The following message is a courtesy copy of an article that has been posted to gnu.utils.bug as well.
Of course there are still many things that ought to be done in Autoconf, nevertheless, there is no point in waiting for the day where Autoconf will be complete (as by definition, there is always something wrong for someone). We aim at releasing 2.53 within the next months. This is also a call for people ready to: - improve the documentation - upgrade existing specific macros - import into Autoconf wide spread specific macros Thanks! ftp://alpha.gnu.org/gnu/autoconf/autoconf-2.52g.tar.gz (959 kB) ftp://alpha.gnu.org/gnu/autoconf/autoconf-2.52g.tar.bz2 (735 kB) And here are xdelta-style diffs ftp://alpha.gnu.org/gnu/autoconf/autoconf-2.52f-2.52g.xdelta (50 kB) Here are the MD5 and SHA1 signatures for the compressed tar files: dcfbcb09bd49c4d3bb241ec77cd79bdf autoconf-2.52g.tar.gz 28aaa993b7f105ec4fcebf99ecfaf5bd autoconf-2.52g.tar.bz2 5bfb084cecb6c15583ecafcc4f4e0eff221e6e1c autoconf-2.52g.tar.gz 1263c961cabc603186de2b5aeac07ddec9e76267 autoconf-2.52g.tar.bz2 NEWS: ** Requirements Perl 5.005_03 or later is required: autom4te is written in Perl and is needed by autoconf. autoheader, autoreconf, ifnames, and autoscan are rewritten in Perl. ** Documentation - AC_INIT Argument requirements, output variables, defined macros. - M4sugar, M4sh, Autotest First sketch. - Double quoting macros AC_TRY_CPP, AC_TRY_COMPILE, AC_TRY_LINK and AC_TRY_RUN. - Licensing The Autoconf manual is now distributed under the terms of the GNU FDL. ** configure - $LINENO Now used instead of hard coded line numbers. This eases the comparison of `configure's, and diminishes the pressure over control version archives. Automatic replacement for shells that don't support this feature. - New output variables @builddir@, @top_builddir@, @abs_srcdir@, @abs_top_srcdir@, @abs_builddir@, @abs_top_builddir@. ** Emacs Autoconf and Autotest modes are provided. ** Executables - autom4te New, used by the Autoconf suite to cache and speed up most processing. - --force, -f Supported by autom4te, autoconf and autoheader. - --include, -I Replaces --autoconf-dir and --localdir in autoconf, autoheader, autoupdate, and autoreconf. - autoreconf No longer passes --cygnus, --foreign, --gnits, --gnu, --include-deps: automake options are to be given via AUTOMAKE_OPTIONS. - autoreconf Runs gettextize and libtoolize when appropriate. - autoreconf --m4dir is no longer supported. - autoreconf Now runs only in the specified directories, defaulting to `.', but understands AC_CONFIG_SUBDIRS for dependent directories. Before, it used to run on all the `configure.ac' found in the current tree. Independent packages are properly updated. ** Bug fixes - The top level $prefix is propagated to the AC_CONFIG_SUBDIRS configures. - AC_TRY_RUN Under the user pressure, $? is finally available. Probably a mistake. - AC_F77_LIBRARY_LDFLAGS now supports the HP/UX f90 compiler. - Precious variables accumulation config.status could stack several copies of the precious variables assignments. ** C Macros - AC_C_BIGENDIAN supports the cross-compiling case. - AC_C_BIGENDIAN accepts ACTION-IF-TRUE, ACTION-IF-FALSE, and ACTION-IF-UNKNOWN arguments. All are facultative, and the default for ACTION-IF-TRUE is to define WORDS_BIGENDIAN like AC_C_BIGENDIAN always did. - AC_C_LONG_DOUBLE now succeeds only if `long double' has more range or precision than `double'. ** Generic macros - AC_INIT It now defines the preprocessor symbols PACKAGE_NAME, PACKAGE_TARNAME, PACKAGE_VERSION, PACKAGE_STRING, and PACKAGE_BUGREPORT. - AC_CONFIG_COMMANDS, HEADERS, FILES, LINKS. Provide the user with srcdir, ac_srcdir, ac_top_srcdir, ac_builddir, ac_top_builddir, ac_abs_srcdir, ac_abs_top_srcdir, ac_abs_builddir, ac_abs_top_builddir. - AC_CONFIG_COMMANDS, HEADERS, FILES, LINKS and AC_OUTPUT. Are much less expensive when using long lists of files. ** Library macros - AC_FUNC_STRERROR_R now sets STRERROR_R_CHAR_P, not HAVE_WORKING_STRERROR_R, because POSIX 1003.1-200x draft 7 says strerror_r returns int, not char *. - AC_FUNC_STRTOD substitutes POW_LIB. - AC_FUNC_STRNLEN New. ChangeLog entries: ********************************************************************** ChangeLog 24 Jan 2002 18:44:16 -0000 1.1829 ********************************************************************** 2002-01-24 Akim Demaille <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Version 2.52g. 2002-01-24 Akim Demaille <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> * bin/autoheader.in, bin/autoconf.in, bin/autoscan.in, * doc/autoconf.texi: Finally add Akim as an author. 