[FYI] {master} ACLOCAL_AMFLAGS: fully deprecate, with warnings in the 'obsolete' category

[Stefano Lattarini]

Users are expected to use the AC_CONFIG_MACRO_DIR{,S} autoconf macros
instead.  And the use of the '--install' aclocal option in ACLOCAL_AMFLAGS
has proved to be a bad idea anyway -- see automake bug#9037.

* NEWS: Update.
* t/aclocal-amflags.sh: Enhance and adjust.
* t/acloca14b.sh: Adjust.
* t/acloca22b.sh: Likewise.
* t/ax/distcheck-hook-m4.am: Likewise.
* t/dist-missing-m4.sh: Likewise.
* t/remake-renamed-m4-macro.sh: Likewise.
* t/remake-renamed-m4-macro-and-file.sh: Likewise.
* t/remake-renamed-m4-file.sh: Likewise.
* t/remake-moved-m4-file.sh: Likewise.
* t/remake-gnulib-remove-header.sh: Likewise.
* t/remake-gnulib-add-acsubst.sh: Likewise.
* t/remake-deleted-m4-file.sh: Likewise.
* t/remake-deleted-m4-file.sh: Likewise.
* t/libtool-macros.sh: Likewise.
* t/gettext-macros.sh: Likewise.

Signed-off-by: Stefano Lattarini <address@hidden>
---
 NEWS                                                |  9 ++++++++-
 automake.in                                         |  6 ++++++
 t/aclocal-amflags.sh                                | 15 ++++++++++++---
 t/aclocal-deleted-header-aclocal-amflags.sh         |  5 ++++-
 t/aclocal-m4-include-are-scanned-aclocal-amflags.sh |  1 +
 t/ax/distcheck-hook-m4.am                           |  2 ++
 t/dist-missing-m4.sh                                |  5 +++--
 t/gettext-macros.sh                                 |  3 ++-
 t/libtool-macros.sh                                 |  5 ++---
 t/remake-deleted-m4-file.sh                         |  5 +++--
 t/remake-gnulib-add-acsubst.sh                      |  4 ++--
 t/remake-gnulib-add-header.sh                       |  4 ++--
 t/remake-gnulib-remove-header.sh                    |  4 ++--
 t/remake-moved-m4-file.sh                           |  5 +++--
 t/remake-renamed-m4-file.sh                         |  4 ++--
 t/remake-renamed-m4-macro-and-file.sh               |  4 ++--
 t/remake-renamed-m4-macro.sh                        |  4 ++--
 17 files changed, 58 insertions(+), 27 deletions(-)

diff --git a/NEWS b/NEWS
index a8b2cdd..2d63043 100644
--- a/NEWS
+++ b/NEWS
@@ -11,11 +11,18 @@ New in 1.14:
     over the same-named automake-provided macro, as defined in file
     '/usr/local/share/aclocal-1.14/vala.m4'.
 
-* Obsolete features:
+* Obsolete and obsolescent features:
 
   - Support for the long-obsolete $(INCLUDES) variable has been finally
     removed, in favour of the modern equivalent $(AM_CPPFLAGS).
 
+  - Use of the special makefile variable 'ACLOCAL_AMFLAGS' is deprecated.
+    To specify locations of extra m4 files, the 'AC_CONFIG_MACRO_DIR' or
+    'AC_CONFIG_MACRO_DIRS' (the latter introduced with autoconf 2.70)
+    should be used instead.  And use of the '--install' aclocal option in
+    'ACLOCAL_AMFLAGS' has proved to be a bad idea anyway -- see automake
+    bug#9037.
+
 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 
 New in 1.13:
diff --git a/automake.in b/automake.in
index 96ff685..ffe16e2 100644
--- a/automake.in
+++ b/automake.in
@@ -7832,6 +7832,12 @@ sub generate_makefile ($$)
   # Catch some obsolete variables.
   reject_var 'INCLUDES', "'INCLUDES' is the obsolete name for " .
                          "'AM_CPPFLAGS' (or '*_CPPFLAGS')";
+  if (my $amflags = var ('ACLOCAL_AMFLAGS'))
+    {
+      msg_var 'obsolete', $amflags,
+              "'ACLOCAL_AMFLAGS' is deprecated; use 'AC_CONFIG_MACRO_DIRS'"
+              . " in configure.ac instead";
+    }
 
   # Must do this after reading .am file.
   define_variable ('subdir', $relative_dir, INTERNAL);
diff --git a/t/aclocal-amflags.sh b/t/aclocal-amflags.sh
index 49bcf5f..69bce32 100755
--- a/t/aclocal-amflags.sh
+++ b/t/aclocal-amflags.sh
@@ -15,8 +15,8 @@
 # along with this program.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
 
 # Check that the obsolescent idiom of setting $(ACLOCAL_AMFLAGS) in
-# Makefile.am still works.  Remove this test once support for this
-# obsolescent idiom is removed.
+# Makefile.am is warned against, but still works.  Remove this test
+# once support for this obsolescent idiom is removed.
 
