(autoconf.info)Invoking autoconf

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2.4 Using 'autoconf' to Create 'configure'
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To create 'configure' from 'configure.in', run the 'autoconf' program
with no arguments.  'autoconf' processes 'configure.in' with the 'm4'
macro processor, using the Autoconf macros.  If you give 'autoconf' an
argument, it reads that file instead of 'configure.in' and writes the
configuration script to the standard output instead of to 'configure'.
If you give 'autoconf' the argument '-', it reads the standard input
instead of 'configure.in' and writes the configuration script on the
standard output.

   The Autoconf macros are defined in several files.  Some of the files
are distributed with Autoconf; 'autoconf' reads them first.  Then it
looks for the optional file 'acsite.m4' in the directory that contains
the distributed Autoconf macro files, and for the optional file
'aclocal.m4' in the current directory.  Those files can contain your
site's or the package's own Autoconf macro definitions (Note: Writing
Macros, for more information).  If a macro is defined in more than one
of the files that 'autoconf' reads, the last definition it reads
overrides the earlier ones.

   'autoconf' accepts the following options:

'--help'
'-h'
     Print a summary of the command line options and exit.

'--localdir=DIR'
'-l DIR'
     Look for the package file 'aclocal.m4' in directory DIR instead of
     in the current directory.

'--macrodir=DIR'
'-m DIR'
     Look for the installed macro files in directory DIR.  You can also
     set the 'AC_MACRODIR' environment variable to a directory; this
     option overrides the environment variable.

'--version'
     Print the version number of Autoconf and exit.