5 - The NEWS file is more verbose.
9 - Autoconf 2.55 or greater is required.
13 - AR's `cru' flags are now set in a global ARFLAGS variable instead
14 of being hard-coded in each $(AR) invocation, so they can be
15 substituted from configure.ac. This has been requested by people
16 dealing with non-POSIX ar implementations.
18 - New warning option: -Woverride. This will warn about any user
19 target or variable definitions which override Automake
22 - Texinfo rules back up and restore info files when makeinfo fails.
24 - Texinfo rules now support the `html' target.
25 Running this requires Texinfo 4.0 or greater.
27 `html' is a new recursive target, so if your package mixes
28 hand-crafted `Makefile.in's with Automake-generated
29 `Makefile.in's, you should adjust the former to support (or
30 ignore) this target so that `make html' recurses successfully. If
31 you had a custom `html' rule in your `Makefile.am', it's better to
32 rename it as `html-local', otherwise your rule will override
33 Automake's new rule (you can check that by running `automake
34 -Woverride') and that will stop the recursion to subdirectories.
36 Last but not least, this `html' rule is declared PHONY, even when
37 overridden. Fortunately, it appears that few packages use a
38 non-PHONY `html' rule.
40 - Any file which is m4_included from configure.ac will appear as a
41 configure and Makefile.in dependency, and will be automatically
44 - The rules for rebuilding Makefiles and Makefile.ins will now
45 rebuild all Makefiles and all Makefile.ins at once when one of
46 configure's dependencies has changed. This is considerably faster
47 than previous implementations, where config.status and automake
48 were run separately in each directory (this still happens when you
49 change a Makefile.am locally, without touching configure.ac or
50 friends). Doing this also solves a longstanding issue: these
51 rebuild rules failed to work when adding new directories to the
52 tree, forcing you to run automake manually.
54 - For similar reasons, the rules to rebuild configure,
55 config.status, and aclocal.m4 are now defined in all directories.
56 Note that if you were using the CONFIG_STATUS_DEPENDENCIES and
57 CONFIGURE_DEPENDENCIES (undocumented) variables, you should better
58 define them in all directories. This is easily done using an
61 - aclocal will now use `m4_include' instead of copying local m4
62 files into aclocal.m4. (Local m4 files are those you ship with
63 your project, other files will be copied as usual.)
65 Because m4_included files are automatically distributed, it means
66 for most projects there is no point in EXTRA_DISTing the list of
67 m4 files which are used. (You can probably get rid of
68 m4/Makefile.am if you had one.)
70 - aclocal will avoid touching aclocal.m4 when possible, so that
71 Autom4te's cache isn't needlessly invalidated. This behavior can
72 be switched off with the new `--force' option.
74 - New option no-dist-gzip.
76 - install-sh now understands --version and --help.
78 - Automake will now recognize AC_CONFIG_LINKS so far as removing created
79 links as part of the distclean target and including source files in
82 - AM_PATH_PYTHON now support ACTION-IF-FOUND and ACTION-IF-NOT-FOUND
83 argument. The latter can be used to override the default behavior
88 - lisp_DATA is now allowed. If you are using the empty ELCFILES
89 idiom to disable byte-compilation of lisp_LISP files, it is
90 recommended that you switch to using lisp_DATA. ELCFILES is no
93 - AM_PROG_CC_STDC is now empty. The content of this macro was
94 merged in AC_PROG_CC. If your code uses $am_cv_prog_cc_stdc, you
95 should adjust it to use $ac_cv_prog_cc_stdc instead. (This
96 renaming should be safe, even if you have to support several,
97 versions of Automake, because AC_PROG_CC defines this variable
100 - Some users where using the undocumented ACLOCAL_M4_SOURCES
101 variable to override the aclocal.m4 dependencies computed
102 (inaccurately) by older versions of Automake. Because Automake
103 now tracks configure's m4 dependencies accurately (see m4_include
104 above), the use of ACLOCAL_M4_SOURCES should be considered
105 obsolete and will be flagged as such when running `automake
110 - Defining programs conditionally using Automake conditionals no
111 longer leads to a combinatorial explosion. The following
112 construct used to be troublesome when used with dozens of
127 Likewise for _SOURCES, _LDADD, and _LIBADD variables.
129 - Automake now supports bin_PROGRAMS (or any *_PROGRAMS variable)
130 being defined in several conditions. As in
139 Likewise for _SOURCES, _LDADD, and _LIBADD variables.
141 - Cleanup the definitions of $(distdir) and $(top_distdir).
