If some of the FILES are named `FILE.m4f' they are considered to be M4 frozen files of all the previous files (which are therefore not loaded). If `FILE.m4f' is not found, then `FILE.m4' will be used, together with all the previous files.
Some files may be optional, i.e., will only be processed if found in the include path, but then must end in `.m4?'; the question mark is not part of the actual file name.
-h, --help print this help, then exit
-V, --version print version number, then exit
-v, --verbose verbosely report processing
-d, --debug don't remove temporary files
-o, --output=FILE save output in FILE (defaults to `-', stdout)
-f, --force don't rely on cached values
-W, --warnings=CATEGORY report the warnings falling in CATEGORY
-l, --language=LANG specify the set of M4 macros to use
-C, --cache=DIRECTORY preserve results for future runs in DIRECTORY
--no-cache disable the cache
-m, --mode=OCTAL change the non trace output file mode (0666)
-M, --melt don't use M4 frozen files
`Autoconf' create Autoconf configure scripts
`Autotest' create Autotest test suites
`M4sh' create M4sh shell scripts
`M4sugar' create M4sugar output
`cross' cross compilation issues
`gnu' GNU coding standards (default in gnu and gnits modes)
`obsolete' obsolete features or constructions
`override' user redefinitions of Automake rules or variables
`portability' portability issues (default in gnu and gnits modes)
`syntax' dubious syntactic constructs (default)
`unsupported' unsupported or incomplete features (default)
`all' all the warnings
`no-CATEGORY' turn off warnings in CATEGORY
`none' turn off all the warnings
`error' treat warnings as errors
The environment variables `M4' and `WARNINGS' are honored.
-B, --prepend-include=DIR prepend directory DIR to search path
-I, --include=DIR append directory DIR to search path
-t, --trace=MACRO[:FORMAT] report the MACRO invocations
-p, --preselect=MACRO prepare to trace MACRO in a future run
-F, --freeze produce an M4 frozen state file for FILES
$$ literal $
$f file where macro was called
$l line where macro was called
$d nesting depth of macro call
$n name of the macro
$NUM argument NUM, unquoted and with newlines
$SEP@ all arguments, with newlines, quoted, and separated by SEP
$SEP* all arguments, with newlines, unquoted, and separated by SEP
$SEP% all arguments, without newlines, unquoted, and separated by SEP
SEP can be empty for the default (comma for @ and *, colon for %), a single character for that character, or {STRING} to use a string.
GNU Autoconf home page: <http://www.gnu.org/software/autoconf/>.
General help using GNU software: <http://www.gnu.org/gethelp/>.
This is free software: you are free to change and redistribute it. There is NO WARRANTY, to the extent permitted by law.
The full documentation for autom4te is maintained as a Texinfo manual. If the info and autom4te programs are properly installed at your site, the command
info autom4teshould give you access to the complete manual.