-*- mode: org -*-

		     Autoconf / Automake Workflow
		     ============================

* Autoconf
** Write configure.ac
- Create with autoscan (configure.scan), then edit and rename to configure.ac
- AC_CHECK_LIB(library, function, action if found, action if not, others)
- AC_SEARCH_LIBS(function, libdir, action if found, action if not, others)
- AC_CHECK_FILE(file, action if found, action if not)
** Create configuration headers
- Run `autoheader'
** Create the configure script
- Run `autoconf'
** Write Makefile.in
- Unless you use Automake
- Insert `AC_CONFIG_FILES([path/to/Makefile])' before `AC_OUTPUT'
* Automake
** Update the autoconf files
- Insert `AM_INIT_AUTOMAKE' after AC_INIT in configure.ac
- Ensure that `AC_CONFIG_FILES([path/to/Makefile])' and `AC_OUTPUT' is present
- Rename aclocal.m4 to acinclude.m4 (if any)
- Run aclocal && autoconf
** Manually write Makefile.am
*** Header
- Customary comment: ## Process this file with automake to produce Makefile.in
*** Variables
**** Special variables
***** Canonicalization
- All `strange' characters (even -, +, .) are converted to underscores
- E.g. libmumble++.a => libmumble___a_SOURCES
***** Primaries
****** Prefixes
- EXTRA_: these are built/not built depending on configure (pre-prefix)
- noinst_: the built object will not be installed
- check_: only build for a `make check'
- Others indicate the standard directory: bin_, lib_, shared_ etc.
- Automake extensions: pkglib_, pkginclude_ and pkgdata_, which
  result in `$(libdir)/$(PACKAGE)', `$(includedir)/$(PACKAGE)' etc.
****** Primary variables
- PROGRAMS: list of program that are to be compiled & linked
- LIBRARIES: list of libraries to be built
- HEADERS
- DATA
- Languages: LISP (Emacs Lisp), PYTHON, JAVA, SCRIPTS (Shell scripts)
- Documentation: MANS, TEXINFOS
***** Non-primary variables
- Generated from primaries, e.g. bin_PROGRAMS = prog1 => prog1_SOURCES
- SOURCES: source files
- AR: static library
- AM_CPPFLAGS, AM_CXXFLAGS: c++ flags, include directories
- AM_LDFLAGS: linker flags, library directories, libraries
- COMPILE, CXXCOMPILE: compilation command (the file name is appended)
- LINK, CXXLINK: linking command
- SUBDIRS: recursive make in the listed directories
**** Non-special variables
- Copied verbatim
** Create Makefile.in
- Run `automake --add-missing'
- Create the missing files
- Runa automake again