142 $(top_distdir) now points to the root of the distribution
143 directory created during `make dist', as it did in Automake 1.4,
144 not to the root of the build tree as it did in intervening
145 versions. Furthermore these two variables are now only defined in
146 the top level Makefile, and passed to sub-directories when running
151 - Targets dist-gzip, dist-bzip2, dist-tarZ, dist-zip are always defined.
153 - core dumps are no longer removed by the cleaning rules. There are
154 at least three reasons for this:
155 1. These files should not be created by any build step,
156 so their removal do not fit any of the cleaning rules.
157 Actually, they may be precious to the developer.
158 2. If such file is created during a build, then it's clearly a
159 bug Automake should not hide. Not removing the file will
160 cause `make distcheck' to complain about its presence.
161 3. Operating systems have different naming conventions for
162 core dump files. A core file on one system might be a
163 completely legitimate data file on another system.
167 * Autoconf 2.54 is required.
168 * `aclocal' and `automake' will no longer warn about obsolete
169 configure macros. This is done by `autoconf -Wobsolete'.
170 * AM_CONFIG_HEADER, AM_SYS_POSIX_TERMIOS and
171 AM_HEADER_TIOCGWINSZ_NEEDS_SYS_IOCTL are obsolete (although still
172 supported). You should use AC_CONFIG_HEADERS, AC_SYS_POSIX_TERMIOS,
173 and AC_HEADER_TIOCGWINSZ instead. `autoupdate' can upgrade
174 `configure.ac' for you.
175 * Support for per-program and per-library `_CPPFLAGS'.
176 * New `ctags' target (builds CTAGS files).
177 * Support for -Wmumble and -Wno-mumble, where mumble is a warning category
178 (see `automake --help' or the manual for a list of them).
179 * Honor the WARNINGS environment variable.
180 * Omit the call to depcomp when using gcc3: call the compiler directly.
181 * A new option, std-options, tests that programs support --help and --version
182 when `make installcheck' is run. This is enabled by --gnits.
183 * Texinfo rules now support the `ps' and `pdf' targets.
184 * Info files are now created in the build directory, not the source directory.
185 * info_TEXINFOS supports files in subdirectories (this requires Texinfo 4.1
187 * `make distcheck' will enforce DESTDIR support by attempting
189 * `+=' can be used in conditionals, even if the augmented variable
190 was defined for another condition.
191 * Makefile fragments (inserted with `include') are always distributed.
192 * Use Autoconf's --trace interface to inspect configure.ac and get
193 a more accurate view of it.
194 * Add support for extending aclocal's default macro search path
195 using a `dirlist' file within the aclocal directory.
196 * automake --output-dir is deprecated.
197 * The part of the distcheck target that checks whether uninstall actually
198 removes all installed files has been moved in a separate target,
199 distuninstallcheck, so it can be overridden easily.
203 * Autoconf 2.52 is required.
204 * automake no longer run libtoolize.
205 This is the job of autoreconf (from GNU Autoconf).
206 * `dist' generates all the archive flavors, as did `dist-all'.
207 * `dist-gzip' generates the Gzip tar file only.
208 * Combining Automake Makefile conditionals no longer lead to a combinatorial
209 explosion. Makefile.in's keep a reasonable size.
210 * AM_FUNC_ERROR_AT_LINE, AM_FUNC_STRTOD, AM_FUNC_OBSTACK, AM_PTRDIFF_T
211 are no longer shipped, since Autoconf 2.52 provides them (both as AM_
213 * `#line' of Lex and Yacc files are properly set.
214 * EXTRA_DIST can contain generated directories.
215 * Support for dot-less extensions in suffix rules.
216 * The part of the distcheck target that checks whether distclean actually
217 cleans all built files has been moved in a separate target, distcleancheck,
218 so it can be overridden easily.
219 * `make distcheck' will pass additional options defined in
220 $(DISTCHECK_CONFIGURE_FLAGS) to configure.
221 * Fixed CDPATH portability problems, in particular for MacOS X.
222 * Fixed handling of nobase_ targets.
223 * Fixed support of implicit rules leading to .lo objects.
224 * Fixed late inclusion of --add-missing files (e.g. depcomp) in DIST_COMMON
225 * Added uninstall-hook target
226 * `AC_INIT AM_INIT_AUTOMAKE(tarname,version)' is an obsolete construct.
