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=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

   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=DIR
              prepend directory DIR to search path

       -I, --include=DIR
              append directory DIR to search path

   Tracing:
       -t, --trace=MACRO[:FORMAT]
              report the MACRO invocations

       -p, --preselect=MACRO
              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),  automake(1),  autoreconf(1),  autoupdate(1),   autoheader(1),   autoscan(1),
       config.guess(1), config.sub(1), ifnames(1), libtool(1).

       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 autom4te

       should give you access to the complete manual.