 . test-init.sh
 
@@ -45,7 +45,16 @@ $ACLOCAL -I m4_1 >output 2>&1 || { cat output; exit 1; }
 cat output
 grep 'found macro' output && exit 1 # Sanity check.
 $AUTOCONF
-$AUTOMAKE
+
+for opts in '' '-Wnone -Wobsolete'; do
+  AUTOMAKE_fails $opts
+  grep "Makefile\.am:.*'ACLOCAL_AMFLAGS' is deprecated" stderr
+  grep "Makefile\.am:.*'AC_CONFIG_MACRO_DIRS'.*configure\.ac.*instead" stderr
+done
+
+echo AUTOMAKE_OPTIONS = -Wall -Wno-obsolete >> Makefile.am
+cat Makefile.am # For debugging.
+$AUTOMAKE -Werror
 
 ./configure
 test -f foo
diff --git a/t/aclocal-deleted-header-aclocal-amflags.sh 
b/t/aclocal-deleted-header-aclocal-amflags.sh
index ea47635..8f11ebd 100755
--- a/t/aclocal-deleted-header-aclocal-amflags.sh
+++ b/t/aclocal-deleted-header-aclocal-amflags.sh
@@ -22,7 +22,10 @@
 
 . test-init.sh
 
-cat >>configure.ac <<EOF
+cat > configure.ac <<EOF
+AC_INIT([$me], [1.3])
+AM_INIT_AUTOMAKE([-Wno-obsolete])
+AC_CONFIG_FILES([Makefile])
 FOO
 AC_OUTPUT
 EOF
diff --git a/t/aclocal-m4-include-are-scanned-aclocal-amflags.sh 
b/t/aclocal-m4-include-are-scanned-aclocal-amflags.sh
index 31a0540..c7b2392 100755
--- a/t/aclocal-m4-include-are-scanned-aclocal-amflags.sh
+++ b/t/aclocal-m4-include-are-scanned-aclocal-amflags.sh
@@ -46,6 +46,7 @@ echo 'AC_DEFUN([ANOTHER_MACRO])' >defs/f.m4
 
 cat >>Makefile.am<<\EOF
 ACLOCAL_AMFLAGS = -I defs
+AUTOMAKE_OPTIONS = -Wno-obsolete
 testdist1: distdir
        test -f $(distdir)/acinclude.m4
        test -f $(distdir)/a.m4
diff --git a/t/ax/distcheck-hook-m4.am b/t/ax/distcheck-hook-m4.am
index 5d36102..262e370 100644
--- a/t/ax/distcheck-hook-m4.am
+++ b/t/ax/distcheck-hook-m4.am
@@ -15,6 +15,8 @@
 ## You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
 ## along with this program.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
 
+AUTOMAKE_OPTIONS = -Wno-obsolete
+
 distcheck-hook:
        @fatal () { echo "$@: $$*" >&2; exit 1; }; \
        $(am__cd) $(distdir) && chmod u+w . && mkdir _m4 \
diff --git a/t/dist-missing-m4.sh b/t/dist-missing-m4.sh
index e0ed886..c5eed84 100755
--- a/t/dist-missing-m4.sh
+++ b/t/dist-missing-m4.sh
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@
 . test-init.sh
 
 cat >> configure.ac <<'END'
+AC_CONFIG_MACRO_DIR([m4])
 m4_pattern_forbid([^MY_])
 MY_FOOBAR || exit 1
 MY_ZARDOZ || exit 1
@@ -33,9 +34,9 @@ mkdir m4
 echo 'AC_DEFUN([MY_FOOBAR], [:])' > m4/foobar.m4
 echo 'AC_DEFUN([MY_ZARDOZ], [:])' > m4/zardoz.m4
 
-echo 'ACLOCAL_AMFLAGS = -I m4' > Makefile.am
+: > Makefile.am
 
-$ACLOCAL -I m4
+$ACLOCAL
 $AUTOCONF
 $AUTOMAKE
 
diff --git a/t/gettext-macros.sh b/t/gettext-macros.sh
index 6d58c9c..17045c6 100755
--- a/t/gettext-macros.sh
+++ b/t/gettext-macros.sh
@@ -29,7 +29,8 @@ echo "# Automatically generated by $me." > get.sh
 echo : >> get.sh
 
 # The 'gettextize' and 'autopoint' scripts will look into Makefile.am.
-echo ACLOCAL_AMFLAGS = -I m4 > Makefile.am
+echo AUTOMAKE_OPTIONS = -Wno-obsolete > Makefile.am
+echo ACLOCAL_AMFLAGS = -I m4 >> Makefile.am
 