227 You can now use `AC_INIT(pkgname,version) AM_INIT_AUTOMAKE' instead.
228 (Note that "pkgname" is not "tarname", see the manual for details.)
229 It is also possible to pass a list of global Automake options as
230 first argument to this new form of AM_INIT_AUTOMAKE.
231 * Compiler-based assembler is now called `CCAS'; people expected `AS'
232 to be a real assembler.
233 * AM_INIT_AUTOMAKE will set STRIP itself when it needs it. Adding
234 AC_CHECK_TOOL([STRIP], [strip]) manually is no longer required.
235 * aclocal and automake are also installed with the version number
236 appended, and some of the install directory names have changed.
237 This lets you have multiple versions installed simultaneously.
238 * Support for parsers and lexers in subdirectories.
241 * Support for `configure.ac'.
242 * Support for `else COND', `endif COND' and negated conditions `!COND'.
243 * `make dist-all' is much faster.
244 * Allows '@' AC_SUBSTs in macro names.
245 * Faster AM_INIT_AUTOMAKE (requires update of `missing' script)
246 * User-side dependency tracking. Developers no longer need GNU make
248 * Uses DIST_SUBDIRS in some situations when SUBDIRS is conditional
249 * Most files are correctly handled if they appear in subdirs
250 For instance, a _DATA file can appear in a subdir
251 * GNU tar is no longer required for `make dist'
252 * Added support for `dist_' and `nodist_' prefixes
253 * Added support for `nobase_' prefix
254 * Compiled Java support
255 * Support for per-executable and per-library compilation flags
259 * Added support for the Fortran 77 programming language.
260 * Re-indexed the Automake Texinfo manual.
261 * Added `AM_FOOFLAGS' variable for each compiler invocation;
262 e.g. AM_CFLAGS can be used in Makefile.am to set C compiler flags
263 * Support for latest autoconf, including support for objext
264 * Can now put `.' in SUBDIRS to control build order
265 * `include' command and `+=' support for macro assignment
266 * Dependency tracking no long susceptible to deleted header file problem
267 * Maintainer mode now a conditional. @MAINT@ is now an anachronism.
272 * Better Cygwin32 support
273 * Support for suffix rules with _SOURCES variables
274 * New options `readme-alpha' and `check-news'; Gnits mode sets these
275 * @LEXLIB@ no longer required when lex source seen
276 Lex support in `missing', and new lex macro. Update your missing script.
277 * Built-in support for assembly
278 * aclocal gives error if `AM_' macro not found
279 * Passed YFLAGS, not YACCFLAGS, to yacc
280 * AM_PROG_CC_STDC does not have to come before AC_PROG_CPP
281 * Dependencies computed as a side effect of compilation
282 * Preliminary support for Java
283 * DESTDIR support at "make install" time
284 * Improved ansi2knr support; you must use the latest ansi2knr.c (included)
288 * Better DejaGNU support
289 * Added no-installinfo option
290 * Added Emacs Lisp support
291 * Added --no-force option
292 * Included `aclocal' program
293 * Automake will now generate rules to regenerate aclocal.m4, if appropriate
294 * Now uses `AM_' macro names everywhere
295 * ansi2knr option can have directory prefix (eg `../lib/ansi2knr')
296 ansi2knr now works correctly on K&R sources
297 * Better C++, yacc, lex support
298 * Will compute _DEPENDENCIES variables automatically if not supplied
299 * Will interpolate $(...) and ${...} when examining contents of a variable
300 * .deps files now in build directory, not source directory; dependency
301 handling generally rewritten
302 * DATA, MANS and BUILT_SOURCES no longer included in distribution
303 * can now put config.h into a subdir
304 * Added dist-all target
305 * Support for install-info program (see texinfo 3.9)
306 * Support for "yacc -d"
307 * configure substitutions are automatically discovered and included
308 in generated Makefile.in
309 * Special --cygnus mode
310 * OMIT_DEPENDENCIES can now hold list of dependencies to be omitted
311 when making distribution. Some dependencies are auto-ignored.
312 * Changed how libraries are specified in _LIBRARIES variable
313 * Full libtool support, from Gord Matzigkeit
314 * No longer have to explicitly touch stamp-h when using AC_CONFIG_HEADER;
315 AM_CONFIG_HEADER handles it automatically
316 * Texinfo output files no longer need .info extension
317 * Added `missing' support
319 * Conditionals in Makefile.am, from Ian Taylor
323 * distcheck target runs install and installcheck targets
324 * Added preliminary support for DejaGNU.
