Autotools



automake: Makefile.am and configure.ac to Makefile.in

aclocal: aclocal.m4 for configure.ac

autoscan: configure.scan as draft for configure.ac

autoconf: configure from configure.ac, *.m4

autopoint (gettextize): Copy gettext infrastructure

libtoolize: Copy libtool infrastructure.

libtool: Compiles and links.


Using autotools

Simplifies standard actions

Complicates non-standard actions


Makefile.am -> Expand targets -> Makefile.in

Makefile.in -> preprocess @SYMBOL@ -> Makefile



make dist
make distcheck

make distclean
make maintainer-clean


--enable-maintainer-mode


Important Makefile.am assignments

Build in specified directories:
SUBDIRS = a b c

target_WHAT = value[s]

target:
Name of the target binary or library:
binary: name with - replaced with _ FIXME
library: base name with ...
Directory:
directory: symbolic name
Predefined names: bin sbin lib libexec ... (defaults to predefined GNU Coding standards directories)

WHAT:
SOURCES: Source files for binary or library.
CPPFLAGS: Flags for preprocessor.
CFLAGS, CXXFLAGS: Flags for compilers.
LDFLAGS: Flags for linker (not libraries!)
LDADD: Additional libraries for linker.
PROGRAMS: programs to be installed as executables
SOURCES: sources for a library or binary
LIBRARIES: static libraries (value = name of the library should end by .a)
LTLIBRARIES: any libraries for libtool (value = name of the library should end by .la)
HEADERS: include files

Flags for aclocal:
ACLOCAL_AMFLAGS = -I m4

Additional files packages by make dist:
EXTRA_DIST = foo

la files

Magic with variables, rpath (only directly linked libraries!), rpath-link, cross linking of libraries.


Using checks




Creating binary


Creating library


Reusing source with different flags


Linking against uninstalled libraries

-no-undefined

Modules

version info x module




Writing checks

AC_CACHE_VAL
AC_CACHE_CHECK