AC_CONFIG_* extensibility

[Alex Cichowski]

Hello.

I am considering writing some Autoconf code that I believe would be best
achieved with additional 'instantiating macros' like AC_CONFIG_FILES and
AC_CONFIG_HEADERS. For example, something like AC_CONFIG_FILES that
generates Makefiles from lists of source files (so as to allow more
flexibility than just preprocessing Makefile.in's with AC_CONFIG_FILES).

After looking at status.m4, I see that the infrastructure for these macros
has been simply repeated for AC_CONFIG_FILES, AC_CONFIG_HEADERS,
AC_CONFIG_LINKS and AC_CONFIG_COMMANDS. If I try to implement a feature
for setting up new macros of this form (which AC_CONFIG_FILES etc. could
then be implemented on top of) rather than just patching Autoconf for
myself, is there any chance it would be accepted into the Autoconf
project? I'm hoping the required changes wouldn't be very significant.

Thanks,
Alex