AUTOCONF(1)

📦 version 2.71, in epel 9

💅 autoconf — like, the manual page, bestie

okay so you found autoconf (that's the User Commands girlies section, hi) and you want the tea? bucket seat, bestie, because this one generates configuration scripts and it's honestly iconic 🎀

✨ NAME ✨

autoconf — generate configuration scripts. that's it, that's the whole vibe. main character energy fr 💖

🌸 SYNOPSIS 🌸

autoconf [OPTION]... [TEMPLATE-FILE]

🦋 DESCRIPTION 🦋

So here's the situation: autoconf generates a configuration script from a TEMPLATE-FILE if you actually give it one, or from configure.ac if that's present, or else from configure.in. Like, it's gonna find something to work with, she's resourceful 💅

Where does the output go? Whole thing depends, bestie:

  • if you gave a TEMPLATE-FILE, the output goes to standard output (stdout, the default, we been knew)
  • if you didn't, it goes into a file literally called configure

🧚 Operation modes:

  • -h, --help — prints the help text, then dips. bye 👋
  • -V, --version — prints the version number, then exits. classic.
  • -v, --verbose — verbosely reports processing. she's telling you everything that's happening, and honestly? we love a transparent queen ✨
  • -d, --debug — doesn't remove temporary files. like, keeps the receipts 🧾
  • -f, --force — considers all files obsolete. no cap, every single one.
  • -o, --output=FILE — saves the output in FILE (remember, stdout is the default)
  • -W, --warnings=CATEGORY — reports the warnings falling in CATEGORY. pick your fighter below ⬇️

🎀 Warning categories include:

  • cross — cross compilation issues 🌈
  • gnu — GNU coding standards (this one's the default in gnu and gnits modes)
  • obsolete — obsolete features or constructions (default, she's always on)
  • override — user redefinitions of Automake rules or variables
  • portability — portability issues (default in gnu and gnits modes)
  • portability-recursive — nested Make variables (default with -Wportability)
  • extra-portability — extra portability issues related to obscure tools 🫶
  • syntax — dubious syntactic constructs (default)
  • unsupported — unsupported or incomplete features (default)
  • all — all the warnings, the whole buffet 🍓
  • no-CATEGORY — turns off warnings in CATEGORY. so like, no-portability etc.
  • none — turns off all the warnings. silence, but make it fashion 💀
Heads up bestie: the environment variables M4 and WARNINGS are honored. they're literally respected, periodt.

💜 Library directories:

  • -B, --prepend-include=DIR — prepends directory DIR to the search path. front of the line, VIP style 👑
  • -I, --include=DIR — appends directory DIR to the search path. back of the line, still invited tho.

🔥 Tracing:

  • -t, --trace=MACRO[:FORMAT] — reports the list of calls to MACRO
  • -i, --initialization — also traces Autoconf's initialization process. she's tracing her own origin story 😭
Big warning, no cap: in tracing mode, no configuration script is created. none. zero. the configure file does not happen. don't come for her, that's literally the deal.

FORMAT defaults to $f:$l:$n:$% — and if you wanna know what that mystical little string means, go see autom4te --help for the info about FORMAT. iykyk 💫

👑 AUTHOR 👑

Written by David J. MacKenzie and Akim Demaille. legends, honestly 🫶

🙈 REPORTING BUGS 🙈

Copyright © 2021 Free Software Foundation, Inc. License GPLv3+/Autoconf: GNU GPL version 3 or later <https://gnu.org/licenses/gpl.html>, <https://gnu.org/licenses/exceptions.html>

This is free software: you are free to change and redistribute it. There is NO WARRANTY, to the extent permitted by law. (say it with me: NO WARRANTY 😤)

🌈 SEE ALSO 🌈

The full documentation for autoconf is maintained as a Texinfo manual. If the info and autoconf programs are properly installed at your site, the command

info autoconf

should give you access to the complete manual. slay ✨

and that's the page, bestie 💅 the whole thing is GNU Autoconf 2.71, dated January 2021 — mwah, drink water, and go generate some configuration scripts 🎀🦋💜

📦 where this page comes from