Autoconf, Automake, and Libtool: aclocal process

| ## C.1 aclocal The `aclocal` program creates the file ``aclocal.m4'` by combining stock installed macros, user defined macros and the contents of ``acinclude.m4'` to define all of the macros required by ``configure.in'` in a single file. `aclocal` was created as a fix for some missing functionality in Autoconf, and as such we consider it a wart. In due course `aclocal` itself will disappear, and Autoconf will perform the same function unaided.
    user input files   optional input     process          output files
    ================   ==============     =======          ============

                        acinclude.m4 - - - - -.
                                              V
                                          .-------,
    configure.in ------------------------>|aclocal|
                     {user macro files} ->|       |------> aclocal.m4
                                          `-------'

This document was generated by Gary V. Vaughan on February, 8 2006 using texi2html