Re: Failure to boostrap bison from git repository

[Stefano Lattarini]

On Monday 30 May 2011, Joel E wrote:
> On Mon, 30 May 2011, Joel E. Denny wrote:
> 
> > >   $ autoconf --version
> > >   autoconf (GNU Autoconf) 2.67
> 
> By the way, I'm using 2.68.  If you decide to build a stable autoconf, 
> 2.68 might be best to try so we can rule out that difference.
>
Done, trying both GNU m4 1.4.14 and 1.4.16.  There is still exactly the
same error:

  configure.ac:110: error: possibly undefined macro: AC_PROG_GNU_M4
        If this token and others are legitimate, please use m4_pattern_allow.
        See the Autoconf documentation.

> > What version of m4 is your autoconf configured to use?
>
The ones I've explicitly listed in my previous mail; for autoconf 2.67, it
is the system m4 (version 1.4.14, from debian package "m4 1.4.14-3").  But
with autoconf 2.68, I've tried also m4 1.4.16, with the same result.

> > What's the output 
> > of the following commands?
> > 
> >   % autom4te --version
>
$ autom4te --version
autom4te (GNU Autoconf) 2.67
Copyright (C) 2010 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
License GPLv3+/Autoconf: GNU GPL version 3 or later
<http://gnu.org/licenses/gpl.html>, <http://gnu.org/licenses/exceptions.html>
This is free software: you are free to change and redistribute it.
There is NO WARRANTY, to the extent permitted by law.
Written by Akim Demaille.

$ /opt/extra/autoconf-2.68/bin/autom4te --version
autom4te (GNU Autoconf) 2.68
Copyright (C) 2010 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
License GPLv3+/Autoconf: GNU GPL version 3 or later
<http://gnu.org/licenses/gpl.html>, <http://gnu.org/licenses/exceptions.html>
This is free software: you are free to change and redistribute it.
There is NO WARRANTY, to the extent permitted by law.
Written by Akim Demaille.

> >   % `echo 'm4_divert(0)__program__' | autom4te --language=m4sugar` --version
>
$ `echo 'm4_divert(0)__program__' | autom4te --language=m4sugar` --version
stdin:1: warning: prefer named diversions
m4 (GNU M4) 1.4.14
Copyright (C) 2010 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
License GPLv3+: GNU GPL version 3 or later <http://gnu.org/licenses/gpl.html>.
This is free software: you are free to change and redistribute it.
There is NO WARRANTY, to the extent permitted by law.
Written by Rene' Seindal.

$ `echo 'm4_divert(0)__program__' | /opt/extra/autoconf-2.68/bin/autom4te 
--language=m4sugar` --version
stdin:1: warning: prefer named diversions
m4 (GNU M4) 1.4.14
Copyright (C) 2010 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
License GPLv3+: GNU GPL version 3 or later <http://gnu.org/licenses/gpl.html>.
This is free software: you are free to change and redistribute it.
There is NO WARRANTY, to the extent permitted by law.
Written by Rene' Seindal.

> Of course, you should make sure to invoke the autom4te from the autoconf 
> installation you are using.
>

> > >  [CUSTOM TOOLS, installed from development versions of autoconf and m4]
> > 
> > I've seen at least one bison bug report already due to a development 
> > version of autoconf.
>
> > It's not the same bug, and perhaps it's been fixed 
> > by now, but I would suggest you stick with stable versions of such tools 
> > for now.
> 
> Oops, that was automake not autoconf, but the advice is probably still 
> worthwhile.
> 
I think you're referring to:
 <http://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/bug-bison/2011-04/msg00002.html>
and:
 <http://debbugs.gnu.org/cgi/bugreport.cgi?bug=8485>
but this issue shouldn't be relevant in my situation I think (and BTW the
bug is not yet fixed).

Thanks,
  Stefano