autoreconf

AUTOCONF(1)                                                        AUTOCONF(1)



NAME
       wrapper - Wrapper for distinguishing Autoconf 2.13 and 2.50

SYNOPSIS
       autoconf [ options ]
       autoheader [ options ]
       autoreconf [ options ]

DESCRIPTION
       Autoconf  is  an automatic configure script builder with two major ver‐
       sion series: 2.13 and earlier, 2.50 and later.  Versions within  either
       series are largely compatible, but the two series are largely incompat‐
       ible.  When both versions are installed, as they  are  on  your  system
       (given  that  you're  reading this manpage), Debian selects between the
       two versions simultaneously.  This manpage documents how the  automatic
       selection works.  If you are actually looking for the documentation for
       either version of Autoconf, then refer to the SEE ALSO section below.

       Automatic version selection works via a wrapper script installed  under
       the names autoconf, autoheader, and autoreconf.  Each of these attempts
       to detect which Autoconf is needed and run the correct version  of  the
       tool.

       There  are no wrappers for autoupdate, autoscan, or ifnames.  These are
       not used during a package build.  Choose the proper version by hand.

       The following heuristics are used to choose an Autoconf version:

       *      If file configure.ac exists, Autoconf 2.50  is  used.   Autoconf
              2.13  used  the name configure.in instead, but version 2.50 sup‐
              ports both.

              (Usually autoconf is run  without  nonoption  arguments.   If  a
              filename  is  supplied on the command line, then version 2.50 is
              used if the filename ends in .ac.)

       *      Otherwise, configure.in (or the file specified  on  the  command
              line,  if  any)  is  read.  It is checked for the presence of an
              AC_PREREQ directive.  If it specifies a minimum  version  higher
              than  2.13,  Autoconf  2.50 is used.  aclocal.m4, if present, is
              also scanned.

       *      Otherwise, Autoconf 2.13 is used.

       To force Autoconf 2.13 to be used, name the Autoconf input file config‐
       ure.in  and omit the use of AC_PREREQ() or specify a minimum version of
       2.13 or earlier.  To force Autoconf 2.50 to be  used,  name  the  input
       file configure.ac or use AC_PREREQ(2.50).

       I  recommend  not  calling  the  programs autoconf2.13 or autoconf2.50,
       etc., directly, instead of through the wrappers.  When used  with  pro‐
       grams  like  Automake,  these direct calls won't propagate through into
       the Makefile, so later re-autoconf'ings won't use the correct  version.
       It's  better  to use one of the methods explained above to force a par‐
       ticular version.

SEE ALSO
       autoconf2.13(1), autoheader2.13(1), autoreconf2.13(1), autoconf2.50(1),
       autoheader2.50(1), autoreconf2.50(1), and the Autoconf manuals autoconf
       and autoconf2.13.

AUTHORS
       David MacKenzie, with help from Franc,ois Pinard, Karl  Berry,  Richard
       Pixley, Ian Lance Taylor, Roland McGrath, Noah Friedman, David D. Zuhn,
       and  many  others.   This  manpage  written  by   Ben   Pfaff          ben@debian.org> for the Debian GNU/Linux autoconf2.13 package.



                               Autoconf Wrapper                    AUTOCONF(1)