Re: [CFT] Shell functionization patch (if you don't know what that means, it's faster Autoconf and leaner configure scripts)

[Paolo Bonzini]

>> Nothing prevents a configure script (written in sh) from using scraps of
>> Perl.  Hopefully the script would check that Perl exists before actually
>> using it.
> 
> But is there a clean way without having to watch the m4 special
> characters, etc., i.e., some kind of escape so we can change to Perl,
> or ruby, or...?

No.  But you can just use appropriate M4 quotes, and it won't be a
problem as long as [] and () are balanced.

> Do you know anything about the $PERL thing Paolo mentioned?

It's nothing special!  Just do

AC_PATH_PROG(PERL, perl)

and $PERL will point to the absolute path of the Perl interpreter.
That's what Bob meant by "hopefully the script would check that Perl
exists before actually using it".

Paolo