Re: VPATH / English / etc updates for Autoconf manual

[Eric Blake]

> 
> Here's what I installed:
> 
> @@ -1394,7 +1419,7 @@ disable warnings falling into @var{categ
>  
>  Warnings about @samp{syntax} are enabled by default, and the environment
>  variable @env{WARNINGS}, a comma separated list of categories, is
> -honored as well.  Passing @option{-W @var{category}} will actually behave as 
> if
> +honored as well.  Passing @option{-W @var{category}} actually behave as if

s/behave/&s/

>  you had passed @option{--warnings=syntax,$WARNINGS,@var{category}}.  If

Also, is it okay to add this node, documenting a problem that once bit
automake?

2006-06-14  Eric Blake  <address@hidden>

        * doc/autoconf.texi (The Make Macro MAKEFLAGS): New node.

Index: doc/autoconf.texi
===================================================================
RCS file: /sources/autoconf/autoconf/doc/autoconf.texi,v
retrieving revision 1.1044
diff -u -p -r1.1044 autoconf.texi
--- doc/autoconf.texi   14 Jun 2006 05:14:09 -0000      1.1044
+++ doc/autoconf.texi   14 Jun 2006 12:43:17 -0000
@@ -490,6 +490,7 @@ Portable Make Programming
 * Long Lines in Makefiles::     Line length limitations
 * Macros and Submakes::         @code{make macro=value} and submakes
 * The Make Macro SHELL::        @code{$(SHELL)} portability issues
+* The Make Macro MAKEFLAGS::    @code{$(MAKEFLAGS)} portability issues
 * Comments in Make Rules::      Other problems with Make comments
 * obj/ and Make::               Don't name a subdirectory @file{obj}
 * make -k Status::              Exit status of @samp{make -k}
@@ -13609,6 +13610,7 @@ itself.
 * Long Lines in Makefiles::     Line length limitations
 * Macros and Submakes::         @code{make macro=value} and submakes
 * The Make Macro SHELL::        @code{$(SHELL)} portability issues
+* The Make Macro MAKEFLAGS::    @code{$(MAKEFLAGS)} portability issues
 * Comments in Make Rules::      Other problems with Make comments
 * obj/ and Make::               Don't name a subdirectory @file{obj}
 * make -k Status::              Exit status of @samp{make -k}
@@ -13864,6 +13866,33 @@ $ @kbd{env SHELL=/bin/tcsh FOO=bar gmake
 bar
 @end example
 
+
address@hidden The Make Macro MAKEFLAGS
address@hidden The Make Macro MAKEFLAGS
address@hidden @code{MAKEFLAGS} and @command{make}
address@hidden @command{make} and @code{MAKEFLAGS}
+
+Posix requires @command{make} to use @code{MAKEFLAGS} to affect the
+current and recursive invocations of make, but allows implementations
+several formats for the variable.  Therefore, attempting to parse
address@hidden to determine if @code{-s} for silent execution or
address@hidden for continued execution are in effect is inherently
+non-portable.  You cannot assume that the first space-separated word in
address@hidden contains single-letter options, since in the cygwin
+version of GNU make, it is either @code{--unix} or @code{--win32},
+moving the single-letter options to the second word.
+
address@hidden
+$ @kbd{cat Makefile}
+all:
+       @@echo $(MAKEFLAGS)
+$ @kbd{make}
+--unix
+$ @kbd{make -k}
+--unix -k
address@hidden example
+
+
 @node Comments in Make Rules
 @section Comments in Make Rules
 @cindex Comments in @file{Makefile} rules