329 * More libtool fixes from Gord Matzigkeit; libtool support is still
331 * Added support for jm_MAINTAINER_MODE
333 * New "distcheck" target
337 * mkinstalldirs and mdate-sh now appear in directory specified by
339 * Removed DIST_SUBDIRS, DIST_OTHER
340 * AC_ARG_PROGRAM only required when an actual program exists
341 * dist-hook target now run before distribution packaged up; idea from
342 Dieter Baron. Other hooks exist, too.
343 * Preliminary (unfinished) support for libtool
344 * Added short option names.
345 * Better "dist" support when gluing together multiple packages
349 * Documentation updates (many from François Pinard)
350 * strictness `normal' now renamed to `foreign'
351 * Renamed --install-missing to --add-missing
352 * Now handles AC_CONFIG_AUX_DIR
353 * Now handles TESTS macro
354 * DIST_OTHER renamed to EXTRA_DIST
355 * DIST_SUBDIRS is deprecated
356 * @ALLOCA@ and @LIBOBJS@ now work in _LDADD variables
357 * Better error messages in many cases
358 * Program names are canonicalized
359 * Added "check" prefix; from Gord Matzigkeit
363 * configure.in scanner knows about AC_PATH_XTRA, AC_OUTPUT ":" syntax
364 * Beginnings of a test suite
365 * Automatically adds -I options for $(srcdir), ".", and path to config.h
366 * Doesn't print anything when running
367 * Beginnings of MAINT_CHARSET support
368 * Can specify version in AUTOMAKE_OPTIONS
369 * Most errors recognizable by Emacs' M-x next-error
370 * Added --verbose option
371 * All "primary" variables now obsolete; use EXTRA_PRIMARY to supply
372 configure-generated names
373 * Required macros now distributed in aclocal.m4
375 * --strictness=gnu is default
379 * More sophisticated configure.in scanning; now understands ALLOCA and
380 LIBOBJS directly, handles AC_CONFIG_HEADER more precisely, etc.
381 * TEXINFOS and MANS now obsolete; use info_TEXINFOS and man_MANS instead.
382 * CONFIG_HEADER variable now obsolete
383 * Can handle multiple Texinfo sources
384 * Allow hierarchies deeper than 2. From Gord Matzigkeit.
385 * HEADERS variable no longer needed; now can put .h files directly into
386 foo_SOURCES variable.
387 * Automake automatically rebuilds files listed in AC_OUTPUT. The
388 corresponding ".in" files are included in the distribution.
391 * Added --gnu and --gnits options
392 * More standards checking
394 * Cleaned up 'dist' targets
395 * Added AUTOMAKE_OPTIONS variable and several options
396 * Now scans configure.in to get some information (preliminary)
399 * Works with Perl 4 again
402 * Added --install-missing option.
403 * Pretty-prints generated macros and rules
404 * Comments in Makefile.am are placed more intelligently in Makefile.in
405 * Generates .PHONY target
406 * Rule or macro in Makefile.am now overrides contents of Automake file
407 * Substantial cleanups from François Pinard
411 * Works with Perl 4 again.
414 * New uniform naming scheme.
415 * --strictness option
417 * '.c' files corresponding to '.y' or '.l' files are automatically
419 * Many bug fixes and cleanups
422 * Allow objects to be conditionally included in libraries via lib_LIBADD.
425 * Bug fixes in 'clean' code.
426 * Now generates 'installdirs' target.
427 * man page installation reworked.
428 * 'make dist' no longer re-creates all Makefile.in's.
431 * Reimplemented in Perl
432 * Added --amdir option (for debugging)
433 * Texinfo support cleaned up.
434 * Automatic de-ANSI-fication cleaned up.
435 * Cleaned up 'clean' targets.
438 * Automatic dependency tracking
440 * New variables DATA and PACKAGEDATA
441 * SCRIPTS installed using $(INSTALL_SCRIPT)
442 * No longer uses double-colon rules
444 * Changes in advance of internationalization
448 Copyright (C) 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003
449 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
451 This file is part of GNU Automake.
453 GNU Automake is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify
454 it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
455 the Free Software Foundation; either version 2, or (at your option)
458 GNU Automake is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
459 but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
460 MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. See the
461 GNU General Public License for more details.
463 You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
464 along with GNU Automake; see the file COPYING. If not, write to
465 the Free Software Foundation, Inc., 59 Temple Place - Suite 330,
466 Boston, MA 02111-1307, USA.