Re: [Groff] preconv autoconfigury

[Bruno Haible]

Keith Marshall wrote:

> Having segregated the m4 files, you then use aclocal to reassemble
> them into aclocal.m4.

You will notice that after running 'aclocal -I m4', the aclocal.m4 file
contains symbolic references to the various *.m4 files, not their
contents. (Assuming you are using the automake-1.9.x tools.)

> Current wisdom from the autoconf mailing
> list would suggest that aclocal, as a configuration tool, should
> be considered as deprecated.

If it's deprecated, then what is its replacement?

As far as I know, there is agreement that future versions of autoconf
and automake could get away without a tool that just collects a list
of filenames and creates a file from it.  But the latest releases of
autoconf and automake still need 'aclocal'.

> Is it really appropriate to start
> using it within groff's build system, at this late point in time?

groff's current build system doesn't yet use automake. Do you know
whether the replacement of 'aclocal' will work with just 'autoconf'?
Or will it rely on both autoconf and automake? I don't know.

Bruno