 # Prefer autopoint to gettextize, since the more modern versions of the
 # latter might unconditionally require user interaction to complete;
diff --git a/t/libtool-macros.sh b/t/libtool-macros.sh
index c50777b..ec84682 100755
--- a/t/libtool-macros.sh
+++ b/t/libtool-macros.sh
@@ -23,8 +23,7 @@
 echo "# Automatically generated by $me." > get.sh
 echo : >> get.sh
 
-# The 'libtoolize' script will look into Makefile.am.
-echo ACLOCAL_AMFLAGS = -I m4 > Makefile.am
+echo 'AC_CONFIG_MACRO_DIR([m4])' >> configure.ac
 
 if libtoolize --copy --install && test -f m4/libtool.m4; then
   echo "ACLOCAL_PATH='$(pwd)/m4':\$ACLOCAL_PATH" >> get.sh
@@ -37,7 +36,7 @@ else
   mkdir m4
   echo AC_PROG_LIBTOOL >> configure.ac
   # See below for an explanation about the use the of '-Wno-syntax'.
-  if $ACLOCAL -Wno-syntax -I m4 --install && test -f m4/libtool.m4; then
+  if $ACLOCAL -Wno-syntax --install && test -f m4/libtool.m4; then
     : # Libtool macros already accessible by default.
   else
     echo "skip_all_ \"couldn't find or get libtool macros\"" >> get.sh
diff --git a/t/remake-deleted-m4-file.sh b/t/remake-deleted-m4-file.sh
index 2499d82..d733a56 100755
--- a/t/remake-deleted-m4-file.sh
+++ b/t/remake-deleted-m4-file.sh
@@ -25,10 +25,11 @@
 cat >> configure.ac <<'END'
 FOO_MACRO
 AC_OUTPUT
+dnl Deliberately put this late, for better coverage.
+AC_CONFIG_MACRO_DIR([m4])
 END
 
 cat > Makefile.am <<'END'
-ACLOCAL_AMFLAGS = -I m4
 .PHONY: test
 test:
        test '$(the_answer)' -eq 42
@@ -46,7 +47,7 @@ cat > m4/bar.m4 <<END
 AC_DEFUN([BAR_MACRO], [$macro_value])
 END
 
-$ACLOCAL -I m4
+$ACLOCAL
 $AUTOCONF
 $AUTOMAKE
 
diff --git a/t/remake-gnulib-add-acsubst.sh b/t/remake-gnulib-add-acsubst.sh
index 3aea5b9..4cfad96 100755
--- a/t/remake-gnulib-add-acsubst.sh
+++ b/t/remake-gnulib-add-acsubst.sh
@@ -26,12 +26,12 @@ required=cc
 
 cat >> configure.ac <<'END'
 AC_PROG_CC
+AC_CONFIG_MACRO_DIRS([m4])
 MY_MACROS
 AC_OUTPUT
 END
 
 cat > Makefile.am <<'END'
-ACLOCAL_AMFLAGS = -I m4
 noinst_PROGRAMS = foo
 foo_SOURCES = foo.c
 BUILT_SOURCES = foo.h
@@ -70,7 +70,7 @@ int main (void) { return 0; }
 typedef int checkfoo[1 - 2 * (foo != 42)];
 END
 
-$ACLOCAL -I m4
+$ACLOCAL
 $AUTOCONF
 $AUTOMAKE
 
diff --git a/t/remake-gnulib-add-header.sh b/t/remake-gnulib-add-header.sh
index c70b3c6..db6bea1 100755
--- a/t/remake-gnulib-add-header.sh
+++ b/t/remake-gnulib-add-header.sh
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@ required=cc
 . test-init.sh
 
 cat >> configure.ac <<'END'
+AC_CONFIG_MACRO_DIR([.])
 AC_CONFIG_HEADERS([config.h])
 AC_PROG_CC
 MY_MACROS
@@ -32,7 +33,6 @@ AC_OUTPUT
 END
 
 cat > Makefile.am <<'END'
-ACLOCAL_AMFLAGS = -I .
 noinst_PROGRAMS = foo
 foo_SOURCES = foo.c
 BUILT_SOURCES = $(STDIO_H)
@@ -80,7 +80,7 @@ FILE *f;
 int main () { return 0; }
 END
 
