please automake files separately from source files

[Andy Tai]

Hi, I wonder if there is a way to place the GNU autotools files in a source
tree in a subdirectory from the source files, such as

if I have sources files

source1.c source2.c

and there may be a Makefile in this directory as well, as common in a simple
project from a third party source that does not use automake/autoconf.  Now
I want to add automake support.  Can I create a subdirectory in parallel
with source{1,2}.c, say I call it build_system
and then in build_system I will place the top level GNU automake files such
as Makefile.am, configure.ac, etc.


This way people can build using the GNU automake system if they so desires
and I do not overwrite the original non-automake Makefiles.   Then how can I
specify the sources files in source1,c, etc.  Keep in mind that the original
source tree may be complex with deep subdirectories of its own.

Thanks,
Andy

-- 
Andy Tai, address@hidden