIR
If the system has @file{dirent.h}, define @code{DIRENT}; otherwise, if
it has @file{sys/ndir.h}, define @code{SYSNDIR}; otherwise, if it has
@file{sys/dir.h}, define @code{SYSDIR}; otherwise, if it has
@file{ndir.h}, define @code{NDIR}.  Also, if the directory library
header file contains a declaration of the @code{closedir} function with
a @code{void} return type, define @code{VOID_CLOSEDIR}.

The directory library declarations in the source code should look
something like the following, which assumes that you have also called
@samp{AC_HAVE_HEADERS(unistd.h)}:

@example
@group
#ifdef HAVE_UNISTD_H
#include <sys/types.h>
#include <unistd.h>
#endif

/* 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) */
@end group
@end example

Using the above declarations, the program would declare variables to be
type @code{struct dirent}, not @code{struct direct}, and would access
the length of a directory entry name by passing a pointer to a
@code{struct dirent} to the @code{NLENGTH} macro.
@end defmac

@defmac AC_MAJOR_HEADER
@maindex MAJOR_HEADER
@vindex MAJOR_IN_MKDEV
@vindex MAJOR_IN_SYSMACROS
If @file{sys/types.h} does not define @code{major}, @code{minor}, and
@code{makedev}, but @file{sys/mkdev.h} does, define
@code{MAJOR_IN_MKDEV}; otherwise, if @file{sys/sysmacros.h} does, define
@code{MAJOR_IN_SYSMACROS}.
@end defmac

@defmac AC_MEMORY_H
@maindex MEMORY_H
@vindex NEED_MEMORY_H
Define @code{NEED_MEMORY_H} if @code{memcpy}, @code{memcmp}, etc. are
not declared in @file{string.h} and @file{memory.h} exists.  This macro
is obsolete; instead, use @code{AC_HAVE_HEADERS(memory.h)}.  See the
example for @code{AC_STDC_HEADERS}.
@end defmac

@defmac AC_STDC_HEADERS
@maindex STDC_HEADERS
@vindex STDC_HEADERS
Define @code{STDC_HEADERS} if the system has ANSI C header files.
Specifically, this macro checks for @file{stdlib.h}, @file{stdarg.h},
@file{string.h}, and @file{float.h}; if the system has those, it
probably has the rest of the ANSI C header files.  This macro also
checks whether @file{string.h} declares @code{memchr} (and thus
presumably the other @code{mem} functions), whether @file{stdlib.h}
declare @code{free} (and thus presumably @code{malloc} and other related
functions), and whether the @file{ctype.h} macros work on characters
with the high bit set, as ANSI C requires.

Use @code{STDC_HEADERS} instead of @code{__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 @file{configure.in}:

@example
AC_STDC_HEADERS
AC_HAVE_HEADERS(string.h memory.h)
@end example

@noindent
Then, in the code, use a test like this:

@example
@group
#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 */
@end group
@end example

@noindent
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.
@end defmac

@defmac AC_UNISTD_H
@maindex UNISTD_H
@vindex HAVE_UNISTD_H
Define @code{HAVE_UNISTD_H} if the system has @file{unistd.h}.  This
macro is obsolete; instead, use @samp{AC_HAVE_HEADERS(unistd.h)}.

The way to check if the system supports POSIX.1 is:

@example
@group
#if HAVE_UNISTD_H
#include <sys/types.h>
#include <unistd.h>
#endif

#ifdef _POSIX_VERSION
/* Code for POSIX.1 systems.  */
#endif
@end group
@end example

@vindex _POSIX_VERSION
@code{_POSIX_VERSION} is defined when @file{unistd.h} is included on
POSIX.1 systems.  If there is no @file{unistd.h}, it is definitely not a
POSIX.1 system.  However, some non-POSIX.1 systems do have @file{unistd.h}.
@end defmac

@defmac AC_USG
@maindex USG
@vindex USG
Define @code{USG} if the system does not have @file{strings.h},
@code{rindex}, @code{bzero}, etc.  This implies that it has
@file{string.h}, @code{strrchr}, @code{memset}, etc.

The symbol @code{USG} is obsolete.  Instead of this macro, use
@code{AC_HAVE_HEADERS(string.h)} and use @code{HAVE_STRING_H} in your
code.  See the example for @code{AC_STDC_HEADERS}.
@end defmac

@node Typedefs, Library Functions, Header Files, Specific Tests
@section Typedefs

The following macros check for predefined C types:

@defmac AC_GETGROUPS_T
@maindex GETGROUPS_T
@vindex GETGROUPS_T
Define @code{GETGROUPS_T} to be whichever of @code{gid_t} or @code{int}
is the base type of the array argument to @code{getgroups}.
@end defmac

@defmac AC_MODE_T
@maindex MODE_T
@vindex mode_t
If @code{mode_t} is not defined in @file{sys/types.h}, define
@code{mode_t} to be @code{int}.
@end defmac

@defmac AC_OFF_T
@maindex OFF_T
@vindex off_t
If @code{off_t} is not defined in @file{sys/types.h}, define
@code{off_t} to be @code{long}.
@end defmac

@defmac AC_PID_T
@maindex PID_T
@vindex pid_t
If @code{pid_t} is not defined in @file{sys/types.h}, define
@code{pid_t} to be @code{int}.
@end defmac

@defmac AC_RETSIGTYPE
@maindex RETSIGTYPE
@vindex RETSIGTYPE
If @file{signal.h} declares @code{signal} as returning a pointer to a
function returning @code{void}, define @code{RETSIGTYPE} to be
@code{void}; otherwise, define it to be @code{int}.

Define signal handlers as returning type @code{RETSIGTYPE}:

@example
@group
RETSIGTYPE
hup_handler ()
@{
@dots{}
@}
@end group
@end example
@end defmac

@defmac AC_SIZE_T
@maindex SIZE_T
@vindex size_t
If @code{size_t} is not defined in @file{sys/types.h}, define
@code{size_t} to be @code{unsigned}.
@end defmac

@defmac AC_UID_T
@maindex UID_T
@vindex uid_t
@vindex gid_t
If @code{uid_t} is not defined in @file{sys/types.h}, define
@code{uid_t} to be @code{int} and @code{gid_t} to be @code{int}.
@end defmac

@node Library Functions, Structures, Typedefs, Specific Tests
@section Library Functions

The following macros check for particular C library functions:

@defmac AC_ALLOCA
@maindex ALLOCA
@vindex C_ALLOCA
@vindex HAVE_ALLOCA_H
Check how to get @code{alloca}.  Tries to get a builtin version by
checking for @file{alloca.h} or the predefined C preprocessor macros
@code{__GNUC__} and @code{_AIX}.  If that fails, it looks for a function
in the standard C library.  If that fails, it sets the @code{make}
variable @code{ALLOCA} to @samp{alloca.o} and defines @code{C_ALLOCA}
(so programs can periodically call @samp{alloca(0)} to garbage collect).
This variable is separate from @code{LIBOBJS} so multiple programs can
share the value of @code{ALLOCA} without needing to create an actual
library, in case only some of them use the code in @code{LIBOBJS}.

If this macro finds @file{alloca.h}, it defines @code{HAVE_ALLOCA_H}.

This macro does not try to get @code{alloca} from the SVR3 @file{libPW}
or the SVR4 @file{libucb} because those libraries contain some
incompatible functions that cause trouble.  Some versions do not even
contain @code{alloca} or contain a buggy version.  If you still want to
use their @code{alloca}, use @code{ar} to extract @file{alloca.o} from
them instead of compiling @file{alloca.c}.

Source files that use @code{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 @code{alloca} must precede everything else
except for comments and preprocessor directives.  The @code{#pragma}
directive is indented so that pre-ANSI C compilers will ignore it,
rather than choke on it.

