[bug #68500] write or obtain an Autoconf macro for detecting ImageMagick/GraphicsMagick "convert" program

"G. Branden Robinson" <[email protected]> Sun, 5 Jul 2026 11:46:36 -0400 (EDT)

Newsgroups	gmane.comp.printing.groff.bugs
Message-ID	<[email protected]>

Follow-up Comment #2, bug #68500 (group groff):

At 2026-07-05T11:11:50-0400, Dave wrote:
> Follow-up Comment #1, bug #68500 (group groff):
>
> [comment #0 original submission:]
>> That way the build would fail in the configuration phase
>> due to missing dependencies instead of much later.
>
> "convert" being unavailable shouldn't halt the build, though.  A
> cruder but perfectly serviceable ASCII fallback for the "line-layout"
> diagram has existed for decades.

Our Texinfo manual is already maintained at one layer of indirection.
You want to add _yet another_ so that we can make a _build-time_
decision regarding whether we inject 3 Texinfo commands?

The following diagram shows the dimensions
that the formatter uses to arrange a line of output on the page.
Each dimension is labelled
with the name of the request that configures it.

@center @image{line-layout,4in,,line layout diagram,.png}
@ifinfo
@Example
     -->| in |<--
        |<-----------ll------------>|
   +----+----+----------------------+----+
   |    :    :                      :    |
   +----+----+----------------------+----+
-->| po |<--
   |<--------paper width---------------->|
@endExample
@end ifinfo

You might as well say "bison" or "yacc" being unavailable shouldn't halt
the build.  A person building from the repo should be expected to know
how to drive a package manager.  Acquiring proficiency in Git itself is
more difficult.

There's no shame in not knowing either.  Just build from a distribution
archive instead.

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