Re: present but cannot be compiled (Was: karchiver-3.0.3 failed to './cofigure')

[Akim Demaille]

Thanks for the bug report!

Unfortunately, the problem comes from the package itself, not from
Autoconf.  The configure.ac script needs to be updated.  Please, send
all this message (which your output attached) to the bug list (or the
authors) of the package you were trying to configure.

Below two parts of the Autoconf documentation are included: 1. the
documentation of AC_CHECK_HEADER(S), and 2. what's to be done to
upgrade configure.ac.

If you have some knowledge in C compilation, then there is something
more you can do to help: find out what are the prerequisite headers on
your system.

For instance, if the error message is:

       sys/socket.h: present but cannot be compiled
       sys/socket.h: check for missing prerequisite headers?
       sys/socket.h: proceeding with the preprocessor's result

then try to compile the program sample.c:

       #include <sys/socket.h>

with `cc -c sample.c'.  It will fail.  Then try to understand what
other headers are needed.  For instance, on Darwin, one needs:

       #include <stdio.h>
       #include <stdlib.h>
       #include <sys/socket.h>
       #include <sys/socket.h>

to get a successful compilation.  Then, send this additional
information to the package maintainers, together with a description of
your machine.

Thanks!

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Generic Header Checks
---------------------

   These macros are used to find system header files not covered by the
"particular" test macros.  If you need to check the contents of a header
as well as find out whether it is present, you have to write your own
test for it (*note Writing Tests::).

 - Macro: AC_CHECK_HEADER (HEADER-FILE, [ACTION-IF-FOUND],
          [ACTION-IF-NOT-FOUND], [INCLUDES = `default-includes'])
     If the system header file HEADER-FILE is compilable, execute shell
     commands ACTION-IF-FOUND, otherwise execute ACTION-IF-NOT-FOUND.
     If you just want to define a symbol if the header file is
     available, consider using `AC_CHECK_HEADERS' instead.

     For compatibility issues with older versions of Autoconf, please
     read below.

 - Macro: AC_CHECK_HEADERS (HEADER-FILE..., [ACTION-IF-FOUND],
          [ACTION-IF-NOT-FOUND], [INCLUDES = `default-includes'])
     For each given system header file HEADER-FILE in the
     whitespace-separated argument list that exists, define
     `HAVE_HEADER-FILE' (in all capitals).  If ACTION-IF-FOUND is
     given, it is additional shell code to execute when one of the
     header files is found.  You can give it a value of `break' to
     break out of the loop on the first match.  If ACTION-IF-NOT-FOUND
     is given, it is executed when one of the header files is not found.

     For compatibility issues with older versions of Autoconf, please
     read below.

   Previous versions of Autoconf merely checked whether the header was
accepted by the preprocessor.  This was changed because the old test was
inappropriate for typical uses.  Headers are typically used to compile,
not merely to preprocess, and the old behavior sometimes accepted
headers that clashed at compile-time.  If you need to check whether a
header is preprocessable, you can use `AC_PREPROC_IFELSE' (*note
Running the Preprocessor::).

   This scheme, which improves the robustness of the test, also requires
that you make sure that headers that must be included before the
HEADER-FILE be part of the INCLUDES, (*note Default Includes::).  If
looking for `bar.h', which requires that `foo.h' be included before if
it exists, we suggest the following scheme:


AC_CHECK_HEADERS([foo.h])
AC_CHECK_HEADERS([bar.h], [], [],
[#if HAVE_FOO_H
# include <foo.h>
# endif
])

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Header Present But Cannot Be Compiled
=====================================

   The most important guideline to bear in mind when checking for
features is to mimic as much as possible the intended use.
Unfortunately, old versions of `AC_CHECK_HEADER' and `AC_CHECK_HEADERS'
failed to follow this idea, and called the preprocessor, instead of the
compiler, to check for headers.  As a result, incompatibilities between
headers went unnoticed during configuration, and maintainers finally
had to deal with this issue elsewhere.

