autoconf option fun

[Ralf Corsepius]

Hi all,

By accident, I just typed in this (autoconf/CVS):

# autoconf --add-missing
autoconf: option `--add-missing' requires an argument


This urged me to play with autoconf's options:

# autoconf --add=missing
/usr/bin/m4: Cannot open missing/autoconf.m4f: No such file or
directory

# autoconf --long-live=rock-n-roll
[no error message]

# autoconf --hope and pray
[help text displayed]


AFAIS, apparent cause are the --?* clauses in autoconf.sh:

>     --autoconf-dir | --a* | -A )
>        test $# = 1 && eval "$exit_missing_arg"
>        shift

Autoconf, autoreconf and friends are scattered with constructs like
the one above.


Another example:

# autoconf --add-missing --help
/usr/bin/m4: Cannot open --help/autoconf.m4f: No such file or
directory

This indicates that autoconf's option parsing doesn't evaluate the
'--'es correctly, rsp. attempts to accept --* as valid path/file
names.


Ralf

-- 
Ralf Corsepius 
Forschungsinstitut fuer Anwendungsorientierte Wissensverarbeitung
(FAW)
Helmholtzstr. 16, 89081 Ulm, Germany     Tel: +49/731/501-8690
mailto:address@hidden           FAX: +49/731/501-999  
http://www.faw.uni-ulm.de