-$ACLOCAL -I .
+$ACLOCAL
 $AUTOHEADER
 $AUTOMAKE
 $AUTOCONF
diff --git a/t/remake-gnulib-remove-header.sh b/t/remake-gnulib-remove-header.sh
index 23fbfc8..189bbe5 100755
--- a/t/remake-gnulib-remove-header.sh
+++ b/t/remake-gnulib-remove-header.sh
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ required=cc
 . test-init.sh
 
 cat >> configure.ac <<'END'
+AC_CONFIG_MACRO_DIR([.])
 AC_CONFIG_HEADERS([config.h])
 AC_PROG_CC
 MY_MACROS
@@ -33,7 +34,6 @@ AC_OUTPUT
 END
 
 cat > Makefile.am <<'END'
-ACLOCAL_AMFLAGS = -I .
 noinst_PROGRAMS = foo
 foo_SOURCES = foo.c
 BUILT_SOURCES = $(STDIO_H)
@@ -79,7 +79,7 @@ FILE *f;
 int main () { return 0; }
 END
 
-$ACLOCAL -I .
+$ACLOCAL
 $AUTOHEADER
 $AUTOMAKE
 $AUTOCONF
diff --git a/t/remake-moved-m4-file.sh b/t/remake-moved-m4-file.sh
index 3ca1680..faed95d 100755
--- a/t/remake-moved-m4-file.sh
+++ b/t/remake-moved-m4-file.sh
@@ -21,11 +21,12 @@
 
 cat >> configure.ac <<'END'
 MY_MACRO
+AC_CONFIG_MACRO_DIRS([d1])
+AC_CONFIG_MACRO_DIRS([d2 d3])
 AC_OUTPUT
 END
 
 cat > Makefile.am <<'END'
-ACLOCAL_AMFLAGS = -I d1 -I d2 -I d3
 .PHONY: test
 test:
        test '$(the_answer)' -eq 42
@@ -41,7 +42,7 @@ cat > d1/foo.m4 <<'END'
 AC_DEFUN([FOO], [the_answer=42; AC_SUBST([the_answer])])
 END
 
-$ACLOCAL -I d1
+$ACLOCAL
 $AUTOCONF
 $AUTOMAKE
 
diff --git a/t/remake-renamed-m4-file.sh b/t/remake-renamed-m4-file.sh
index ff99f1d..462a2ce 100755
--- a/t/remake-renamed-m4-file.sh
+++ b/t/remake-renamed-m4-file.sh
@@ -19,12 +19,12 @@
 . test-init.sh
 
 cat >> configure.ac <<'END'
+AC_CONFIG_MACRO_DIR([m4])
 MY_MACRO
 AC_OUTPUT
 END
 
 cat > Makefile.am <<'END'
-ACLOCAL_AMFLAGS = -I m4
 .PHONY: test
 test:
        test '$(the_answer)' -eq 42
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ cat > m4/foo.m4 <<'END'
 AC_DEFUN([FOO], [the_answer=42; AC_SUBST([the_answer])])
 END
 
-$ACLOCAL -I m4
+$ACLOCAL
 $AUTOCONF
 $AUTOMAKE
 
diff --git a/t/remake-renamed-m4-macro-and-file.sh 
b/t/remake-renamed-m4-macro-and-file.sh
index 9658737..985f5c6 100755
--- a/t/remake-renamed-m4-macro-and-file.sh
+++ b/t/remake-renamed-m4-macro-and-file.sh
@@ -21,12 +21,12 @@
 . test-init.sh
 
 cat >> configure.ac <<'END'
+AC_CONFIG_MACRO_DIR([m4])
 MY_MACRO
 AC_OUTPUT
 END
 
 cat > Makefile.am <<'END'
-ACLOCAL_AMFLAGS = -I m4
 .PHONY: test
 test:
        test '$(the_answer)' -eq 42
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ cat > m4/foo.m4 <<'END'
 AC_DEFUN([FOO_MACRO], [the_answer=42; AC_SUBST([the_answer])])
 END
 
-$ACLOCAL -I m4
+$ACLOCAL
 $AUTOCONF
 $AUTOMAKE
 
diff --git a/t/remake-renamed-m4-macro.sh b/t/remake-renamed-m4-macro.sh
index 99ab1db..0d97a22 100755
--- a/t/remake-renamed-m4-macro.sh
+++ b/t/remake-renamed-m4-macro.sh
@@ -20,12 +20,12 @@
 . test-init.sh
 
 cat >> configure.ac <<'END'
+AC_CONFIG_MACRO_DIR([m4])
 MY_MACRO
 AC_OUTPUT
 END
 
 cat > Makefile.am <<'END'
-ACLOCAL_AMFLAGS = -I m4
 .PHONY: test
 test:
        test '$(the_answer)' -eq 42
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ AC_DEFUN([FOO_1], [the_answer=42
                    AC_SUBST([the_answer])])
 END
 
-$ACLOCAL -I m4
+$ACLOCAL
 $AUTOCONF
 $AUTOMAKE
 
-- 
1.8.0.1.409.g252f922