   As of Autoconf 2.56 both checks are performed, and `configure'
complains loudly if the compiler and the preprocessor do not agree.
For the time being the result used is that of the preprocessor, to give
maintainers time to adjust their `configure.ac', but in the near
future, only the compiler will be considered.

   Consider the following example:

     $ cat number.h
     typedef int number;
     $ cat pi.h
     const number pi = 3;
     $ cat configure.ac
     AC_INIT
     AC_CHECK_HEADERS(pi.h)
     $ autoconf -Wall
     $ ./configure
     checking for gcc... gcc
     checking for C compiler default output... a.out
     checking whether the C compiler works... yes
     checking whether we are cross compiling... no
     checking for suffix of executables...
     checking for suffix of object files... o
     checking whether we are using the GNU C compiler... yes
     checking whether gcc accepts -g... yes
     checking for gcc option to accept ANSI C... none needed
     checking how to run the C preprocessor... gcc -E
     checking for egrep... grep -E
     checking for ANSI C header files... yes
     checking for sys/types.h... yes
     checking for sys/stat.h... yes
     checking for stdlib.h... yes
     checking for string.h... yes
     checking for memory.h... yes
     checking for strings.h... yes
     checking for inttypes.h... yes
     checking for stdint.h... yes
     checking for unistd.h... yes
     checking pi.h usability... no
     checking pi.h presence... yes
     configure: WARNING: pi.h: present but cannot be compiled
     configure: WARNING: pi.h: check for missing prerequisite headers?
     configure: WARNING: pi.h: proceeding with the preprocessor's result
     configure: WARNING:     ## ------------------------------------ ##
     configure: WARNING:     ## Report this to address@hidden ##
     configure: WARNING:     ## ------------------------------------ ##
     checking for pi.h... yes

The proper way the handle this case is using the fourth argument (*note
Generic Headers::):

     $ cat configure.ac
     AC_INIT
     AC_CHECK_HEADERS(number.h pi.h,,,
     [[#if HAVE_NUMBER_H
     # include <number.h>
     #endif
     ]])
     $ autoconf -Wall
     $ ./configure
     checking for gcc... gcc
     checking for C compiler default output... a.out
     checking whether the C compiler works... yes
     checking whether we are cross compiling... no
     checking for suffix of executables...
     checking for suffix of object files... o
     checking whether we are using the GNU C compiler... yes
     checking whether gcc accepts -g... yes
     checking for gcc option to accept ANSI C... none needed
     checking for number.h... yes
     checking for pi.h... yes

   See *Note Particular Headers::, for a list of headers with their
prerequisite.

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Portability of Headers
----------------------

This section tries to collect knowledge about common headers, and the
problems they cause.  By definition, this list will always require
additions.  Please help us keeping it as complete as possible.

`inttypes.h' vs. `stdint.h'
     Paul Eggert notes that: ISO C 1999 says that `inttypes.h' includes
     `stdint.h', so there's no need to include `stdint.h' separately in
     a standard environment.  Many implementations have `inttypes.h'
     but not `stdint.h' (e.g., Solaris 7), but I don't know of any
     implementation that has `stdint.h' but not `inttypes.h'.  Nor do I
     know of any free software that includes `stdint.h'; `stdint.h'
     seems to be a creation of the committee.

`linux/irda.h'
     It requires `linux/types.h' and `sys/socket.h'.

`net/if.h'
     On Darwin, this file requires that `sys/socket.h' be included
     beforehand.  One should run:

          AC_CHECK_HEADERS([sys/socket.h])
          AC_CHECK_HEADERS([net/if.h], [], [],
          [#include <stdio.h>
          #if STDC_HEADERS
          # include <stdlib.h>
          # include <stddef.h>
          #else
          # if HAVE_STDLIB_H
          #  include <stdlib.h>
          # endif
          #endif
          #if HAVE_SYS_SOCKET_H
          # include <sys/socket.h>
          #endif
          ])

`stdint.h'
     See above, item `inttypes.h' vs. `stdint.h'.

