GNU Automake

http://gnu.ist.utl.pt/software/automake/manual/html_mono/
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GNU Automake is a tool for automatically generating GNU standards-compliant Makefiles from template...
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### Installing programs with bin_PROGRAMS

Source: http://gnu.ist.utl.pt/software/automake/manual/html_mono/automake.html

Lists programs to install into $(bindir). The base name of each file is used, so both hello and goodbye are installed in the bindir.

```makefile
bin_PROGRAMS = hello subdir/goodbye

```

--------------------------------

### DESTDIR staging install command

Source: http://gnu.ist.utl.pt/software/automake/manual/html_mono/automake.html

Shows how to use DESTDIR to stage install objects into a temporary directory. The command prefixes all install paths with /tmp/staging, so files like /gnu/bin/foo become /tmp/staging/gnu/bin/foo. This is commonly used for building install images and packages.

```makefile
     make DESTDIR=/tmp/staging install
     
```

--------------------------------

### Man page installation with man1_MANS

Source: http://gnu.ist.utl.pt/software/automake/manual/html_mono/automake.html

Declares man pages for section 1. Files with a valid suffix are installed as-is; others are renamed to match the section (e.g., rename.man becomes rename.1).

```makefile
man1_MANS = rename.man thesame.1 alsothesame.1c

```

--------------------------------

### Define bin_PROGRAMS for a program

Source: http://gnu.ist.utl.pt/software/automake/manual/html_mono/automake.html

The PROGRAMS primary is used to build programs. This example defines a program named hello.

```makefile
bin_PROGRAMS = hello
```

--------------------------------

### Installing headers with nobase_include_HEADERS

Source: http://gnu.ist.utl.pt/software/automake/manual/html_mono/automake.html

Uses the nobase_ prefix to install header files without stripping directory components, preserving the source layout in the install directory.

```makefile
nobase_include_HEADERS = stdio.h sys/types.h

```

--------------------------------

### install-exec-hook to install a versioned copy using $(LN_S)

Source: http://gnu.ist.utl.pt/software/automake/manual/html_mono/automake.html

Uses install-exec-hook with $(LN_S) to install a versioned copy of a program. Renames the program so a new version erases the symbolic link, not the real binary, and cd's into the destination directory to create relative links.

```makefile
install-exec-hook:
        cd $(DESTDIR)$(bindir) && \
          mv -f prog$(EXEEXT) prog-$(VERSION)$(EXEEXT) && \
          $(LN_S) prog-$(VERSION)$(EXEEXT) prog$(EXEEXT)

```

--------------------------------

### Custom installation directory with htmldir

Source: http://gnu.ist.utl.pt/software/automake/manual/html_mono/automake.html

Defines a custom installation directory (htmldir) and installs HTML data files using the html_DATA primary. This is used when Automake does not natively support HTML installation.

```makefile
htmldir = $(prefix)/html
html_DATA = automake.html

```

--------------------------------

### EXTRA_PROGRAMS and prefixed primaries example

Source: http://gnu.ist.utl.pt/software/automake/manual/html_mono/automake.html

Shows how to use EXTRA_PROGRAMS and prefixed primaries (bin_PROGRAMS, sbin_PROGRAMS) to conditionally build programs based on configure decisions. The variable @MORE_PROGRAMS@ is substituted by configure.

```makefile
EXTRA_PROGRAMS = mt rmt
bin_PROGRAMS = cpio pax
sbin_PROGRAMS = @MORE_PROGRAMS@

```

--------------------------------

### install-exec-hook to create a hard link to an installed program

Source: http://gnu.ist.utl.pt/software/automake/manual/html_mono/automake.html

Uses the install-exec-hook to create a hard link to an installed program. Hard links are cheaper and more portable than symbolic links but may not work everywhere (e.g., OS/2 lacks ln).

```makefile
install-exec-hook:
        ln $(DESTDIR)$(bindir)/program$(EXEEXT) \
           $(DESTDIR)$(bindir)/proglink$(EXEEXT)

```

--------------------------------

### Install custom aclocal macros in Makefile.am

Source: http://gnu.ist.utl.pt/software/automake/manual/html_mono/automake.html

Shows how to install custom .m4 macro files into $(datadir)/aclocal by setting aclocaldir and aclocal_DATA in a Makefile.am.

```makefile
aclocaldir = $(datadir)/aclocal
aclocal_DATA = mymacro.m4 myothermacro.m4

```

--------------------------------

### Install header with nobase_ prefix to preserve directory

Source: http://gnu.ist.utl.pt/software/automake/manual/html_mono/automake.html

The nobase_ prefix prevents path stripping, so sys/types.h is installed as $(includedir)/sys/types.h.

```makefile
nobase_include_HEADERS = sys/types.h
```