2002-01-24 Akim Demaille <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> * lib/m4sugar/m4sh.m4 (_AS_LINENO_PREPARE): Use PATH_SEPARATOR. (_AS_PATH_SEPARATOR_PREPARE): Don't expect $SHELL to be Bourne. Use /bin/sh. From Andreas Buening. 2002-01-24 Akim Demaille <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> * config/config.guess, config/config.sub, config/texinfo.tex: Update from masters. 2002-01-24 Akim Demaille <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> * Makefile.am (AUTOMAKE_OPTIONS): 1.5b. * config/auxdir.m4, config/cond.m4, config/depend.m4, * config/init.m4, config/install-sh.m4, config/lispdir.m4, * config/missing.m4, config/sanity.m4, config/select.m4, * config/strip.m4: Remove, to ease sync'ing with any version of Automake. 2002-01-24 Akim Demaille <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> * lib/autoconf/general.m4 (_AC_INIT_PARSE_ARGS) (_AC_INIT_PREPARE): Support -n as --no-create, as documented. Reported by Geir Ove Myhr. 2002-01-21 Akim Demaille <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> * lib/autoconf/functions.m4 (AC_FUNC_MMAP): #Undef malloc. 2002-01-21 Akim Demaille <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> * lib/Autom4te/General.pm (getopt): Use a more GNUish error message on invalid options. * bin/autom4te.in (parse_args): Don't use Autoconf::General::getopt with non valid options. 2002-01-17 Jim Meyering <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> * lib/autoconf/lang.m4 (_AC_COMPILER_EXEEXT_DEFAULT): Initialize $ac_cv_exeext so we don't use an old, invalid, cached value. 2002-01-11 Akim Demaille <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> * lib/autoconf/functions.m4 (AC_FUNC_STRNLEN): New, from Jim Meyering. * doc/autoconf.texi (Function Portability): Document the strnlen limitation. (Particular Functions): Document AC_FUNC_STRNLEN. * lib/autoscan/functions: Adjust. 2002-01-06 Akim Demaille <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> * lib/autoconf/autotest.m4 (AC_CONFIG_TESTDIR): Don't create package.m4, since is really depends upon configure.ac, not configure. * doc/autoconf.texi (testsuite Scripts): Adjust. * tests/Makefile.am (package.m4): New. EXTRA_DIST it since its a source. 2002-01-06 Akim Demaille <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> * lib/autoconf/general.m4 (_AC_INIT_PARSE_ARGS): Move the AC_SUBST of PACKAGE_NAME, PACKAGE_TARNAME, PACKAGE_VERSION, PACKAGE_STRING, and PACKAGE_BUGREPORT from here... (_AC_INIT_DEFAULTS): to here, since it is unrelated to the arguments. (_AC_INIT_PREPARE): AC_DEFINE these symbols. * lib/autotest/general.m4: Use AT_PACKAGE_*, not PACKAGE_*. (AT_INIT): No longer catch `^PACKAGE_(BUGREPORT|STRING)$'. * tests/tools.at (autoheader): Adjust. * tests/atspecific.m4 (AT_CHECK_DEFINES): Adjust. 2002-01-06 Akim Demaille <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> * bin/autoscan.in (scan_file): Use `&used'. 2002-01-03 Akim Demaille <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> * doc/autoconf.texi (Output): Improved wording regarding use of AC_OUTPUT. From Olly Betts. 2001-12-18 Kevin Ryde <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> * doc/autoconf.texi (Function Portability): Add notes on sscanf sometimes needing writable input. 2001-12-17 Jim Meyering <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> * doc/autoconf.texi (New Macros): Tweak wording. 2001-12-14 Akim Demaille <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> * lib/autoconf/general.m4 (_AC_INIT_PREPARE): We cleaning up the trailing files, don't apply `-rf' to files which might not be created by configure (core, core.*, and *.core), but just `rm -f'. Suggested by Jonathan Kamens. 2001-12-14 Aaron M. Ucko <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> * lib/autoconf/general.m4: Avoid duplicates in `$ac_configure_args'. 2001-12-14 Akim Demaille <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> * Makefile.am (MAINTAINERCLEANFILES): Remove configure. 