`stdlib.h'
     On many systems (e.g., Darwin), `stdio.h' is a prerequisite.

`sys/socket.h'
     On Darwin, `stdlib.h' is a prerequisite.

`X11/extensions/scrnsaver.h'
     Using XFree86, this header requires `X11/Xlib.h', which is probably
     so required that you might not even consider looking for it.

          AC_CHECK_HEADERS([X11/extensions/scrnsaver.h], [], [],
          [[#include <X11/Xlib.h>
          ]])

----------------------------------------------------------------------
as# zsh
as# cd /usr/home/kaloyan/any/karchiver-3.0.3
as# ls
.cvsignore              Makefile.am             admin
configure.in.in         po
.version                Makefile.cvs            autom4te.cache
doc                     stamp-h.in
AUTHORS                 Makefile.in             config.h.bot
file.list.karchiver     subdirs
COPYING                 NEWS                    config.h.in
karchiver
CVS                     README                  configure
karchiver.lsm
ChangeLog               acinclude.m4            configure.files
karchiver.spec
INSTALL                 aclocal.m4              configure.in
kdenonbeta.spec.in
as# ./configure
checking build system type... i386-unknown-freebsd5.0
checking host system type... i386-unknown-freebsd5.0
checking target system type... i386-unknown-freebsd5.0
checking for a BSD-compatible install... /usr/bin/install -c
checking for -p flag to install... yes
checking whether build environment is sane... yes
checking for gawk... no
checking for mawk... no
checking for nawk... nawk
checking whether make sets $(MAKE)... yes
checking for style of include used by make... GNU
checking for gcc... gcc
checking for C compiler default output... a.out
checking whether the C compiler works... yes
checking whether we are cross compiling... no
checking for suffix of executables...
checking for suffix of object files... o
checking whether we are using the GNU C compiler... yes
checking whether gcc accepts -g... yes
checking for gcc option to accept ANSI C... none needed
checking dependency style of gcc... gcc3
checking how to run the C preprocessor... gcc -E
checking for g++... g++
checking whether we are using the GNU C++ compiler... yes
checking whether g++ accepts -g... yes
checking dependency style of g++... gcc3
checking whether g++ supports -Wundef... yes
checking whether g++ supports -Wno-long-long... yes
checking whether g++ supports -Wnon-virtual-dtor... yes
checking whether g++ supports -fno-exceptions... yes
checking whether g++ supports -fno-check-new... yes
checking whether g++ supports -fno-common... yes
checking whether g++ supports -fexceptions... yes
checking how to run the C++ preprocessor... g++ -E
not using lib directory suffix
checking for ld used by GCC... /usr/bin/ld
checking if the linker (/usr/bin/ld) is GNU ld... yes
checking for /usr/bin/ld option to reload object files... -r
checking for BSD-compatible nm... /usr/bin/nm -B
checking for a sed that does not truncate output...
checking whether ln -s works... yes
checking how to recognise dependant libraries... pass_all
checking for egrep... grep -E
checking for ANSI C header files... yes
checking for sys/types.h... yes
checking for sys/stat.h... yes
checking for stdlib.h... yes
checking for string.h... yes
checking for memory.h... yes
checking for strings.h... yes
checking for inttypes.h... yes
checking for stdint.h... yes
checking for unistd.h... yes
checking dlfcn.h usability... yes
checking dlfcn.h presence... yes
checking for dlfcn.h... yes
checking the maximum length of command line arguments... 16384
checking command to parse /usr/bin/nm -B output from gcc object... ok
checking for objdir... .libs
checking for ranlib... ranlib
checking for strip... strip
checking if gcc static flag  works... yes
checking if gcc supports -fno-rtti -fno-exceptions... yes
checking for gcc option to produce PIC... -fPIC
checking if gcc PIC flag -fPIC works... yes
checking if gcc supports -c -o file.o... yes
checking whether the gcc linker (/usr/bin/ld) supports shared
