Autoconf

Creating Automatic Configuration Scripts

Edition 2.1, for Autoconf version 2.1

November 1994

• Introduction
• Making configure Scripts
  • Writing `configure.in'
  • Using autoscan to Create `configure.in'
  • Using ifnames to List Conditionals
  • Using autoconf to Create configure
  • Using autoreconf to Update configure Scripts
• Initialization and Output Files
  • Finding configure Input
  • Creating Output Files
  • Substitutions in Makefiles
    • Preset Output Variables
    • Build Directories
    • Automatic Remaking
  • Configuration Header Files
    • Configuration Header Templates
    • Using autoheader to Create `config.h.in'
  • Configuring Other Packages in Subdirectories
  • Default Prefix
  • Version Numbers in configure
• Existing Tests
  • Alternative Programs
    • Particular Program Checks
    • Generic Program Checks
  • Library Files
  • Library Functions
    • Particular Function Checks
    • Generic Function Checks
  • Header Files
    • Particular Header Checks
    • Generic Header Checks
  • Structures
  • Typedefs
    • Particular Typedef Checks
    • Generic Typedef Checks
  • Compiler Characteristics
  • System Services
  • UNIX Variants
• Writing Tests
  • Examining Declarations
  • Examining Syntax
  • Examining Libraries
  • Checking Run Time Behavior
    • Running Test Programs
    • Guidelines for Test Programs
    • Test Functions
  • Portable Shell Programming
  • Testing Values and Files
  • Multiple Cases
  • Language Choice
• Results of Tests
  • Defining C Preprocessor Symbols
  • Setting Output Variables
  • Caching Results
    • Cache Variable Names
    • Cache Files
  • Printing Messages
• Writing Macros
  • Macro Definitions
  • Macro Names
  • Quoting
  • Dependencies Between Macros
    • Prerequisite Macros
    • Suggested Ordering
    • Obsolete Macros
• Manual Configuration
  • Specifying the System Type
  • Getting the Canonical System Type
  • System Type Variables
  • Using the System Type
• Site Configuration
  • Working With External Software
  • Choosing Package Options
  • Configuring Site Details
  • Transforming Program Names When Installing
    • Transformation Options
    • Transformation Examples
    • Transformation Rules
  • Setting Site Defaults
• Running configure Scripts
  • Basic Installation
  • Compilers and Options
  • Using a Different Build Directory
  • Installation Names
  • Optional Features
  • Specifying the System Type
  • Sharing Defaults
  • Operation Controls
• Recreating a Configuration
• Questions About Autoconf
  • Distributing configure Scripts
  • Why Require GNU m4?
  • How Can I Bootstrap?
  • Why Not Imake?
• Upgrading From Version 1
  • Changed File Names
  • Changed Makefiles
  • Changed Macros
  • Using autoupdate to Modernize configure
  • Changed Results
  • Changed Macro Writing
• History of Autoconf
  • Genesis
  • Exodus
  • Leviticus
  • Numbers
  • Deuteronomy
• Old Macro Names
• Environment Variable Index
• Output Variable Index
• Preprocessor Symbol Index
• Macro Index