Maybe I'm going blind, but it seems that AC_PROVIDE and AC_PROVIDE_IFELSE are not documented in the Autoconf manual. AC_PROVIDE is mentioned but not described. AC_PROVIDE_IFELSE is not mentioned.
$ grep -n AC_PROVIDE autoconf.texi autoconf.texi:14935:@code{AC_DEFUN} or else contain a call to @code{AC_PROVIDE} to indicate autoconf.texi:15158:@code{AC_DEFUN} or else contain a call to @code{AC_PROVIDE} to indicate autoconf.texi:24975:@code{AC_PROVIDE} and ensures that macros called via @code{AC_REQUIRE} karl