--------------------------------

### Building a library with noinst_LIBRARIES

Source: http://gnu.ist.utl.pt/software/automake/manual/html_mono/automake.html

Creates a library named libcpio.a but does not install it. The library name is canonicalized, so the _SOURCES variable would be liblob_a_SOURCES for liblob.a.

```makefile
     noinst_LIBRARIES = libcpio.a

```

--------------------------------

### Top-level Makefile.am from GNU Hello

Source: http://gnu.ist.utl.pt/software/automake/manual/html_mono/automake.html

Example of a short top-level Makefile.am using EXTRA_DIST and SUBDIRS. The SUBDIRS variable lists subdirectories to build; directories must be direct children of the current directory.

```makefile
EXTRA_DIST = BUGS ChangeLog.O README-alpha
SUBDIRS = doc intl po src tests
```

--------------------------------

### configure.in setting HELLO_SYSTEM substitution

Source: http://gnu.ist.utl.pt/software/automake/manual/html_mono/automake.html

Sets HELLO_SYSTEM to the appropriate object file based on the host system, then substitutes it with AC_SUBST. This is used with the previous Makefile.am example.

```autoconf
...
case $host in
  *linux*) HELLO_SYSTEM='hello-linux.$(OBJEXT)' ;;
  *)       HELLO_SYSTEM='hello-generic.$(OBJEXT)' ;;
esac
AC_SUBST([HELLO_SYSTEM])
...
```

--------------------------------

### Conditional Libtool Sources using Automake conditional

Source: http://gnu.ist.utl.pt/software/automake/manual/html_mono/automake.html

Alternative to the previous example using an Automake conditional LINUX to choose between hello-linux.c and hello-generic.c. Uses _SOURCES with += inside if/else.

```makefile
     lib_LTLIBRARIES = libhello.la
     libhello_la_SOURCES = hello-common.c
     if LINUX
     libhello_la_SOURCES += hello-linux.c
     else
     libhello_la_SOURCES += hello-generic.c
     endif
     
```

--------------------------------

### ETAGS_ARGS example for automake source and Texinfo

Source: http://gnu.ist.utl.pt/software/automake/manual/html_mono/automake.html

Shows how to set ETAGS_ARGS to generate tags for Automake's own source and Texinfo nodes. Uses --lang=none and a regex to match @node lines.

```makefile
     ETAGS_ARGS = automake.in --lang=none \
      --regex='/^@node[ \t]+\([^,]+\)/\1/' automake.texi
     
```

--------------------------------

### Install header with stripped directory using include_HEADERS

Source: http://gnu.ist.utl.pt/software/automake/manual/html_mono/automake.html

By default, installable files in subdirectories have their directory name stripped. This example installs inc/stdio.h as $(includedir)/stdio.h.

```makefile
include_HEADERS = inc/stdio.h
```

--------------------------------

### Combine nobase_ with dist_ prefix

Source: http://gnu.ist.utl.pt/software/automake/manual/html_mono/automake.html

When using nobase_ with dist_ or nodist_, nobase_ must be specified first. This example installs images/vortex.pgm as $(pkgdatadir)/images/vortex.pgm.

```makefile
nobase_dist_pkgdata_DATA = images/vortex.pgm
```

--------------------------------

### Using BUILT_SOURCES: Makefile.am (working)

Source: http://gnu.ist.utl.pt/software/automake/manual/html_mono/automake.html

A working Makefile.am that uses BUILT_SOURCES = bindir.h to ensure bindir.h is built before other targets. This solves the bootstrap issue.

```makefile
bin_PROGRAMS = foo
     foo_SOURCES = foo.c
     BUILT_SOURCES = bindir.h
     CLEANFILES = bindir.h
     bindir.h: Makefile
             echo '#define bindir "$(bindir)"' >$@
     
```

--------------------------------

### Using BUILT_SOURCES: make output showing success

Source: http://gnu.ist.utl.pt/software/automake/manual/html_mono/automake.html

The make output when using the BUILT_SOURCES solution. It shows bindir.h being built first, then foo.o and foo.

```shell
% make
     echo '#define bindir "/usr/local/bin"' >bindir.h
     make  all-am
     make[1]: Entering directory `/home/adl/tmp'
     source='foo.c' object='foo.o' libtool=no \
     depfile='.deps/foo.Po' tmpdepfile='.deps/foo.TPo' \
     depmode=gcc /bin/sh ./depcomp \
     gcc -I. -I. -g -O2 -c `test -f 'foo.c' || echo './'`foo.c
     gcc  -g -O2   -o foo  foo.o
     make[1]: Leaving directory `/home/adl/tmp'
     
```