@example
@group
/* 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__ */
@end group
@end example
@end defmac

@defmac AC_GETLOADAVG
@maindex GETLOADAVG
@vindex SVR4
@vindex DGUX
@vindex UMAX
@vindex UMAX4_3
@vindex NLIST_STRUCT
@vindex NLIST_NAME_UNION
@vindex GETLODAVG_PRIVILEGED
@vindex NEED_SETGID
Check how to get the system load averages.  If the system has the
@code{getloadavg} function, this macro defines @code{HAVE_GETLOADAVG},
and adds to @code{LIBS} any libraries needed to get that function.

Otherwise, it adds @samp{getloadavg.o} to the @code{make} variable
@code{LIBOBJS}, and possibly defines several other C preprocessor
macros and @code{make} variables:

@enumerate
@item
It defines @code{SVR4}, @code{DGUX}, @code{UMAX}, or @code{UMAX4_3} if
on those systems.

@item
If it finds @file{nlist.h}, it defines @code{NLIST_STRUCT}.

@item
If @samp{struct nlist} has an @samp{n_un} member, it defines
@code{NLIST_NAME_UNION}.

@item
If compiling @file{getloadavg.c} defines @code{LDAV_PRIVILEGED},
programs need to be installed specially on this system for
@code{getloadavg} to work, and this macro defines
@code{GETLOADAVG_PRIVILEGED}.

@item
This macro always defines @code{NEED_SETGID}, for @code{make}.  The
value is @samp{true} if special installation is required, @samp{false}
if not.  If @code{NEED_SETGID} is @samp{true}, it sets @code{KMEM_GROUP}
to the name of the group that should own the installed program.
@end enumerate
@end defmac

@defmac AC_SETVBUF_REVERSED
@maindex SETVBUF_REVERSED
@vindex SETVBUF_REVERSED
If @code{setvbuf} takes the buffering type as its second argument and
the buffer pointer as the third, instead of the other way around, define
@code{SETVBUF_REVERSED}.  This is the case on System V before release 3.
@end defmac

@defmac AC_STRCOLL
@maindex STRCOLL
@vindex HAVE_STRCOLL
If the @code{strcoll} function exists and works correctly, define
@code{HAVE_STRCOLL}.  This does a bit more than
@samp{AC_HAVE_FUNCS(strcoll)}, because some systems have incorrect
definitions of @code{strcoll}, which should not be used.
@end defmac

@defmac AC_UTIME_NULL
@maindex UTIME_NULL
@vindex HAVE_UTIME_NULL
If @samp{utime(@var{file}, NULL)} sets @var{file}'s timestamp to
the present, define @code{HAVE_UTIME_NULL}.
@end defmac

@defmac AC_VFORK
@maindex VFORK
@vindex HAVE_VFORK_H
@vindex vfork
If @file{vfork.h} is found, define @code{HAVE_VFORK_H}.  If a working
@code{vfork} is not found, define @code{vfork} to be @code{fork}.  This
macro checks for several known errors in implementations of @code{vfork}
and considers the system to not have a working @code{vfork} if it
detects any of them.
@end defmac

@defmac AC_VPRINTF
@maindex VPRINTF
@vindex HAVE_VPRINTF
@vindex HAVE_DOPRNT
If @code{vprintf} is found, define @code{HAVE_VPRINTF}.  Otherwise, if
@code{_doprnt} is found, define @code{HAVE_DOPRNT}.
@end defmac

@defmac AC_WAIT3
@maindex WAIT3
@vindex HAVE_WAIT3
If @code{wait3} is found and fills in the contents of its third argument
(a @samp{struct rusage *}), which HP-UX does not do, define
@code{HAVE_WAIT3}.
@end defmac

@node Structures, Compiler Characteristics, Library Functions, Specific Tests
@section Structures

The following macros check for certain structures or structure members:

@defmac AC_STAT_MACROS_BROKEN
@maindex STAT_MACROS_BROKEN
@maindex STAT_MACROS_BROKEN
If the macros @code{S_ISDIR}, @code{S_ISREG} et al. defined in
@file{sys/stat.h} do not work properly (returning false positives),
define @code{STAT_MACROS_BROKEN}.  This is the case on Tektronix UTekV,
Amdahl UTS and Motorola System V/88.
@end defmac

@defmac AC_ST_BLKSIZE
@maindex ST_BLKSIZE
@vindex HAVE_ST_BLKSIZE
If @code{struct stat} contains an @code{st_blksize} member, define
@code{HAVE_ST_BLKSIZE}.
@end defmac

@defmac AC_ST_BLOCKS
@maindex ST_BLOCKS
@vindex HAVE_ST_BLOCKS
If @code{struct stat} contains an @code{st_blocks} member, define
@code{HAVE_ST_BLOCKS}.  Otherwise, add @samp{fileblocks.o} to the
@code{make} variable @code{LIBOBJS}.
@end defmac

@defmac AC_ST_RDEV
@maindex ST_RDEV
@vindex HAVE_ST_RDEV
If @code{struct stat} contains an @code{st_rdev} member, define
@code{HAVE_ST_RDEV}.
@end defmac

@defmac AC_TIME_WITH_SYS_TIME
@maindex TIME_WITH_SYS_TIME
@vindex TIME_WITH_SYS_TIME
If a program may include both @file{time.h} and @file{sys/time.h},
define @code{TIME_WITH_SYS_TIME}.  On some older systems,
@file{sys/time.h} includes @file{time.h}, but @file{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, @code{struct timeval} or @code{struct timezone} as well as
@code{struct tm}.  It is best used in conjunction with
@code{HAVE_SYS_TIME_H}.

@example
#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
@end example
@end defmac

@defmac AC_STRUCT_TM
@maindex STRUCT_TM
@vindex TM_IN_SYS_TIME
If @file{time.h} does not define @code{struct tm}, define
@code{TM_IN_SYS_TIME}, which means that including @file{sys/time.h}
defines @code{struct tm}.
@end defmac

@defmac AC_TIMEZONE
@maindex TIMEZONE
@vindex HAVE_TM_ZONE
@vindex HAVE_TZNAME
Figure out how to get the current timezone.  If @code{struct tm} has a
@code{tm_zone} member, define @code{HAVE_TM_ZONE}.  Otherwise, if the
external array @code{tzname} is found, define @code{HAVE_TZNAME}.  This
macro calls @code{AC_STRUCT_TM} if it hasn't been called already.
@end defmac

@node Compiler Characteristics, System Services, Structures, Specific Tests
@section Compiler Characteristics

The following macros check for C compiler or machine architecture
features:

@defmac AC_ARG_ARRAY
@maindex ARG_ARRAY
@vindex NO_ARG_ARRAY
If the address of an argument to a C function can not be used like
the start of an array, define @code{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.
@end defmac

@defmac AC_CROSS_CHECK
@maindex CROSS_CHECK
If the C compiler being used does not produce executables that can run
on the system where @code{configure} is being run, set the shell
variable @code{cross_compiling} to 1.  This information can be used by
@code{AC_TEST_PROGRAM} to determine whether to take a default action
instead of trying to run a test program (@pxref{General Tests}).
@end defmac

@defmac AC_CHAR_UNSIGNED
@maindex CHAR_UNSIGNED
@vindex __CHAR_UNSIGNED__
If the C type @code{char} is unsigned, define @code{__CHAR_UNSIGNED__},
unless the C compiler predefines it.
@end defmac

@defmac AC_CONST
@maindex CONST
@vindex const
If the C compiler does not fully support the keyword @code{const},
define @code{const} to be empty.  Some C compilers that do not define
@code{__STDC__} do support @code{const}; some compilers that define
@code{__STDC__} do not completely support @code{const}.  Programs can
simply use @code{const} as if every C compiler supported it; for those
that don't, the @file{Makefile} or configuration header file will define
it as empty.  (If using a configuration header file, the program should
include it before any other header files, to prevent inconsistencies in
declarations.)
@end defmac