libraries... yes
checking whether -lc should be explicitly linked in... yes
checking how to hardcode library paths into programs... immediate
checking whether stripping libraries is possible... yes
checking dynamic linker characteristics... freebsd5.0 ld.so
checking if libtool supports shared libraries... yes
checking whether to build shared libraries... yes
checking whether to build static libraries... no
configure: creating libtool
appending configuration tag "CXX" to libtool
checking whether the g++ linker (/usr/bin/ld) supports shared
libraries... yes
checking for g++ option to produce PIC... -fPIC
checking if g++ PIC flag -fPIC works... yes
checking if g++ supports -c -o file.o... yes
checking whether the g++ linker (/usr/bin/ld) supports shared
libraries... yes
checking whether -lc should be explicitly linked in... yes
checking how to hardcode library paths into programs... immediate
checking whether stripping libraries is possible... yes
checking dynamic linker characteristics... freebsd5.0 ld.so
appending configuration tag "GCJ" to libtool
checking if gcj supports -fno-rtti -fno-exceptions... (cached) yes
checking for gcj option to produce PIC... -fPIC
checking if gcj PIC flag -fPIC works... no
checking if gcj supports -c -o file.o... no
checking whether the gcj linker (/usr/bin/ld) supports shared
libraries... yes
checking whether -lc should be explicitly linked in... yes
checking how to hardcode library paths into programs... immediate
checking whether stripping libraries is possible... yes
checking dynamic linker characteristics... freebsd5.0 ld.so
checking for msgfmt... /usr/local/bin/msgfmt
checking for gmsgfmt... /usr/local/bin/msgfmt
checking for xgettext... /usr/local/bin/xgettext
checking for strlcat... yes
checking if strlcat needs custom prototype... no
checking for strlcpy... yes
checking if strlcpy needs custom prototype... no
checking for main in -lutil... yes
checking for main in -lcompat... yes
checking for crypt in -lcrypt... yes
checking for socklen_t... socklen_t
checking for dnet_ntoa in -ldnet... no
checking for dnet_ntoa in -ldnet_stub... no
checking for inet_ntoa... yes
checking for connect... yes
checking for remove... yes
checking for shmat... yes
checking crt_externs.h usability... no
checking crt_externs.h presence... no
checking for crt_externs.h... no
checking for _NSGetEnviron... no
checking for sys/types.h... (cached) yes
checking for stdint.h... (cached) yes
checking for poll in -lpoll... no
checking CoreAudio/CoreAudio.h usability... no
checking CoreAudio/CoreAudio.h presence... no
checking for CoreAudio/CoreAudio.h... no
checking for res_init... no
checking if res_init needs custom prototype... res_init unavailable
checking for killpg in -lucb... no
checking for int... yes
checking size of int... 4
checking for long... yes
checking size of long... 4
checking for char *... yes
checking size of char *... 4
checking for dlopen in -ldl... no
checking for shl_unload in -ldld... no
checking for size_t... yes
checking size of size_t... 4
checking for unsigned long... yes
checking size of unsigned long... 4
checking sizeof size_t == sizeof unsigned long... yes
checking for vsnprintf... yes
checking for snprintf... yes
checking for X... libraries /usr/X11R6/lib, headers /usr/X11R6/include
checking for IceConnectionNumber in -lICE... yes
checking for libXext... yes
checking for pthread_create in -lpthread... no
checking whether g++ supports -pthread... yes
checking for extra includes... no
checking for extra libs... no
checking for libz... -lz
checking for libpng... no
checking for libjpeg6b... no
checking for libjpeg... no
configure: WARNING:
There is an installation error in jpeg support. You seem to have only one
of either the headers _or_ the libraries installed. You may need to either
provide correct --with-extra-... options, or the development package of
libjpeg6b. You can get a source package of libjpeg from http://www.ijg.org/
Disabling JPEG support.

