# AUTOM4TE - Generate files and scripts thanks to M4 - man(1) - [phpMan]

[_AUTOM4TE_(1)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/AUTOM4TE/1/markdown)                                 User Commands                                [_AUTOM4TE_(1)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/AUTOM4TE/1/markdown)

## NAME
       autom4te - Generate files and scripts thanks to M4

## SYNOPSIS
       **autom4te **[_OPTION_]... [_FILES_]

## DESCRIPTION
       Run  GNU  M4  on  the FILES, avoiding useless runs.  Output the traces if tracing, the frozen
       file if freezing, otherwise the expansion of the FILES.

       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.

### Operation modes:
### -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
              save output in FILE (defaults to '-', stdout)

### -f --force
              don't rely on cached values

### -W --warnings
              report the warnings falling in CATEGORY

### -l --language
              specify the set of M4 macros to use

### -C --cache
              preserve results for future runs in DIRECTORY

### --no-cache
              disable the cache

### -m --mode
              change the non trace output file mode (0666)

### -M --melt
              don't use M4 frozen files

### Languages include:
       'Autoconf'
              create Autoconf configure scripts

       'Autotest'
              create Autotest test suites

       'M4sh' create M4sh shell scripts

       'M4sugar'
              create M4sugar output

### Warning categories include:
       cross  cross compilation issues

       gnu    GNU coding standards (default in gnu and gnits modes)

       obsolete
              obsolete features or constructions (default)

       override
              user redefinitions of Automake rules or variables

       portability
              portability issues (default in gnu and gnits modes)

       portability-recursive
              nested Make variables (default with **-Wportability**)

       extra-portability
              extra portability issues related to obscure tools

       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.

### Library directories:
### -B --prepend-include
              prepend directory DIR to search path

### -I --include
              append directory DIR to search path

### Tracing:
### -t --trace
              report the MACRO invocations

### -p --preselect
              prepare to trace MACRO in a future run

### Freezing:
### -F --freeze
              produce an M4 frozen state file for FILES

### FORMAT defaults to '$f:$l:$n:$%', and can use the following escapes:
       $$     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.

## AUTHOR
       Written by Akim Demaille.

## REPORTING BUGS
       Report bugs to <<bug-autoconf@gnu.org>>.
       GNU Autoconf home page: <<https://www.gnu.org/software/autoconf/>>.
       General help using GNU software: <<https://www.gnu.org/gethelp/>>.

## COPYRIGHT
       Copyright © 2021 Free Software Foundation, Inc.  License GPLv3+/Autoconf: GNU GPL  version  3
       or later <<https://gnu.org/licenses/gpl.html>>, <<https://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.

## SEE ALSO
       [**autoconf**(1)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/autoconf/1/markdown), [**automake**(1)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/automake/1/markdown),  [**autoreconf**(1)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/autoreconf/1/markdown),  [**autoupdate**(1)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/autoupdate/1/markdown),  [**autoheader**(1)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/autoheader/1/markdown),  [**autoscan**(1)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/autoscan/1/markdown),  **con‐**
       [**fig.guess**(1)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/fig.guess/1/markdown), [**config.sub**(1)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/config.sub/1/markdown), [**ifnames**(1)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/ifnames/1/markdown), [**libtool**(1)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/libtool/1/markdown).

       The  full  documentation for **autom4te **is maintained as a Texinfo manual.  If the **info **and **au‐**
       **tom4te **programs are properly installed at your site, the command

              **info autom4te**

       should give you access to the complete manual.

GNU Autoconf 2.71                           January 2023                                 [_AUTOM4TE_(1)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/AUTOM4TE/1/markdown)