@defmac AC_INLINE
@maindex INLINE
@vindex inline
If the C compiler is a version of GCC that supports the keyword
@code{__inline} but not @code{inline} (such as some NeXT versions),
define @code{inline} to be @code{__inline}.  This macro calls
@code{AC_PROG_CC} if it hasn't been called already.
@end defmac

@defmac AC_INT_16_BITS
@maindex INT_16_BITS
@vindex INT_16_BITS
If the C type @code{int} is 16 bits wide, define @code{INT_16_BITS}.
@end defmac

@defmac AC_LONG_64_BITS
@maindex LONG_64_BITS
@vindex LONG_64_BITS
If the C type @code{long int} is 64 bits wide, define @code{LONG_64_BITS}.
@end defmac

@defmac AC_LONG_DOUBLE
@maindex HAVE_LONG_DOUBLE
@vindex HAVE_LONG_DOUBLE
If the C compiler supports the @code{long double} type, define
@code{HAVE_LONG_DOUBLE}.  Some C compilers that do not define
@code{__STDC__} do support the @code{long double} type; some compilers
that define @code{__STDC__} do not support @code{long double}.
@end defmac

@defmac AC_WORDS_BIGENDIAN
@maindex WORDS_BIGENDIAN
@vindex WORDS_BIGENDIAN
If words are stored with the most significant byte first (like Motorola
and SPARC, but not Intel and VAX, CPUs), define @code{WORDS_BIGENDIAN}.
@end defmac

@node System Services, UNIX Variants, Compiler Characteristics, Specific Tests
@section System Services

The following macros check for operating system services:

@defmac AC_FIND_X
@maindex FIND_X
Try to locate the X Window System include files and libraries.  Try
first by running @code{xmkmf} on a trivial @file{Imakefile} and
examining the @file{Makefile} that it produces.  If that fails (such as
if @code{xmkmf} is not present), look for them in several directories
where they often reside.  If either method is successful, set the shell
variables @code{x_includes} and @code{x_libraries} to their locations,
unless they are in directories the compiler searches by default.  If
both methods fail, set the shell variable @code{no_x} to @samp{true};
otherwise set it to the empty string.
@end defmac

@defmac AC_HAVE_POUNDBANG (@var{action-if-supported} @r{[}, @var{action-if-unsupported}@r{]})
@maindex HAVE_POUNDBANG
Print @samp{checking if `#!' works in shell scripts} to the standard
output.  Then check whether the system supports starting shell scripts
with a line of the form @samp{#!/bin/csh} to select the shell to run
them with.  @var{action-if-supported} is a list of shell commands to run
if @samp{#!} works; @var{action-if-not-supported} is a list of shell
commands to run otherwise.
@end defmac

@defmac AC_LONG_FILE_NAMES
@maindex LONG_FILE_NAMES
@vindex HAVE_LONG_FILE_NAMES
If the system supports file names longer than 14 characters, define
@code{HAVE_LONG_FILE_NAMES}.
@end defmac

@defmac AC_REMOTE_TAPE
@maindex REMOTE_TAPE
@vindex HAVE_SYS_MTIO_H
If BSD tape drive ioctls are available, define @code{HAVE_SYS_MTIO_H},
and if sockets are available add @code{rmt} to @code{make} variable
@code{PROGS}.
@end defmac

@defmac AC_RESTARTABLE_SYSCALLS
@maindex RESTARTABLE_SYSCALLS
@vindex HAVE_RESTARTABLE_SYSCALLS
If the system automatically restarts a system call that is interrupted
by a signal, define @code{HAVE_RESTARTABLE_SYSCALLS}.
@end defmac

@node UNIX Variants, , System Services, Specific Tests
@section 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:

@defmac AC_AIX
@maindex AIX
@vindex _ALL_SOURCE
If on AIX, define @code{_ALL_SOURCE}.  Allows the use of some BSD
functions.  Should be called before any macros that run the C compiler.
@end defmac

@defmac AC_DYNIX_SEQ
@maindex DYNIX_SEQ
If on DYNIX/ptx (Sequent UNIX), add @samp{-lseq} to @code{make}
variable @code{LIBS}.  Allows use of some BSD system calls and
@code{getmntent}.
@end defmac

@defmac AC_IRIX_SUN
@maindex IRIX_SUN
If on IRIX (Silicon Graphics UNIX), add @samp{-lsun} to @code{make}
variable @code{LIBS}.  Needed to get @code{getmntent}.  At sites using
Yellow Pages/NIS, it is also needed to get properly working
@code{gethostby*}, @code{getpw*}, @code{getgr*}, @code{getnetby*}, and
so on.
@c (According to Garrett.Wollman@uvm.edu.)
@end defmac

@defmac AC_ISC_POSIX
@maindex ISC_POSIX
@vindex _POSIX_SOURCE
If on a POSIXized ISC UNIX, define @code{_POSIX_SOURCE} and add
@samp{-posix} (for the GNU C compiler) or @samp{-Xp} (for other C
compilers) to @code{make} variable @code{CC}.  This allows the use of
POSIX facilities.  Must be called after @code{AC_PROG_CC} and before
any other macros that run the C compiler.
@end defmac

@defmac AC_MINIX
@maindex MINIX
@vindex _MINIX
@vindex _POSIX_SOURCE
@vindex _POSIX_1_SOURCE
If on Minix, define @code{_MINIX} and @code{_POSIX_SOURCE} and define
@code{_POSIX_1_SOURCE} to be 2.  This allows the use of POSIX
facilities.  Should be called before any macros that run the C compiler.
@end defmac

@defmac AC_SCO_INTL
@maindex SCO_INTL
If on SCO UNIX, add @samp{-lintl} to @code{make} variable @code{LIBS}.
Used to get @code{strftime}.  It must be called before checking for
@code{strftime}.
@end defmac

@defmac AC_XENIX_DIR
@maindex XENIX_DIR
@vindex VOID_CLOSEDIR
If on Xenix, define @code{VOID_CLOSEDIR} and add @samp{-lx} to
@code{make} variable @code{LIBS}.  Also, if @file{sys/ndir.h} is not
being used, add @samp{-ldir} to @code{LIBS}.  Needed when using the
directory reading functions.  This macro must be called after
@code{AC_DIR_HEADER}.
@end defmac

@node General Purpose Macros, Writing Macros, Specific Tests, Top
@chapter General Purpose Macros

These macros provide ways for other macros to control the kind of output
that Autoconf produces or to check whether various kinds of 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 @code{m4} quote characters @samp{[} and @samp{]}.

Within each section below, the macros are listed in alphabetical order.
These macros are defined in the file @file{acgeneral.m4}.

@menu
* Setup::			Controlling Autoconf operation.
* General Tests::		Check for kinds of features.
* Setting Variables::		Setting shell and @code{make} variables.
* Macro Ordering::		Enforcing ordering constraints.
@end menu

@node Setup, General Tests, , General Purpose Macros
@section Controlling Autoconf Setup

The following macros control the kind of output that Autoconf produces.

@defmac AC_CONFIG_HEADER (@var{header-to-create} @dots{})
@maindex CONFIG_HEADER
@vindex HAVE_CONFIG_H
Make @code{AC_OUTPUT} create the file(s) in the
whitespace-separated list @var{header-to-create} containing C
preprocessor @code{#define} statements and replace @samp{@@DEFS@@} in
generated files with @samp{-DHAVE_CONFIG_H} instead of the value of
@code{DEFS}.  
This macro should be called right after @code{AC_INIT}.  The usual name
for @var{header-to-create} is @file{config.h}.

If @var{header-to-create} already exists and its contents are identical
to what @code{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.

Your distribution should contain a file @file{@var{header-to-create}.in}
that looks as you want the final header file to look, including
comments, with default values in the @code{#define} statements.  A
default value can be to @code{#undef} the variable instead of to define
it to a value, if your code tests for configuration options using
@code{#ifdef} instead of @code{#if}.

