Re: Why doesn't this quote properly?

[Stepan Kasal]

Hello Paul,

On Tue, Nov 23, 2004 at 11:11:45AM -0800, Paul Eggert wrote:
> I installed this doc patch (along with the change to general.m4 you sent):

thank you for both.

I second the voices asking for maximal quoting.  People will find their
ways to avoid unnnecessary quotes, when the time comes.

Even experienced people can get into a trap, though:
> +     ac_cv_use_$1=$withval,
> +     ac_cv_use_$1=$2)])

this doesn't work in general. If the argument is not an literal, as in my
example with MY_FOO, the expansion breaks and you get:

        ac_cv_use_MY_FOO=$withval

The minimal quoting would be:

        [ac_cv_use_]$1=$withval,
or
        ac_cv_use_[]$1=$withval,

Attached please find a patch which implements the almost maximal quoting.
(My previous patch, regenerated against current CVS.)

I say ``almost maximal'', as the maximal would also quote the "=" in the
last line, ie the following
        [[ac_cv_use_]$1=$2])])
would change to:
        [[ac_cv_use_]$1[=]$2])])

With kind regards,
        Stepan

autoconf-20041125-ac_arg_with2.patch
Description: Text document