checking for Qt... libraries /usr/X11R6/lib, headers
/usr/X11R6/include using -mt
checking if Qt compiles without flags... yes
checking for moc... /usr/X11R6/bin/moc
checking for uic... /usr/X11R6/bin/uic
checking whether uic supports -L ... yes
checking whether uic supports -nounload ... yes
checking if Qt needs ... sed: first RE may not be empty
yes
checking for rpath... yes
checking for KDE... libraries /usr/local/lib, headers /usr/local/include
checking if UIC has KDE plugins available... yes
checking for KDE paths... defaults
checking for dcopidl... /usr/local/bin/dcopidl
checking for dcopidl2cpp... /usr/local/bin/dcopidl2cpp
checking for mcopidl... /usr/local/bin/mcopidl
checking for artsc-config... /usr/local/kde/bin/artsc-config
checking for kde-config... /usr/local/bin/kde-config
checking for meinproc... /usr/local/bin/meinproc
checking for dirent.h that defines DIR... yes
checking for library containing opendir... none required
checking for ANSI C header files... (cached) yes
checking fcntl.h usability... yes
checking fcntl.h presence... yes
checking for fcntl.h... yes
checking sys/time.h usability... yes
checking sys/time.h presence... yes
checking for sys/time.h... yes
checking for sys/stat.h... (cached) yes
checking sys/cdefs.h usability... yes
checking sys/cdefs.h presence... yes
checking for sys/cdefs.h... yes
checking fnmatch.h usability... yes
checking fnmatch.h presence... yes
checking for fnmatch.h... yes
checking sysent.h usability... no
checking sysent.h presence... no
checking for sysent.h... no
checking for strings.h... (cached) yes
checking paths.h usability... yes
checking paths.h presence... yes
checking for paths.h... yes
checking utmp.h usability... yes
checking utmp.h presence... yes
checking for utmp.h... yes
checking sys/param.h usability... yes
checking sys/param.h presence... yes
checking for sys/param.h... yes
checking linux/tcp.h usability... no
checking linux/tcp.h presence... no
checking for linux/tcp.h... no
checking sys/proc.h usability... no
checking sys/proc.h presence... yes
configure: WARNING: sys/proc.h: present but cannot be compiled
configure: WARNING: sys/proc.h: check for missing prerequisite headers?
configure: WARNING: sys/proc.h: proceeding with the preprocessor's result
configure: WARNING:     ## ------------------------------------ ##
configure: WARNING:     ## Report this to address@hidden ##
configure: WARNING:     ## ------------------------------------ ##
checking for sys/proc.h... yes
checking whether time.h and sys/time.h may both be included... yes
checking for working long double with more range or precision than
double... yes
checking for dlopen in -ldl... (cached) no
checking for shl_unload in -ldld... (cached) no
checking for dlfcn.h... (cached) yes
checking dl.h usability... no
checking dl.h presence... no
checking for dl.h... no
checking for socket... yes
checking for fabsl... no
checking for strdup... yes
checking for vsnprintf... (cached) yes
checking for re_comp... no
checking for flock... yes
checking for setenv... yes
checking for unsetenv... yes
checking for getdomainname... yes
checking if getdomainname needs custom prototype... no
checking for gethostname... yes
checking if gethostname needs custom prototype... no
checking if doc should be compiled... yes
checking if karchiver should be compiled... yes
checking if po should be compiled... yes
configure: creating ./config.status
config.status: creating Makefile
config.status: creating doc/Makefile
config.status: creating doc/en/Makefile
config.status: creating karchiver/Makefile
config.status: creating karchiver/pics/Makefile
config.status: error: cannot find input file: karchiver/pics/Makefile.in
as#