You can use the program @code{autoheader} to create
@file{@var{header-to-create}.in} (@pxref{Invoking autoheader}).
@end defmac

@defmac AC_INIT (@var{unique-file-in-source-dir})
@maindex INIT
Process the command-line arguments and find the source code directory.
@var{unique-file-in-source-dir} is some file that is in the package's
source directory; @code{configure} checks for this file's existence to
make sure that the directory that it is told contains the source code in
fact does (@pxref{Running configure Scripts}, for more information).
@end defmac

@defmac AC_PREPARE (@var{unique-file-in-source-dir})
@maindex PREPARE
Find the source code directory and set up shell variables necessary for
other Autoconf macros to work.  @var{unique-file-in-source-dir} is some
file that is in the package's source directory; @code{configure} checks
for this file's existence to make sure that the directory that it is
told contains the source code in fact does (@pxref{Running configure
Scripts}, for more information).  @code{AC_PREPARE} is the last thing
done by @code{AC_INIT}.  Use @code{AC_PREPARE} instead of @code{AC_INIT}
if you want to do argument parsing yourself; never use both.
@end defmac

@defmac AC_OUTPUT (@r{[}@var{file}@dots{}@r{] [,}@var{extra-cmds}@r{]})
@maindex OUTPUT
Create output files (typically one or more @file{Makefile}s) and
@file{config.status}.  If @code{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.  @code{AC_OUTPUT} creates each file @file{@var{file}}
in the list by copying @file{@var{file}.in}, substituting the variable
values that have been selected by calling @code{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
@code{AC_OUTPUT} is @samp{Makefile src/Makefile man/Makefile
X/Imakefile}.

If you pass @var{extra-cmds}, those commands will be inserted into
@file{config.status} to be run after all its other processing.
@end defmac

@defmac AC_REVISION (@var{revision-info})
@maindex REVISION
Copy revision stamp @var{revision-info} into the @file{configure}
script, with any dollar signs or double-quotes removed.  This macro lets
you put a revision stamp from @file{configure.in} into @file{configure}
without RCS or CVS changing it when you check in @file{configure}.  That
way, you can determine easily which revision of @file{configure.in} a
particular @file{configure} corresponds to.

It is a good idea to call this macro before @code{AC_INIT} so that the
revision number is near the top of both @file{configure.in} and
@file{configure}.  To support doing that, the @code{AC_REVISION} output
begins with @samp{#!/bin/sh}, like the normal start of a
@file{configure} script does.

For example, this line in @file{configure.in}:

@example
AC_REVISION($Revision$)dnl
@end example

@noindent
produces this in @file{configure}:

@example
#!/bin/sh
# From configure.in Revision: 1.30 
@end example
@end defmac

@node General Tests, Setting Variables, Setup, General Purpose Macros
@section 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 @var{action-if-found}
argument to the macro.  To omit the false case, omit the
@var{action-if-not-found} argument to the macro, including the comma
before it.

One shell programming construction that you should not use in the action
arguments to these macros is @samp{@var{var}=$@{@var{var}:-@var{value}@}}.
Old BSD shells, including the Ultrix @code{sh}, don't understand the
colon, and complain and die.  If you omit the colon, it works fine:
@samp{@var{var}=$@{@var{var}-@var{value}@}}.

@xref{Writing Macros}, for more information on how best to use these
macros.

@defmac AC_COMPILE_CHECK (@var{echo-text}, @var{includes}, @var{function-body}, @var{action-if-found} @r{[}, @var{action-if-not-found}@r{]})
@maindex COMPILE_CHECK
Print @samp{checking for @var{echo-text}} to the standard output.  Then
create a test C program to see whether a function whose body consists of
@var{function-body} can be compiled and linked; @var{includes} is any
@code{#include} statements needed by the code in @var{function-body}.
If the file compiles and links successfully, run shell commands
@var{action-if-found}, otherwise run @var{action-if-not-found}.
@end defmac

@defmac AC_FUNC_CHECK (@var{function}, @var{action-if-found} @r{[}, @var{action-if-not-found}@r{]})
@maindex FUNC_CHECK
If @var{function} is available, run shell commands
@var{action-if-found}, otherwise @var{action-if-not-found}.  If the
functions might be in libraries other than the default C library, first
call @code{AC_HAVE_LIBRARY} for those libraries.  If you just want to
define a symbol if the function is available, consider using
@code{AC_HAVE_FUNCS} instead.
@end defmac

@defmac AC_HAVE_FUNCS (@var{function}@dots{})
@maindex HAVE_FUNCS
@vindex HAVE_@var{function}
For each given @var{function} in the whitespace-separated argument list
that is available, define @code{HAVE_@var{function}} (in all caps).
@xref{Specific Tests}, for a precise definition of ``define'' as it
is used here.  If the functions might be in libraries other than the
default C library, first call @code{AC_HAVE_LIBRARY} for those libraries.
@end defmac

@defmac AC_HAVE_HEADERS (@var{header-file}@dots{})
@maindex HAVE_HEADERS
@vindex HAVE_@var{header}
For each given @var{header-file} in the whitespace-separated argument
list that exists, define @code{HAVE_@var{header-file}} (in all caps).
@xref{Specific Tests}, for a precise definition of ``define'' as
it is used here.
@end defmac

@defmac AC_HAVE_LIBRARY (@var{library} @r{[}, @var{action-if-found} @r{[}, @var{action-if-not-found}@r{]]})
@maindex HAVE_LIBRARY
Print @samp{checking for @var{library}} to the standard output.  Then
create a test C program to see whether that program can be linked with
the specified library.  @var{action-if-found} is a list of shell
commands to run if the link succeeds (which means that the library is
present); @var{action-if-not-found} is a list of shell commands to run
if the link fails.  If @var{action-if-found} and
@var{action-if-not-found} are not specified, the default action is to
add @samp{-lfoo} to @code{LIBS} and define @samp{HAVE_LIBfoo}
for library @samp{foo}.  @var{library} can be written as any of
@samp{foo}, @samp{-lfoo}, or @samp{libfoo.a}.  In all of those cases,
the compiler is passed @samp{-lfoo}.
@end defmac

@defmac AC_HEADER_CHECK (@var{header-file}, @var{action-if-found} @r{[}, @var{action-if-not-found}@r{]})
@maindex HEADER_CHECK
If @var{header-file} exists, execute shell commands
@var{action-if-found}, otherwise execute @var{action-if-not-found}.  If
you just want to define a symbol if the header file is available,
consider using @code{AC_HAVE_HEADERS} instead.
@end defmac

@defmac AC_HEADER_EGREP (@var{pattern}, @var{header-file}, @var{action-if-found} @r{[}, @var{action-if-not-found}@r{]})
@maindex HEADER_EGREP
If the output of running the C preprocessor on @var{header-file}
contains the @code{egrep} regular expression @var{pattern}, execute
shell commands @var{action-if-found}, otherwise execute
@var{action-if-not-found}.

