Index: NEWS
===================================================================
RCS file: /cvs/autoconf/NEWS,v
retrieving revision 1.139
diff -u -u -r1.139 NEWS
--- NEWS 2001/01/15 07:40:11 1.139
+++ NEWS 2001/01/24 08:48:44
@@ -209,6 +209,9 @@
   AC_FUNC_ERROR_AT_LINE, AC_FUNC_OBSTACK, AC_FUNC_STRTOD, AC_FUNC_FSEEKO.
   New.
 
+- AC_PROG_GNU_M4, AC_PROG_PERL
+  New.
+
 - AC_FUNC_GETGROUPS
   Sets GETGROUPS_LIBS.
 
Index: acspecific.m4
===================================================================
RCS file: /cvs/autoconf/acspecific.m4,v
retrieving revision 1.331
diff -u -u -r1.331 acspecific.m4
--- acspecific.m4 2001/01/23 17:04:36 1.331
+++ acspecific.m4 2001/01/24 08:48:46
@@ -297,6 +297,39 @@
 ])# AC_PROG_LN_S
 
 
+# AC_PROG_PERL([MIN-VERSION])
+# ---------------------------
+AC_DEFUN([AC_PROG_PERL],
+[# find perl binary
+AC_MSG_CHECKING([for perl])
+AC_CACHE_VAL(ac_cv_prog_PERL,
+[ifelse([$1],,,
+        [echo "configure:__oline__: ...version $1 required" >&AS_MESSAGE_LOG_FD])
+  # allow user to override
+  if test -n "$PERL"; then
+    ac_try="$PERL"
+  else
+    ac_try="perl perl5"
+  fi
+
+  for ac_prog in $ac_try; do
+    echo "configure:__oline__: trying $ac_prog" >&AS_MESSAGE_LOG_FD
+    if ($ac_prog -e 'printf "found version %g\n", $[@:>@];' ifelse([$1],,,
+        [-e 'require $1;'])) 1>&AS_MESSAGE_LOG_FD 2>&1; then
+      ac_cv_prog_PERL=$ac_prog
+      break
+    fi
+  done])dnl
+PERL="$ac_cv_prog_PERL"
+if test -n "$PERL"; then
+  AC_MSG_RESULT($PERL)
+else
+  AC_MSG_RESULT(no)
+fi
+AC_SUBST(PERL)dnl
+])# AC_PROG_PERL
+
+
 # AC_RSH
 # ------
 # I don't know what it used to do, but it no longer does.
Index: configure.in
===================================================================
RCS file: /cvs/autoconf/configure.in,v
retrieving revision 1.39
diff -u -u -r1.39 configure.in
--- configure.in 2001/01/24 07:54:32 1.39
+++ configure.in 2001/01/24 08:48:48
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@
 fi
 # This is needed because Automake does not seem to realize there is
 # a AC-SUBST inside AC-PROG-GNU-M4.  Grmph!
-AC_SUBST(M4)
+AC_SUBST([M4])
 
 # `autoconf' and `ifnames' use AWK.
 AC_PROG_AWK
@@ -27,14 +27,14 @@
 AM_MISSING_PROG(HELP2MAN, help2man, $missing_dir)
 
 # We use a path for perl so the #! line in autoscan will work.
-AC_PATH_PROG(PERL, perl, no)
-AC_SUBST(PERL)dnl
-AC_SUBST(PERLSCRIPTS)dnl
-if test "$PERL" != no; then
+AC_PROG_PERL(5.004)
+AC_SUBST([PERLSCRIPTS])dnl
+if test -n "$PERL"; then
   PERLSCRIPTS=autoscan
 else
-  AC_MSG_WARN([autoscan will not be built since perl is not found])
+  AC_MSG_WARN([autoscan will not be built since perl >= 5.004 was not found])
 fi
+AC_SUBST([PERL])
 
 AC_PROG_INSTALL
 
Index: doc/autoconf.texi
===================================================================
RCS file: /cvs/autoconf/doc/autoconf.texi,v
retrieving revision 1.423
diff -u -u -r1.423 autoconf.texi
--- doc/autoconf.texi 2001/01/24 08:24:44 1.423
+++ doc/autoconf.texi 2001/01/24 08:48:54
@@ -2811,6 +2811,35 @@
 @end example
 @end defmac
 
address@hidden AC_PROG_PERL (@ovar{version})
address@hidden PROG_PERL
address@hidden PERL
+If @code{perl} is found (at least version @var{version} is specified),
+set output variable @code{PERL} to the name of its executable.
+Otherwise, leave it empty.  By default, @code{perl} and @code{perl5} are
+tried, but you can use the @code{PERL} variable to override the list of
+executables to check.
+
+When using @var{version}, make sure you use Perl's version numbering
+conventions: @samp{5.6} is seen as version 5, subversion 600 (not 6);
+you need to use @samp{5.006} to require perl 5.6.0.
+
address@hidden
+PERL="perl myperl"
+AC_PROG_PERL
+if test -n "$PERL"; then
+  AC_DEFINE(HAVE_PERL, 1, [Define if you have perl or myperl.])
+fi
address@hidden example
+
address@hidden
+AC_PROG_PERL([5.006])
+if test -z "$PERL"; then
+  AC_MSG_ERROR([This package requires at least version 5.6 of perl.])
+fi
address@hidden example
address@hidden defmac
+
 @defmac AC_PROG_RANLIB
 @maindex PROG_RANLIB
 @ovindex RANLIB