--------------------------------

### AM_INIT_AUTOMAKE with options

Source: http://gnu.ist.utl.pt/software/automake/manual/html_mono/automake.html

Shows the preferred form of AM_INIT_AUTOMAKE with a space-separated list of options, including no-define to avoid defining PACKAGE and VERSION.

```autoconf
          AM_INIT_AUTOMAKE([gnits 1.5 no-define dist-bzip2])
          
```

--------------------------------

### GNU Hello configure.in

Source: http://gnu.ist.utl.pt/software/automake/manual/html_mono/automake.html

The configure.in from GNU Hello, using deprecated AC_INIT and AM_INIT_AUTOMAKE syntax. It includes checks for programs, headers, functions, and internationalization macros.

```autoconf
     dnl Process this file with autoconf to produce a configure script.
     AC_INIT(src/hello.c)
     AM_INIT_AUTOMAKE(hello, 1.3.11)
     AM_CONFIG_HEADER(config.h)
     
     dnl Set of available languages.
     ALL_LINGUAS="de fr es ko nl no pl pt sl sv"
     
     dnl Checks for programs.
     AC_PROG_CC
     AC_ISC_POSIX
     
     dnl Checks for libraries.
     
     dnl Checks for header files.
     AC_STDC_HEADERS
     AC_HAVE_HEADERS(string.h fcntl.h sys/file.h sys/param.h)
     
     dnl Checks for library functions.
     AC_FUNC_ALLOCA
     
     dnl Check for st_blksize in struct stat
     AC_ST_BLKSIZE
     
     dnl internationalization macros
     AM_GNU_GETTEXT
     AC_OUTPUT([Makefile doc/Makefile intl/Makefile po/Makefile.in \
                src/Makefile tests/Makefile tests/hello],
        [chmod +x tests/hello])
     
```

--------------------------------

### install-data-local target to install a file in /etc

Source: http://gnu.ist.utl.pt/software/automake/manual/html_mono/automake.html

Adds a custom install-data-local target to Makefile.in to install a file into /etc. Automake supplements the standard install-data target with this user-supplied target.

```makefile
install-data-local:
        $(INSTALL_DATA) $(srcdir)/afile $(DESTDIR)/etc/afile

```

--------------------------------

### Automake Makefile.am for building hello program

Source: http://gnu.ist.utl.pt/software/automake/manual/html_mono/automake.html

Shows a minimal Makefile.am that compiles each .c file into .o and links them to produce the hello program. If hello_SOURCES is omitted, it defaults to hello.c.

```makefile
bin_PROGRAMS = hello
hello_SOURCES = hello.c
```

--------------------------------

### Using .foo file in bin_PROGRAMS

Source: http://gnu.ist.utl.pt/software/automake/manual/html_mono/automake.html

Shows how to use a .foo source file in a program's _SOURCES variable after defining a suffix rule for .foo.

```makefile
     bin_PROGRAMS = doit
     doit_SOURCES = doit.foo
     
```

--------------------------------

### bin_PROGRAMS = liver

Source: http://gnu.ist.utl.pt/software/automake/manual/html_mono/automake.html

Example of a bin_PROGRAMS definition that Automake rewrites internally to include $(EXEEXT) for platforms requiring executable extensions.

```makefile
bin_PROGRAMS = liver

```

--------------------------------

### First try: Makefile.am with nodist_foo_SOURCES (failing)

Source: http://gnu.ist.utl.pt/software/automake/manual/html_mono/automake.html

A tentative Makefile.am that fails because Automake doesn't know foo.c includes bindir.h. The rule builds bindir.h but it is not built before foo.o, causing a compilation error.

```makefile
# This won't work.
     bin_PROGRAMS = foo
     foo_SOURCES = foo.c
     nodist_foo_SOURCES = bindir.h
     CLEANFILES = bindir.h
     bindir.h: Makefile
             echo '#define bindir "$(bindir)"' >$@
     
```

--------------------------------

### Declare a libtool library with lib_LTLIBRARIES

Source: http://gnu.ist.utl.pt/software/automake/manual/html_mono/automake.html

Declares a libtool library named libgettext.la to be installed in libdir. The SOURCES variable lists the source files for the library.

```makefile
lib_LTLIBRARIES = libgettext.la
libgettext_la_SOURCES = gettext.c gettext.h ...

```

--------------------------------

### First try: make output showing failure

Source: http://gnu.ist.utl.pt/software/automake/manual/html_mono/automake.html

The make output when running the failing Makefile.am. It shows the compilation of foo.c failing because bindir.h is not found.

```shell
% make
     source='foo.c' object='foo.o' libtool=no \
     depfile='.deps/foo.Po' tmpdepfile='.deps/foo.TPo' \
     depmode=gcc /bin/sh ./depcomp \
     gcc -I. -I. -g -O2 -c `test -f 'foo.c' || echo './'`foo.c
     foo.c:2: bindir.h: No such file or directory
     make: *** [foo.o] Error 1
     
```
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