You can not check whether preprocessor symbols are defined this way,
because they get expanded before @code{egrep} sees them.  But you can
almost always detect them by simply using @code{#ifdef} directives in
your C programs.
@end defmac

@defmac AC_PREFIX (@var{program})
@maindex PREFIX
If the user did not specify an installation prefix on the command line,
guess a value for it by looking for @var{program} in @code{PATH}, the
way the shell does.  If @var{program} is found, set the prefix to the
parent of the directory containing @var{program}; otherwise leave the
prefix specified in @file{Makefile.in} unchanged.  For example, if
@var{program} is @code{gcc} and the @code{PATH} contains
@file{/usr/local/gnu/bin/gcc}, set the prefix to @file{/usr/local/gnu}.
@end defmac

@defmac AC_PROGRAM_CHECK (@var{variable}, @var{prog-to-check-for}, @var{value-if-found}, @var{value-if-not-found})
@maindex PROGRAM_CHECK
Check whether program @var{prog-to-check-for} exists in @code{PATH}.  If
it is found, set @var{variable} to @var{value-if-found}, otherwise to
@var{value-if-not-found}.  Calls @code{AC_SUBST} for @var{variable}.
@end defmac

@defmac AC_PROGRAM_EGREP (@var{pattern}, @var{program}, @var{action-if-found} @r{[}, @var{action-if-not-found}@r{]})
@maindex PROGRAM_EGREP
@var{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 @var{program} contains the @code{egrep} regular
expression @var{pattern}, execute shell commands @var{action-if-found},
otherwise execute @var{action-if-not-found}.  (It is an unfortunate
oversight that we use the word @code{PROGRAM} in Autoconf macro names to
sometimes mean C source code and sometimes mean a UNIX command.)
@end defmac

@defmac AC_PROGRAMS_CHECK (@var{variable}, @var{progs-to-check-for} @r{[}, @var{value-if-not-found}@r{]})
@maindex PROGRAMS_CHECK
Check for each program in the whitespace-separated list
@var{progs-to-check-for} exists in @code{PATH}.  If it is found, set
@var{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 @var{variable} to @var{value-if-not-found}; if
@var{value-if-not-found} is not specified, the value of @var{variable}
will not be changed.  Calls @code{AC_SUBST} for @var{variable}.
@end defmac

@defmac AC_REPLACE_FUNCS (@var{function-name}@dots{})
@maindex REPLACE_FUNCS
For each given @var{function-name} in the whitespace-separated argument
list that is not in the C library, add @samp{@var{function-name}.o} to
the value of the @code{make} variable @code{LIBOBJS}.  If the functions
might be in libraries other than the default C library, first call
@code{AC_HAVE_LIBRARY} for those libraries.
@end defmac

@defmac AC_TEST_PROGRAM (@var{program}, @var{action-if-true} @r{[}, @var{action-if-false} @r{[}, @var{action-if-cross-compiling}@r{]]})
@maindex TEST_PROGRAM
@var{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 @var{action-if-true}.  Otherwise run shell commands
@var{action-if-false}.

If the optional argument @var{action-if-cross-compiling} is given and
the C compiler being used does not produce executables that run on the
system where @code{configure} is being run, then the test program is not
run.  Instead, the shell commands @var{action-if-cross-compiling} are
run.  If that argument is given, this macro calls @code{AC_CROSS_CHECK}
if it has not already been called (@pxref{Compiler Characteristics}).
@end defmac

@defmac AC_TEST_CPP (@var{includes}, @var{action-if-true} @r{[}, @var{action-if-false}@r{]})
@maindex TEST_CPP
@var{includes} is C @code{#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 @var{action-if-true}.  Otherwise run
shell commands @var{action-if-false}.

This macro calls @code{AC_PROG_CPP} if it hasn't been called already.
@end defmac

@defmac AC_WITH (@var{feature}, @var{action-if-true} @r{[}, @var{action-if-false}@r{]})
@maindex WITH
If the user gave @code{configure} the option
@samp{--with-@var{feature}}, run shell commands @var{action-if-true}.
Otherwise run shell commands @var{action-if-false}.  The name
@var{feature} should consist only of alphanumeric characters and dashes;
typical feature names are @samp{gnu-libc} and @samp{x}.

The user can give a value by following the feature name with @samp{=}
and the value; for example,

@example
./configure --with-targets=sun4,hp300bsd
@end example

The value given is available to the shell commands @var{action-if-true}
in the shell variable @code{withval}.  If no value was given,
@code{withval} is 1.  For example,

@example
AC_WITH(fubar, echo "got --with-fubar=$withval",
        echo no --with-fubar)
@end example
@end defmac

@node Setting Variables, Macro Ordering, General Tests, General Purpose Macros
@section Setting Variables

These macros help other macros to define shell and @code{make}
variables.

@defmac AC_DEFINE (@var{variable} @r{[}, @var{value}@r{]})
@maindex DEFINE
Define C preprocessor variable @var{variable}.  If @var{value} is given,
set @var{variable} to that value, otherwise set it to 1.  To use a shell
variable as the value, use @code{AC_DEFINE_UNQUOTED} instead.  Precede
double quotes in the value with backslashes.

This macro adds to the shell variable @code{DEFS}.  @code{AC_OUTPUT}
later substitutes the values in @code{DEFS} into the file(s) that it
generates (typically @file{Makefile}).  Alternately, if
@code{AC_CONFIG_HEADER} has been called, @code{AC_OUTPUT} creates a
header file by substituting the correct values into @code{#define}
statements in a template file.

For example, suppose your @file{configure.in} calls
@code{AC_CONFIG_HEADER(conf.h)} and @code{AC_UNISTD_H}.  You could have
code like this in @file{conf.h.in}:

@example
@group
/* Define as 1 if you have unistd.h.  */
#define HAVE_UNISTD_H 0
@end group
@end example

On systems that have @file{unistd.h}, @code{configure} will change the 0
to a 1.  On other systems, it will leave the line unchanged.
Alternately, if you prefer to use @code{#ifdef}, your @file{conf.h.in}
could have code like this:

@example
@group
/* Define if you have unistd.h.  */
#undef HAVE_UNISTD_H
@end group
@end example

On systems that have @file{unistd.h}, @code{configure} will change the
second line to read @samp{#define HAVE_UNISTD_H 1}.  On other systems,
it will leave the line unchanged.

Due to the syntactical bizarreness of the Bourne shell, do not use
semicolons to separate @code{AC_DEFINE} calls from other macro calls or
shell code; that can cause syntax errors in the resulting
@code{configure} script.  Use either spaces or newlines.  That is, do
this:

@example
AC_HEADER_CHECK(elf.h, AC_DEFINE(SVR4) LIBS="$LIBS -lelf")
@end example

@noindent
or this:

@example
AC_HEADER_CHECK(elf.h,
  AC_DEFINE(SVR4)
  LIBS="$LIBS -lelf")
@end example

@noindent
instead of this:

@example
AC_HEADER_CHECK(elf.h, AC_DEFINE(SVR4); LIBS="$LIBS -lelf")
@end example
@end defmac

@defmac AC_DEFINE_UNQUOTED (@var{variable} @r{[}, @var{value}@r{]})
@maindex DEFINE_UNQUOTED
Like @code{AC_DEFINE}, but it does nothing to quote @var{value} from
various shell and @code{sed} expansions it will undergo.  @var{value}
will be used in many different contexts requiring different quoting, and
it is up to you to make sure it works right.  Use this macro instead of
@code{AC_DEFINE} when @var{value} contains a shell variable.  For
example:

@example
AC_DEFINE_UNQUOTED(config_machfile,  $@{machfile@})
@end example
@end defmac

@defmac AC_SUBST (@var{variable})
@maindex SUBST
Substitute the variable @var{variable} when creating the output files
(typically one or more @file{Makefile}s).  This means replace instances
of @samp{@@@var{variable}@@}, e.g. in @file{Makefile.in}, with the
current value of the shell variable @var{variable}.  If this macro were
not called, the value of @var{variable} would not be set in the output
files, even though @code{configure} had figured out a value for it.

You can set or add to the value of @var{variable} in the usual shell
way.  For example, to add @samp{-ltermcap} to the value of the variable
@code{LIBS}:

@example
LIBS="$LIBS -ltermcap"
@end example
@end defmac

@node Macro Ordering, , Setting Variables, General Purpose Macros
@section Macro Ordering

These macros provide ways for other macros to make sure that they are
called in the correct order.

