1 This file contains generic instructions on how to build and 2 install software using autoconf. For specific instructions 3 on how to build "less", see the README or README.VER file. 4 5 6 Basic Installation 7 ================== 8 9 These are generic installation instructions. 10 11 The `configure' shell script attempts to guess correct values for 12 various system-dependent variables used during compilation. It uses 13 those values to create a `Makefile' in each directory of the package. 14 It may also create one or more `.h' files containing system-dependent 15 definitions. Finally, it creates a shell script `config.status' that 16 you can run in the future to recreate the current configuration, a file 17 `config.cache' that saves the results of its tests to speed up 18 reconfiguring, and a file `config.log' containing compiler output 19 (useful mainly for debugging `configure'). 20 21 If you need to do unusual things to compile the package, please try 22 to figure out how `configure' could check whether to do them, and mail 23 diffs or instructions to the address given in the `README' so they can 24 be considered for the next release. If at some point `config.cache' 25 contains results you don't want to keep, you may remove or edit it. 26 27 The file `configure.ac' is used to create `configure' by a program 28 called `autoconf'. You only need `configure.ac' if you want to change 29 it or regenerate `configure' using a newer version of `autoconf'. 30 31 The simplest way to compile this package is: 32 33 1. `cd' to the directory containing the package's source code and type 34 `./configure' to configure the package for your system. If you're 35 using `csh' on an old version of System V, you might need to type 36 `sh ./configure' instead to prevent `csh' from trying to execute 37 `configure' itself. 38 39 Running `configure' takes awhile. While running, it prints some 40 messages telling which features it is checking for. 41 42 2. Type `make' to compile the package. 43 44 3. Optionally, type `make check' to run any self-tests that come with 45 the package. 46 47 4. Type `make install' to install the programs and any data files and 48 documentation. 49 50 5. You can remove the program binaries and object files from the 51 source code directory by typing `make clean'. To also remove the 52 files that `configure' created (so you can compile the package for 53 a different kind of computer), type `make distclean'. There is 54 also a `make maintainer-clean' target, but that is intended mainly 55 for the package's developers. If you use it, you may have to get 56 all sorts of other programs in order to regenerate files that came 57 with the distribution. 58 59 Compilers and Options 60 ===================== 61 62 Some systems require unusual options for compilation or linking that 63 the `configure' script does not know about. You can give `configure' 64 initial values for variables by setting them in the environment. Using 65 a Bourne-compatible shell, you can do that on the command line like 66 this: 67 CC=c89 CFLAGS=-O2 LIBS=-lposix ./configure 68 69 Or on systems that have the `env' program, you can do it like this: 70 env CPPFLAGS=-I/usr/local/include LDFLAGS=-s ./configure 71 72 Compiling For Multiple Architectures 73 ==================================== 74 75 You can compile the package for more than one kind of computer at the 76 same time, by placing the object files for each architecture in their 77 own directory. To do this, you must use a version of `make' that 78 supports the `VPATH' variable, such as GNU `make'. `cd' to the 79 directory where you want the object files and executables to go and run 80 the `configure' script. `configure' automatically checks for the 81 source code in the directory that `configure' is in and in `..'. 82 83 If you have to use a `make' that does not supports the `VPATH' 84 variable, you have to compile the package for one architecture at a time 85 in the source code directory. After you have installed the package for 86 one architecture, use `make distclean' before reconfiguring for another 87 architecture. 88 89 Installation Names 90 ================== 91 92 By default, `make install' will install the package's files in 93 `/usr/local/bin', `/usr/local/man', etc. You can specify an 94 installation prefix other than `/usr/local' by giving `configure' the 95 option `--prefix=PATH'. 96 97 You can specify separate installation prefixes for 98 architecture-specific files and architecture-independent files. If you 99 give `configure' the option `--exec-prefix=PATH', the package will use 100 PATH as the prefix for installing programs and libraries. 101 Documentation and other data files will still use the regular prefix. 102 103 In addition, if you use an unusual directory layout you can give 104 options like `--bindir=PATH' to specify different values for particular 105 kinds of files. Run `configure --help' for a list of the directories 106 you can set and what kinds of files go in them. 107 108 If the package supports it, you can cause programs to be installed 109 with an extra prefix or suffix on their names by giving `configure' the 110 option `--program-prefix=PREFIX' or `--program-suffix=SUFFIX'. 111 112 Optional Features 113 ================= 114 115 Some packages pay attention to `--enable-FEATURE' options to 116 `configure', where FEATURE indicates an optional part of the package. 117 They may also pay attention to `--with-PACKAGE' options, where PACKAGE 118 is something like `gnu-as' or `x' (for the X Window System). The 119 `README' should mention any `--enable-' and `--with-' options that the 120 package recognizes. 121 122 For packages that use the X Window System, `configure' can usually 123 find the X include and library files automatically, but if it doesn't, 124 you can use the `configure' options `--x-includes=DIR' and 125 `--x-libraries=DIR' to specify their locations. 126 127 Specifying the System Type 128 ========================== 129 130 There may be some features `configure' can not figure out 131 automatically, but needs to determine by the type of host the package 132 will run on. Usually `configure' can figure that out, but if it prints 133 a message saying it can not guess the host type, give it the 134 `--host=TYPE' option. TYPE can either be a short name for the system 135 type, such as `sun4', or a canonical name with three fields: 136 CPU-COMPANY-SYSTEM 137 138 See the file `config.sub' for the possible values of each field. If 139 `config.sub' isn't included in this package, then this package doesn't 140 need to know the host type. 141 142 If you are building compiler tools for cross-compiling, you can also 143 use the `--target=TYPE' option to select the type of system they will 144 produce code for and the `--build=TYPE' option to select the type of 145 system on which you are compiling the package. 146 147 Sharing Defaults 148 ================ 149 150 If you want to set default values for `configure' scripts to share, 151 you can create a site shell script called `config.site' that gives 152 default values for variables like `CC', `cache_file', and `prefix'. 153 `configure' looks for `PREFIX/share/config.site' if it exists, then 154 `PREFIX/etc/config.site' if it exists. Or, you can set the 155 `CONFIG_SITE' environment variable to the location of the site script. 156 A warning: not all `configure' scripts look for a site script. 157 158 Operation Controls 159 ================== 160 161 `configure' recognizes the following options to control how it 162 operates. 163 164 `--cache-file=FILE' 165 Use and save the results of the tests in FILE instead of 166 `./config.cache'. Set FILE to `/dev/null' to disable caching, for 167 debugging `configure'. 168 169 `--help' 170 Print a summary of the options to `configure', and exit. 171 172 `--quiet' 173 `--silent' 174 `-q' 175 Do not print messages saying which checks are being made. 176 177 `--srcdir=DIR' 178 Look for the package's source code in directory DIR. Usually 179 `configure' can determine that directory automatically. 180 181 `--version' 182 Print the version of Autoconf used to generate the `configure' 183 script, and exit. 184 185 `configure' also accepts some other, not widely useful, options. 186 187