2001-12-13 Peter Eisentraut <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> * lib/autoconf/status.m4 (_AC_SRCPATHS): Rename buildpath to abs_builddir, top_buildpath to abs_top_builddir, srcpath to abs_srcdir, top_srcpath to abs_top_srcdir. (_AC_OUTPUT_FILES): Adjust. * NEWS, doc/autoconf.texi, lib/autoconf/autotest.m4, * tests/atspecific.m4, tests/autoreconf.in, tests/tools.at, * tests/wrappl.in, tests/wrapsh.in: Adjust. 2001-12-12 Steven G. Johnson <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> * lib/autoconf/fortran.m4 (_AC_PROG_F77_V_OUTPUT): Fix failed C/Fortran linking on HP/UX, by extracting the Fortran library search path from the LPATH line in the $F77 -v output. 2001-12-12 Kevin Ryde <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> * doc/autoconf.texi (File Descriptors): Use a clearer layout for the forbidden file descriptors table. 2001-11-26 Akim Demaille <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> * bin/autoscan.in (%c_keywords): Build it at top level. Map to 1 in order to simplify its uses. 2001-11-26 Akim Demaille <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> * bin/autoscan.in (&scan_c_file, &scan_sh_file, &scan_makefile): Remove $filepath, useless. (&scan_makefile): Don't remove the $(FOO), ${FOO} and @FOO@ variables, they are really part of the tokens. Split the input line on spaces and then look for tokens. Now autoscan ceases to ask for AC_PROG_LEX for the package Bison because of `lex$U.$(OBJEXT)'. (&scan_files): Use "@list" instead of join. * doc/Makefile.am (CLEANFILES): Add *.fns. 2001-11-26 Akim Demaille <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> * tests/autoreconf.in, tests/autom4te.in, tests/autoupdate.in: Remove, replaced by... * tests/wrappl.in: Be common for all the Perl executables. In particular autoscan and autoheader want -I. * configure.ac: Adjust. * lib/autoscan/headers: errno.h is portable. 2001-11-26 Akim Demaille <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> * bin/autoscan.in (used): New. Use it. 2001-11-26 Akim Demaille <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> * bin/autoscan.in (&scan_c_file): Better parsing of CPP directives. (&scan_sh_file): Remove a duplicate pattern. (&check_configure_ac): Use long options. * lib/autoscan/headers (alloca.h): Check with AC_FUNC_ALLOCA. 2001-11-26 Akim Demaille <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> * bin/autoscan.in (scan_c_file): Fix the handling of C comments. Before, having a line containing the opening of a multi line comment made the whole line be ignored. 2001-11-26 Akim Demaille <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> * doc/autoconf.texi (Using an Autotest Test Suite): New. (testsuite Scripts): Be one of its subsection. (Autotest Logs): New. 2001-11-26 Akim Demaille <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Test groups are now run two directories deeper. * lib/autoconf/autotest.m4 (AC_CONFIG_TESTDIR): Replace srcdir, top_srcdir and top_builddir with at_srcdir, at_top_srcdir and at_top_builddir. * lib/autotest/general.m4 (AT_INIT): Compute srcdir, top_srcdir, builddir and top_builddir. Use `at_*dir' relatively to the directory containing the suite, use `*dir' when relatively to the current group dir. 2001-11-25 Joseph S. Myers <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> * doc/autoconf.texi, TODO, lib/autoconf/fortran.m4, lib/autoconf/functions.m4, lib/autoconf/headers.m4, tests/atgeneral.m4, tests/tools.at, tests/atspecific.m4: Fix spelling errors. 2001-11-22 Alexandre Duret-Lutz <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> * doc/autoconf.texi (Using System Type): Add an example of `case $host' usage so people quit using `case $target' everywhere. 2001-11-22 Akim Demaille <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> * doc/autoconf.texi (Installation Directory Variables): Englishoes spotted by Jim Meyering. 2001-11-16 Paul Eggert <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> This patch implements a `long double' suggestion by Oliver Kiddle. * lib/autoconf/c.m4 (AC_LANG_BOOL_COMPILE_TRY(C)): Make the array static, to catch errors if the value isn't known at compile-time and the compiler supports dynamic arrays. Change its name from `_array_' to `test_array' to avoid potential name clashes. (AC_C_LONG_DOUBLE): Make it a compile-time test, not a run-time test. Do not define HAVE_LONG_DOUBLE if `long double' is no better than double. Catch a bug in GCC 2.95.2 x86. * doc/autoconf.texi (C Compiler): Document the above. * NEWS: Likewise. 