@defmac AC_BEFORE (@var{this-macro-name}, @var{called-macro-name})
@maindex BEFORE
Make @code{m4} print a warning message on the standard error output if
@var{called-macro-name} has already been called.  @var{this-macro-name}
should be the name of the macro that is calling @code{AC_BEFORE}.  The
macro @var{called-macro-name} must contain a call to @code{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, @code{AC_PROG_CPP} checks whether the C compiler
can run the C preprocessor when given the @samp{-E} option.  It should
therefore be called after any macros that change which C compiler is
being used, such as @code{AC_PROG_CC}.  So @code{AC_PROG_CC} contains:

@example
AC_BEFORE([$0], [AC_PROG_CPP])
@end example

@noindent
This warns the user if a call to @code{AC_PROG_CPP} has already occurred
when @code{AC_PROG_CC} is called.
@end defmac

@defmac AC_OBSOLETE (@var{this-macro-name} @r{[}, @var{suggestion}@r{]})
@maindex OBSOLETE
Make @code{m4} print a message on the standard error output warning that
@var{this-macro-name} is obsolete, and giving the file and line number
where it was called.  @var{this-macro-name} should be the name of the
macro that is calling @code{AC_BEFORE}.  If @var{suggestion} is given,
it is printed at the end of the warning message; for example, it can be
a suggestion for what to use instead of @var{this-macro-name}.

A sample call is:

@example
AC_OBSOLETE([$0], [; use AC_HAVE_HEADERS(unistd.h) instead])
@end example
@end defmac

@defmac AC_PROVIDE (@var{macro-name})
@maindex PROVIDE
Set a flag recording that @var{macro-name} has been called.  The
argument should be the name of the macro that is calling
@code{AC_PROVIDE}.  An easy way to get it is from the @code{m4} builtin
variable @code{$0}, like this:

@example
AC_PROVIDE([$0])
@end example
@end defmac

@defmac AC_REQUIRE (@var{macro-name})
@maindex REQUIRE
If the @code{m4} macro @var{macro-name} has not already been called,
call it (without any arguments).  Make sure to quote @var{macro-name}
with square brackets.  The body of @var{macro-name} must contain a call
to @code{AC_PROVIDE} to indicate that it has been called.

Macros that need some other macro to be called before they are called
can use @code{AC_REQUIRE} to ensure that it has been, in case the person
who made @file{configure.in} forgot or didn't know to do it.
@code{AC_REQUIRE} and @code{AC_PROVIDE} together can ensure that a macro
is only called if it is needed, and only called once.
@xref{Dependencies Between Macros}, for more information.
@end defmac

@node Writing Macros, Makefiles, General Purpose Macros, Top
@chapter 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 @file{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 @samp{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.
@end menu

@node Macro Format, Quoting, , Writing Macros
@section Macro Format

Autoconf macros are defined as arguments to the @code{m4} builtin
command @code{define}.  Their overall structure looks like this:

@example
define(@var{macro-name}, [@var{macro-body}])dnl
@end example

@noindent
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 @samp{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 @code{m4} builtin @code{dnl} prevents a newline from being inserted
in the output where the macro is defined; without it, the generated
@code{configure} script would begin with dozens of blank lines.
@code{dnl} is also used to introduce comments in @code{m4}; it causes
@code{m4} to discard the rest of the input line.

You should quote the entire macro body with square brackets to avoid
macro expansion problems (@pxref{Quoting}).  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, GNU m4}, for
more complete information on writing @code{m4} macros.

@node Quoting, Dependencies Between Macros, Macro Format, Writing Macros
@section Quoting

Macros that are called by other macros are evaluated by @code{m4}
several times; each evaluation might require another layer of quotes to
prevent unwanted expansions of macros or @code{m4} builtins, such as
@samp{define} and @samp{$1}.  Quotes are also required around macro
arguments that contain commas, since commas separate the arguments from
each other.

Autoconf (in @file{acgeneral.m4}) changes the @code{m4} quote characters
from the default @samp{`} and @samp{'} to @samp{[} and @samp{]}, because
many of the macros use @samp{`} and @samp{'}, mismatched.  However, in a
few places the macros need to use brackets.  In those places, they use
the @code{m4} builtin command @code{changequote} to temporarily disable
quoting before the code that uses brackets, like this:

@example
changequote(,)dnl
@end example

@noindent
Then they turn quoting back on again with another call to
@code{changequote}:

@example
changequote([,])dnl
@end example

When you create a @code{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 @code{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 @code{configure} script will contain
unexpanded macros.  The @code{autoconf} program checks for this problem
by doing @samp{grep AC_ configure}.

@node Dependencies Between Macros, Checking for Files, Quoting, Writing Macros
@section Dependencies Between Macros

Some Autoconf macros depend on other macros having been called first in
order to work correctly.  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.
@end menu

@node Prerequisite Macros, Suggested Ordering, , Dependencies Between Macros
@subsection 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 @code{AC_PROG_CPP} having
been called first to set the shell variable @code{CPP}
(@pxref{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 @code{AC_PROVIDE} and
@code{AC_REQUIRE} to do it automatically.  @xref{Macro Ordering}, for more
information on their syntax.

The new macro that runs the C preprocessor should contain, somewhere
before @code{CPP} is used, the statement

@example
AC_REQUIRE([AC_PROG_CPP])
@end example

@noindent
and the macro @code{AC_PROG_CPP} should contain the statement (anywhere
in its body)

@example
AC_PROVIDE([$0])
@end example

@noindent
Then, when the new macro is run, it will invoke @code{AC_PROG_CPP} if
and only if @code{AC_PROG_CPP} has not already been run.

@node Suggested Ordering, , Prerequisite Macros, Dependencies Between Macros
@subsection 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
@code{AC_AIX} that changes the behavior of the C compiler (@pxref{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 @file{configure.in} file.  The
warning occurs when creating @file{configure} from @file{configure.in},
not when running @file{configure}.  It is not a fatal error;
@file{configure} is created as usual.

The @code{AC_BEFORE} macro causes @code{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 @code{AC_BEFORE} and the macro which should
come later should contain a call to @code{AC_PROVIDE}.

For example, @code{AC_AIX} contains

@example
AC_BEFORE([$0], [AC_COMPILE_CHECK])
@end example

@noindent
and @code{AC_COMPILE_CHECK} contains

@example
AC_PROVIDE([$0])
@end example

@noindent
As a result, if @code{AC_AIX} is called after @code{AC_COMPILE_CHECK},
it will note that @code{AC_COMPILE_CHECK} has already been called and
print a warning message.

@node Checking for Files, Checking for Symbols, Dependencies Between Macros, Writing Macros
@section Checking for Files

If you need to check whether a file other than a C header file exists,
use @samp{test -f @var{filename}}.  If you need to make multiple checks
using @code{test}, combine them with the shell operators @samp{&&} and
@samp{||} instead of using the @code{test} operators @samp{-a} and
@samp{-o}.  On System V, the precedence of @samp{-a} and @samp{-o} is
wrong relative to the unary operators; consequently, POSIX does not
specify them, so using them is nonportable.  If you combine @samp{&&}
and @samp{||} in the same statement, keep in mind that they have equal
precedence.

Do not use @samp{test -x}, because 4.3BSD does not have it.  Use
@samp{test -f} or @samp{test -r} instead.

@node Checking for Symbols, Test Programs, Checking for Files, Writing Macros
@section Checking for Symbols

If you need to check whether a symbol is defined in a C header file, you
can use @code{AC_HEADER_EGREP} if the symbol is not a C preprocessor
macro (@pxref{General Tests}), or compile a small test program that includes
the file and references the symbol (@pxref{Test Programs}).  Don't
directly @code{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 @samp{#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
@code{grep} (or @code{egrep}).  But don't use @samp{grep -s} to suppress
output, because @samp{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 @code{grep} to
@file{/dev/null}.  Check the exit status of @code{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 @code{case} statement like this:

@example
case "$DEFS" in
  *HAVE_FOO*) ;;
  *) LIBOBJS="$LIBOBJS foo.o" ;;
esac
@end example

@noindent
Make sure to enclose the variable name you are checking (usually
@code{DEFS}) in double quotes, because otherwise some old versions of
@code{bash} misinterpret the statement.

