CODEWITHSUNDEEP
makefilegnu-makeautoconf
Ocasta Eshu
Ocasta Eshu

Reputation: 851

Accounting for multiple autoconf versions

I have 3 programs, two of which require an older version of autoconf one of which requires a newer version. right now all three programs are calling the newest autoconf version. I believe I have to modify the path to autoconf in the makefiles of the first two programs to resolve the issue, but it could very well be aclocal.m4 or configure.ac for that matter.

Which file in gnu-make calls autoconf? Where and in what syntax is the path defined?

Upvotes: 1

Views: 837

Answers (1)

ptomato
ptomato

Reputation: 57854

Nothing in make should have to call autoconf, unless (in some cases) you edit configure.ac. You execute autoconf yourself (either directly, or indirectly from autoreconf) to generate the configure script from configure.ac.

Some programs also include a script called autogen.sh or bootstrap that calls autoconf. This should only be needed when checking the program out from source control.

Note that if you just want to compile the program and you don't edit configure.ac, you don't even need to have autoconf installed.

My advice is, if you need to edit configure.ac, then manually call the required version of autoconf after you edit it. Or consider upgrading configure.ac to use the latest version. I'm sure the author of the original program will thank you for it.

Upvotes: 4

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