2001-11-13 Akim Demaille <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> * tests/m4sh.at (LINENO): Protect from autom4te's substitution by hand. * tests/tools.at: Don't protect dnl, AT_DATA_M4SH does. 2001-11-13 Akim Demaille <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> * lib/autotest/general.m4 (AT_INIT): After having run the test group, go back to the initial directory, not to at_suite_dir. 2001-11-13 Akim Demaille <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> * tests/atspecific.m4 (AT_DATA_M4SUGAR, AT_DATA_M4SH) (AT_DATA_AUTOCONF): Also protect @&t@ from autom4te. (AT_CHECK_AUTOCONF, AT_CHECK_AUTOHEADER): Pass no --include option. (AT_CHECK_CONFIGURE): Use absolute paths. (_AT_CHECK_AC_MACRO): Create aclocal.m4 with AC_STATE_SAVE in it. The problem is still the old one: there is no means in M4 (that I know about) to create a defining macro, because there is no means to create `$1' etc., therefore, the defining macro ``swallows'' all the arguments meant to the defined macro. 2001-11-13 Akim Demaille <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> * tests/atspecific.m4 (AT_DATA_AUTOCONF): New. (AT_CONFIGURE_AC): Output the definition of AC_STATE_SAVE in configure.ac. * tests/aclocal.m4: Remove, as it is no longer used. 2001-11-13 Akim Demaille <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> * lib/autotest/general.m4: Change `tests?' into `groups?' in variable names when referring to a single test group, or to `suite' when referring to the whole test suite. `at_last_test' is removed: m4 compute at_format itself. (at_stdout, at_stder1, at_stderr): New variables. (AT_CHECK): Use them. 2001-11-13 Akim Demaille <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> * lib/autotest/general.m4 (AT_INIT): Be sure to put `.', relative, in PATH. Create `testsuite.dir/003/run' instead of `testsuite.003'. Do it as soon as a test fails, don't wait till the end of the test suite. Don't remove $as_me.[0-9]*, since these files no longer exist. 2001-11-13 Akim Demaille <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> * tests/tools.at: Use absolute paths, since we are no longer run in place. 2001-11-13 Akim Demaille <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Now that tests are running in their own private dir, there is no need to list the files to remove at the end of tests groups. * lib/autotest/general.m4 (_AT_CLEANUP_FILE, AT_CLEANUP_FILES): (AT_data_files, at_data_files): Remove. (AT_CLEANUP, AT_DATA): Simplify. (AT_INIT): Adjust. Remove the group dir if !debug && !failed. * tests/atspecific.m4: Adjust. 2001-11-13 Akim Demaille <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Start a new layout for Autotest: `testsuite' creates `testsuite.dir' in which the at-check-line etc. files are to be found, and `testsuite.dir/003' where the test group 3 is run. * lib/autotest/general.m4 (AT_INIT): at_tests_dir, at_check_line_file, at_format, at_test_normalized, at_group_dir are new variables. Create the directories. Use absolute paths for at- files. (AT_CHECK): Adjust. 2001-11-11 Michael Matz <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> * m4sugar.m4 (_m4_foreach): Make it linear instead quadratic. (m4_car2): New. (m4_car): Properly quote arguments. 2001-11-13 Akim Demaille <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> * tests/aclocal.m4 (AC_STATE_SAVE): s/LIBOBJS/LIB@&t@OBJS/ to cope with stricter rules on LIBOBJS. 2001-11-12 Paul Eggert <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> * lib/autoconf/c.m4 (AC_C_PROTOTYPES): Define __PROTOTYPES too. * doc/autoconf.texi (C Compiler): AC_C_PROTOTYPES now defines __PROTOTYPES too. 2001-11-12 Akim Demaille <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> * lib/autoconf/functions.m4 (AC_FUNC_GETMNTENT): Use AC_CHECK_FUNCS. 2001-11-12 Akim Demaille <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> * lib/autoconf/c.m4, lib/autoconf/fortran.m4, * lib/autoconf/functions.m4, lib/autoconf/general.m4, * lib/autoconf/headers.m4, lib/autoconf/libs.m4, * lib/autoconf/programs.m4, lib/autoconf/specific.m4, * lib/autoconf/types.m4: When invoking AC_DEFINE and friends, specify to what the macro should be defined (typically to 1). 