# notes on autoconf: fuck my life!

(copied from GNU documents)

Files used in preparing a software package for distribution, when using just Autoconf:

{your source files} --> [autoscan*] --> [configure.scan] --> configure.ac

configure.ac --.
               |   .------> autoconf* -----> configure
[aclocal.m4] --+---+
               |   `-----> [autoheader*] --> [config.h.in]
[acsite.m4] ---'

Additionally, if you use Automake, the following additional productions come into play:

[acinclude.m4] --.
                 |
[local macros] --+--> aclocal* --> aclocal.m4
                 |
configure.ac ----'


configure.ac --.
               +--> automake* --> Makefile.in
Makefile.am ---'

Files used in configuring a software package:

                       .-------------> [config.cache]
configure* ------------+-------------> config.log
                       |
[config.h.in] -.       v            .-> [config.h] -.
               +--> config.status* -+               +--> make*
Makefile.in ---'                    `-> Makefile ---'

autoconf creates configure script, which produces

Makefile (s), ususally one in each subdirectory of package
(optionally) a C header file, containing #define directives
config.status script: which recreates files above
config.log for debugging

# GNU’s build (fuck-you) system

autoconf : produces configure script
automake
libtool : handles requirements for building shared libraries
gnulib : grabbing files fro mgnulib into own source tree.

# libtool

# License (same as GNU’s):


This manual (4 December 2023) is for GNU Autoconf (version 2.72), a package for
creating scripts to configure source code packages using templates and an M4
macro package.

Copyright © 1992–1996, 1998–2017, 2020–2023 Free Software Foundation, Inc.

    Permission is granted to copy, distribute and/or modify this document under
    the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1.3 or any later
    version published by the Free Software Foundation; with no Invariant
    Sections, no Front-Cover texts, and no Back-Cover Texts. A copy of the
    license is included in the section entitled “GNU Free Documentation License.”