@node Test Programs, Multiple Cases, Checking for Symbols, Writing Macros
@section 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 @code{nm} or @code{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
@code{nm} and @code{ar} and in the location of the standard libraries.
It also allows @code{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
@code{AC_COMPILE_CHECK} (@pxref{General Tests}).  You have to write a
test program by hand.  You can compile and run it using
@code{AC_TEST_PROGRAM} (@pxref{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
@code{AC_TEST_PROGRAM}.

@menu
* Guidelines::			General rules for writing test programs.
* Tricks::			Special ways to work around problems.
@end menu

@node Guidelines, Tricks, , Test Programs
@subsection 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 @code{exit}, not @code{return}, from
@code{main}, because on some systems the argument to @code{return} in
@code{main} is ignored.  They should not write anything to the standard
output.

Test programs can use @code{#if} or @code{#ifdef} to check the values of
preprocessor macros defined by tests that have already run.  For
example, if you call @code{AC_STDC_HEADERS}, then later on in
@file{configure.in} you can have a test program that includes an ANSI C
header file conditionally:

@example
@group
#if STDC_HEADERS
#include <stdlib.h>
#endif
@end group
@end example

If a test program needs to use or create a data file, give it a name
that starts with @file{conftest}, such as @file{conftestdata}.  The
@code{configure} script cleans up by running @samp{rm -rf conftest*}
after running test programs and if the script is interrupted.

@node Tricks, , Guidelines, Test Programs
@subsection 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
@code{exit}, because 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, 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, @code{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 @code{char}).

@node Multiple Cases, , Test Programs, Writing Macros
@section 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 @file{configure.in} for GNU
@code{find}.  It uses the shell variable @code{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.

@example
@group
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
@end group
@end example

@node Makefiles, Running configure Scripts, Writing Macros, Top
@chapter Makefiles

Each subdirectory in a distribution should come with a file
@file{Makefile.in}, from which @code{configure} will produce a
@file{Makefile} in that directory.  Most of the substitutions that
@code{configure} does are simple: for each configuration variable that
the package uses, it just replaces occurrences of
@samp{@@@var{variable}@@} with the value that @code{configure} has
determined for that variable.  Any occurrences of
@samp{@@@var{variable}@@} for variables that @code{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 @code{configure} script
might set a value for should appear in a @samp{@@@var{variable}@@} reference
in at least one @file{Makefile.in}.  If @code{AC_CONFIG_HEADER} is
called, @code{configure} replaces @samp{@@DEFS@@} with
@samp{-DHAVE_CONFIG_H}, since the contents of @code{DEFS} would be
redundant.

@xref{Makefiles, , Makefile Conventions, standards.info, The GNU Coding
Standards}, for more information on what to put in Makefiles.
@xref{Sample Makefile.in}, for an example of a real @file{Makefile.in}.

@menu
* Predefined Variables::	Heavily used @code{make} variables.
* Installation Prefixes::	A special variable substitution.
* VPATH Substitutions::		Compiling in a different directory.
* Automatic Remaking::		Makefile rules for configuring.
@end menu

@node Predefined Variables, Installation Prefixes, , Makefiles
@section Predefined Variables

Some @code{make} variables are predefined by the Autoconf macros.
@code{AC_SUBST} is called for them automatically (@pxref{Setting
Variables}), so in your @file{Makefile.in} files you can get their
values by enclosing their names in @samp{@@} characters.
@ifinfo
@xref{Makefiles}, for more information on @samp{@@} substitutions.
@end ifinfo
The variables that are defined by the general
purpose Autoconf macros are:

@defvar srcdir
The directory that contains the source code for that @file{Makefile}.
@end defvar

@defvar DEFS
@samp{-D} options to pass to the C compiler.  If @code{AC_CONFIG_HEADER}
is called, @code{configure} replaces @samp{@@DEFS@@} with
@samp{-DHAVE_CONFIG_H}, since the contents of @code{DEFS} would be
redundant.
@end defvar

@defvar LIBS
@samp{-l} and @samp{-L} options to pass to the linker.
@end defvar

@defvar LIBOBJS
Names of object files (ending in @file{.o}).  Set by
@code{AC_REPLACE_FUNCS} (@pxref{General Tests}).
@end defvar

@node Installation Prefixes, VPATH Substitutions, Predefined Variables, Makefiles
@section Installation Prefixes

If @code{configure} has figured out a value for the installation prefix,
either by the user supplying one on the command line (@pxref{Running
configure Scripts}) or with @code{AC_PREFIX}, then it substitutes that
value in @file{Makefile}s that it creates.  Wherever a @file{Makefile.in}
contains lines like

@example
prefix = /usr/local
exec_prefix = $@{prefix@}
@end example

@noindent
@code{configure} substitutes the value it figured out.  The word
@samp{prefix} or @samp{exec_prefix}
must not be preceded by any other characters on the line.
If @code{configure} has not figured out a value for the prefix, the
value in the @file{Makefile.in} is left alone.

There can be separate installation prefixes for architecture-specific
files (@code{exec_prefix}) and architecture-independent files
(@code{prefix}).  @xref{Running configure Scripts}, for more information
on setting them.

Autoconf @code{configure} scripts replace these two variables without
requiring them to be enclosed in @samp{@@} characters, and only if they
have been set, because the Cygnus @code{configure} does so.  In
retrospect, being compatible in this way was a bad decision, because it
created an inconsistency in Autoconf without giving significant
benefits.

@node VPATH Substitutions, Automatic Remaking, Installation Prefixes, Makefiles
@section @code{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, @code{make} uses the @code{VPATH} variable to
find the files that are in the source directory.  GNU @code{make} and
most other recent @code{make} programs can do this.  Older @code{make}
programs do not support @code{VPATH}; when using them, the source code
must be in the same directory as the object files.

To support @code{VPATH}, each @file{Makefile.in} should contain two
lines that look like:

@example
srcdir = @@srcdir@@
VPATH = @@srcdir@@
@end example

Do not set @code{VPATH} to the value of another variable, for example
@samp{VPATH = $(srcdir)}, because some versions of @code{make} do not do
variable substitutions on the value of @code{VPATH}.

@code{configure} substitutes in the correct value for @code{srcdir} when
it produces @file{Makefile.in}.

Do not use the @code{make} variable @code{$<}, which expands to the
pathname of the file in the source directory (found with @code{VPATH}),
except in implicit rules.  (An implicit rule is one such as @samp{.c.o},
which tells how to create a @file{.o} file from a @file{.c} file.)  Some
versions of @code{make} do not set @code{$<} in explicit rules; they
expand it to an empty value.

Instead, @file{Makefile} command lines should always refer to source
files by prefixing them with @samp{$(srcdir)/}.  For example:

@example
time.info: time.texinfo
        $(MAKEINFO) $(srcdir)/time.texinfo
@end example

@node Automatic Remaking, , VPATH Substitutions, Makefiles
@section Automatic Remaking

You can put rules like the following in the top-level @file{Makefile.in}
for a package to automatically update the configuration information when
you change the configuration files.

@example
# 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) config.status --recheck
configure: configure.in
        cd $(srcdir); autoconf
config.h.in: configure.in
        cd $(srcdir); autoheader
@end example

@node Running configure Scripts, Example, Makefiles, Top
@chapter Running @code{configure} Scripts

A software package that uses a @code{configure} script
should be distributed with a file @file{Makefile.in}, but no
@file{Makefile}; that way, the user has to properly configure the
package for the local system before compiling it.
Here is how to configure a package that uses a @code{configure} script.

Normally, you just @code{cd} to the directory containing the package's
source code and type @samp{./configure}.  If you're using @code{csh} on
an old version of System V, you might need to type @samp{sh configure}
instead to prevent @code{csh} from trying to execute @code{configure}
itself.

Running @code{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 @code{configure} with its standard output
redirected to @file{/dev/null}; for example, @samp{./configure >/dev/null}.

