Re: fedora 42 doesn't have awk: how to deal with autoconf subst?

Paul Eggert <[email protected]> Thu, 17 Apr 2025 12:18:56 -0700
Newsgroups gmane.comp.lib.gnulib.bugs,gmane.comp.sysutils.autoconf.bugs
Organization UCLA Computer Science Department
Message-ID <[email protected]>
On 2025-04-17 09:46, Simon Josefsson wrote:
>> I don't think it's worth making a distinction here between Autoconf and
>> "Autoconf + Automake", since most packages that use Autoconf also use
>> Automake.
> I would appreciate distinguishing this, it helps to make it more clear
> where dependencies are coming from.  OpenSSH is using autoconf but not
> automake, IIRC, and I think there are more examples.

I looked into it a bit more from the Autoconf viewpoint, and installed 
the attached patch, which I think is closer to the correct list of 
minimal prerequisites for 'configure' scripts generated by Autoconf alone.

I haven't had time to look into exactly what Automake requires; any such 
list could be put into the Automake manual. However, the attached patch 
does mention 'sleep' in its list of example commands that installers may 
need, along with 'cmp', 'gcc', 'make', and 'touch'.
0001-Improve-list-of-configure-prereqs.patch (text/x-patch, 1.4 KB)
From 95b849dd837210dc3109adfbd52a0929fbec141e Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Paul Eggert <[email protected]>
Date: Thu, 17 Apr 2025 12:14:41 -0700
Subject: [PATCH] Improve list of 'configure' prereqs

* doc/install.texi (Installation Prerequisites):
Use a more-accurate list.
---
 doc/install.texi | 13 +++++++------
 1 file changed, 7 insertions(+), 6 deletions(-)

diff --git a/doc/install.texi b/doc/install.texi
index cf9a9c67..f9e5e7fa 100644
--- a/doc/install.texi
+++ b/doc/install.texi
@@ -136,17 +136,18 @@ you can type @samp{make uninstall} to remove the installed files.
 @section Installation Prerequisites
 
 Installation requires a POSIX-like environment
-with a shell and the following standard utilities:
+with a shell and at least the following standard utilities:
 
 @example
-[ awk cat cmp cp diff echo expr false
-grep ls mkdir mv printf pwd rm rmdir
-sed sort test touch tr true
+awk cat cp diff echo expr false
+grep ls mkdir mv printf pwd
+rm rmdir sed sort test tr
 @end example
 
 @noindent
-Depending on the package, other programs may be needed,
-such as a compiler for the language the package is written in.
+This package's installation may need other standard utilities such as
+@command{cmp}, @command{make}, @command{sleep} and @command{touch},
+along with compilers like @command{gcc}.
 
 @node Compilers and Options
 @section Compilers and Options
-- 
2.45.2