2001-11-12 Akim Demaille <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> * lib/autoconf/functions.m4 (AC_FUNC_STRTOD): AC_SUBST POW_LIB. From Jim Meyering. 2001-11-12 Akim Demaille <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> * lib/autoconf/programs.m4 (_AC_PROG_LEX_YYTEXT_DECL): Use AC_TRY_EVAL to run $LEX, not AC_TRY_COMMAND. This validates the definition used by Automake where LEX is +/- "${missing} lex" and `missing' itself contains variables. 2001-11-12 Akim Demaille <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> * lib/autotest/general.m4 (AT_INIT): Push KILL at the end. Now that M4sh pushes BODY, the comments were output at the end of the test suites. 2001-11-08 Akim Demaille <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> * bin/autoreconf.in (&autoreconf): Run aclocal before tracing, so that we can trace macros from aclocal.m4. Trace AC_PROG_LIBTOOL, not AM_PROG_LIBTOOL, since the latter is obsoleted, and redirect to the former anyway. Reported by Ralf Corsepius. 2001-11-08 Akim Demaille <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> * bin/autoreconf.in (&autoreconf): AC_CONFIG_SUBIDRS are to be processed only if present. * tests/torture.at (Configuring subdirectories): Use autoreconf instead of successive calls to autoconf. Add a nonexistent subdirectory to exercise the patch above. Reported by Ralf Corsepius. 2001-11-08 Kevin Ryde <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> * autoconf.texi (Limitations of Usual Tools): Note HP-UX cc doesn't accept .S files. 2001-11-07 Akim Demaille <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> * lib/m4sugar/m4sugar.m4 (m4_pattern_forbid): Accepts $2. * lib/autoconf/general.m4 (AC_INTI): Forbid LIBOBJS. (_AC_LIBOBJ): s/LIBOBJS/LIB@&t@OBJS/. * bin/autom4te.in (warn_forbidden): New. (handle_output): Use it. Read m4_pattern_forbid with messages. 2001-11-05 Akim Demaille <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> * bin/autom4te.in (--normalize): Remove. * lib/autom4te.in: Adjust. 2001-11-05 Akim Demaille <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> * tests/Makefile.am (testsuite): Rename this target as... ($(TESTSUITE)): this. From Nicolas Joly. 2001-11-05 Alexandre Duret-Lutz <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> * lib/autoconf/status.m4 (_AC_OUTPUT_SUBDIRS): When removing the --prefix option, also remove it's argument. 2001-11-05 Akim Demaille <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> * doc/autoconf.texi (testsuite Invocation): Update. (Writing testsuite.at): Update. 2001-11-03 Akim Demaille <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> * doc/autoconf.texi: s/@code/@command/ where appropriate. 2001-11-03 Akim Demaille <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> * lib/Autom4te/General.pm: (&catfile, &canonfile) (&file_name_is_absolute): New, wrappers around routines from File::Spec. Use and export them. (&find_configure_ac): Optionally take a directory where to look at. * bin/autoreconf.in (&parse_args): Trim the configure.ac part of the arguments. Default @ARGV to `.', not find_configure_ac. (&autoreconf): Argument is a directory. Trace AC_CONFIG_SUBDIRS and schedule the subdirs for autoreconf'ing. * doc/autoconf.texi (autoreconf Invocation): Update. 2001-11-03 Akim Demaille <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> * lib/Autom4te/General.pm (@export_vars, @export_subs) (@export_forward_subs): New. Add basename, dirname, and fileparse. (@EXPORT): Adjust. * bin/autoreconf.in (&autoreconf): Fix call to fileparse. Don't look for aclocal flags if we already know aclocal is not used. Move aclocal.m4t only if it exists. Reported by Ezra Peisach. 2001-11-03 Akim Demaille <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> * bin/autoreconf.in (&parse_args): Work only on the configure.ac passed on command line, defaulting to ./configure.ac if present. (&maybe_autoreconf, File::Find): Remove, unused. (&autoreconf): If autoconf is not used, don't try to trace. 2001-11-02 Akim Demaille <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> * configure.ac: Bump to 2.52g. _______________________________________________ Libtool mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://mail.gnu.org/mailman/listinfo/libtool