To compile the package in a different directory from the one containing
the source code, you must use a version of @code{make} that supports the
@code{VPATH} variable, such as GNU @code{make}.  @code{cd} to the
directory where you want the object files and executables to go and run
the @code{configure} script.  @code{configure} automatically checks for
the source code in the directory that @code{configure} is in and in
@file{..}.  If for some reason @code{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 @code{configure} with the
option @samp{--srcdir=@var{dir}}, where @var{dir} is the directory that
contains the source code.

By default, @samp{make install} will install the package's files in
@file{/usr/local/bin}, @file{/usr/local/man}, etc.  You can specify an
installation prefix other than @file{/usr/local} by giving
@code{configure} the option @samp{--prefix=@var{path}}.  Alternately,
you can do so by consistently giving a value for the @samp{prefix}
variable when you run @code{make}, e.g.,
@example
make prefix=/usr/gnu
make prefix=/usr/gnu install
@end example

You can specify separate installation prefixes for architecture-specific
files and architecture-independent files.  If you give @code{configure}
the option @samp{--exec-prefix=@var{path}} or set the @code{make}
variable @samp{exec_prefix} to @var{path}, the package will use
@var{path} as the prefix for installing programs and libraries.  Data
files and documentation will still use the regular prefix.  Normally,
all files are installed using the same prefix.

Some packages pay attention to @samp{--with-@var{package}} options to
@code{configure}, where @var{package} is something like @samp{gnu-as} or
@samp{x} (for the X Window System).  The README should mention any
@samp{--with-} options that the package recognizes.

@code{configure} ignores any other arguments that you give it.

@menu
* Overriding variables::        Workarounds for unusual systems.
* Running config.status::       Recreating a configuration.
@end menu

@node Overriding variables, Running config.status, , Running configure Scripts
@section Overriding variables

On systems that require unusual options for compilation or linking that
the package's @code{configure} script does not know about, you can give
@code{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:

@example
CC='gcc -traditional' LIBS=-lposix ./configure
@end example

Here are the @code{make} variables that you might want to override with
environment variables when running @code{configure}.

For these variables, any value given in the environment overrides the
value that @code{configure} would choose:

@defvar CC
C compiler program.  The default is @code{cc}.
@end defvar

@defvar INSTALL
Program to use to install files.  The default is @code{install} if you
have it, @code{cp} otherwise.
@end defvar

For these variables, any value given in the environment is added to
the value that @code{configure} chooses:

@defvar DEFS
Configuration options, in the form @samp{-Dfoo -Dbar@dots{}}.  Do not
use this variable in packages that create a configuration header file.
@end defvar

@defvar LIBS
Libraries to link with, in the form @samp{-lfoo -lbar@dots{}}.
@end defvar

In the long term, most problems requiring manual intervention should be
fixed by updating either the Autoconf macros or the @file{configure.in}
file for that package.  @xref{Making configure Scripts}, for a
discussion of that subject.

@node Running config.status, , Overriding variables, Running configure Scripts
@section Recreating a Configuration

The @code{configure} script creates a file named @file{config.status}
which describes which configuration options were specified when the
package was last configured.  This file is a shell script which,
if run, will recreate the same configuration.

You can give @file{config.status} the @samp{--recheck} option, which
makes it re-run @code{configure} with the same arguments you used
before.  This option is useful if you change @code{configure}, so that
the results of some tests might be different from the previous run.

@file{config.status} checks several optional environment variables that
can alter its behavior:

@defvar CONFIG_SHELL
The shell with which to run @code{configure} for the @samp{--recheck}
option.  The default is @file{/bin/sh}.
@end defvar

The following two variables provide one way for separately distributed
packages to share the values computed by @code{configure}.  Doing so can
be useful if some of the packages need a superset of the features that
one of them, perhaps a common library, does.  These variables allow a
@file{config.status} file to create files other than the ones that its
@file{configure.in} specifies, so it can be used for a different package.

@defvar CONFIG_FILES
The files in which to perform @samp{@@@var{variable}@@} substitutions.
The default is the arguments given to @code{AC_OUTPUT} in @file{configure.in}.
@end defvar

@defvar CONFIG_HEADERS
The files in which to substitute C @code{#define} statements.
The default is the arguments given to @code{AC_CONFIG_HEADER}; if that
macro was not called, @file{config.status} ignores this variable.
@end defvar

@node Example, Preprocessor Symbol Index, Running configure Scripts, Top
@chapter An Example

Here are sample @file{configure.in} and @file{Makefile.in} files, to
give a real illustration of using Autoconf.  They are from the GNU
@code{cpio} package, which also includes the @code{mt} and @code{rmt}
programs.  This package does not use a configuration header file; it
passes @samp{-D} options to the C compiler on the command line.

@menu
* Sample configure.in::		An example of a @file{configure} template.
* Sample Makefile.in::		An example of a @file{Makefile} template.
@end menu

@node Sample configure.in, Sample Makefile.in, , Example
@section Sample @file{configure.in}

@noindent
Here is @file{configure.in} from GNU @code{cpio}.  The @code{dnl} macro
after @code{AC_SUBST} is suppresses an extra (though harmless) newline
in the generated @code{configure} script (because the @code{AC_SUBST}
macro does not produce any output where it is called).

@example
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 sys/io/trioctl.h)
AC_REPLACE_FUNCS(fnmatch 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)
@end example

@node Sample Makefile.in, , Sample configure.in, Example
@section Sample @file{Makefile.in}

@noindent
Here is @file{Makefile.in} from GNU @code{cpio}, with some irrelevant
lines omitted, for brevity.

@example
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 = $(exec_prefix)/lib
mandir = $(prefix)/man/man1
manext = 1

SHELL = /bin/sh

SRCS = copyin.c copyout.c copypass.c defer.c dstring.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 fnmatch.c mkdir.c strdup.c
OBJS = copyin.o copyout.o copypass.o defer.o dstring.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 version.o $(RTAPELIB) @@ALLOCA@@
HDRS = cpio.h cpiohdr.h tar.h tarhdr.h defer.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 makefile.os2 cpio.def \
configure configure.in mkinstalldirs $(MT_SRCS) rmt.c tcexparg.c alloca.c

all: @@PROGS@@

.c.o:
        $(CC) -c $(CPPFLAGS) $(DEFS) -I$(srcdir) $(CFLAGS) $<

install: installdirs 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 $(libdir)/rmt
        $(INSTALL_DATA) $(srcdir)/cpio.1 $(mandir)/$(manprefix)cpio.$(manext)
        test ! -f mt || \
        $(INSTALL_DATA) $(srcdir)/mt.1 $(mandir)/$(manprefix)mt.$(manext)

installdirs:
        $(srcdir)/mkinstalldirs $(bindir) $(libdir) $(mandir)

uninstall:
        cd $(bindir); rm -f $(binprefix)cpio $(binprefix)mt
        -rm -f $(libdir)/rmt
        cd $(mandir); rm -f $(manprefix)cpio.$(manext) $(manprefix)mt.$(manext)

check:
        @@echo No tests are supplied.

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)

Makefile: Makefile.in config.status
        $(SHELL) config.status
config.status: configure
        $(SHELL) config.status --recheck
configure: configure.in
        cd $(srcdir); autoconf

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: $(DISTFILES)
        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`
        for file in $(DISTFILES); do \
          test -r `cat .fname`/$$file || cp -p $$file `cat .fname`; \
        done
        tar chzf `cat .fname`.tar.gz `cat .fname`
        rm -rf `cat .fname` .fname
@end example

@node Preprocessor Symbol Index, Macro Index, Example, Top
@unnumbered 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 @code{#if} directives.

@printindex vr

@node Macro Index, , Preprocessor Symbol Index, Top
@unnumbered 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 @samp{AC_}.

@printindex ma

@contents
@bye

@c Local variables:
@c compile-command: "makeinfo --no-split autoconf.texi"
@c End: