Hi Ralf, In the end, this is where I wound up:
1. In configure.ac, ensure that there is some compilation language a la AC_PROG_CC that enables the ``if AMDEP'' machinery (i.e. AM_SET_DEPDIR gets invoked). 2. in Makefile.ac you have something like this: > if AMDEP > DEP_ARG = -MF$(DEPDIR)/opts-dep > TOUCH_SENTINEL = touch -r $(DEPDIR)/opts-dep $@ > include $(DEPDIR)/opts-dep > else > DEP_FILE = > DEP_ARG = > TOUCH_SENTINEL = touch $@ > endif > stamp-opts : opts.def $(CLexe) $(AGexe) > $(AG_ENV) ; $(AGEXE_LIB) $(DEP_ARG) $(srcdir)/opts.def > $(TOUCH_SENTINEL) 3. This depends upon AC_PROG_CC defining AMDEP as an automake conditional *AND* jiggering some per-directory configury scripting (aka "config.status" scripting) to grep out file names from ``include $(DEPDIR)/whatever'' lines to insert "# dummy" text into them. It means that I cannot (directly) use the dependency file as the sentinel because the time stamp after the ``echo "# dummy">xxx'' command is too recent. I guess that's not the end of the world since everybody has "touch -r" :) Still and all, it would be Really Nice to change the doc for AM_SET_DEPDIR so I could use it legally: > 6.4.3 Private Macros > -------------------- > > The following macros are private macros you should not call directly. > They are called by the other public macros when appropriate. Do not > rely on them, as they might be changed in a future version. Consider > them as implementation details; or better, do not consider them at all: > skip this section! > > `_AM_DEPENDENCIES' > `AM_SET_DEPDIR' > `AM_DEP_TRACK' > `AM_OUTPUT_DEPENDENCY_COMMANDS' > These macros are used to implement Automake's automatic dependency > tracking scheme. They are called automatically by Automake when > required, and there should be no need to invoke them manually. or some other alternative and document the infrastructure used. :) Thanks - Bruce