Re: Regression: GL_STDLIB_H_MODULE_INDICATOR_DEFAULTS is m4_require'd but not m4_defun'd

[Bruno Haible]

Colin Watson wrote:
> I recently tried to update man-db to current Gnulib, running in a Debian
> unstable chroot, and I ran into some Autoconf macro issues that I don't
> entirely understand.  I've boiled it down as far as this, with current
> Gnulib master (4bed390be8) and Autoconf 2.71:
> 
>   $ ./gnulib-tool --dir x --create-testdir btowc
>   [...]
>   executing autoconf
>   configure.ac:584: warning: GL_STDLIB_H_MODULE_INDICATOR_DEFAULTS is 
> m4_require'd but not m4_defun'd
>   glm4/wchar_h.m4:144: gl_WCHAR_H_REQUIRE_DEFAULTS is expanded from...
>   glm4/wchar_h.m4:132: gl_WCHAR_MODULE_INDICATOR is expanded from...
>   configure.ac:35: gl_INIT is expanded from...
>   configure.ac:584: the top level
> 
> And indeed the resulting configure script contains an unexpanded macro,
> resulting in:
> 
>   ./configure: line 8730: GL_STDLIB_H_MODULE_INDICATOR_DEFAULTS: command not 
> found

Thanks for the report and perfectly reproducible test case.

The patch below fixes it, and still works with libidn (scenario reported by
Simon).


2021-09-18  Bruno Haible  <bruno@clisp.org>

        string, wchar: Don't require undefined m4 macros (regr. today).
        Reported by Colin Watson <cjwatson@debian.org> in
        <https://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/bug-gnulib/2021-09/msg00078.html>.
        * m4/string_h.m4 (gl_STRING_H_REQUIRE_DEFAULTS): Don't use m4_require
        directly. Instead, invoke gl_STDLIB_H_REQUIRE_DEFAULTS.
        * m4/wchar_h.m4 (gl_WCHAR_H_REQUIRE_DEFAULTS): Likewise.

diff --git a/m4/string_h.m4 b/m4/string_h.m4
index 9871dac8b..e88ac9ca8 100644
--- a/m4/string_h.m4
+++ b/m4/string_h.m4
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@
 # gives unlimited permission to copy and/or distribute it,
 # with or without modifications, as long as this notice is preserved.
 
-# serial 33
+# serial 34
 
 # Written by Paul Eggert.
 
@@ -94,7 +94,7 @@ AC_DEFUN([gl_STRING_H_REQUIRE_DEFAULTS],
   ])
   m4_require(GL_MODULE_INDICATOR_PREFIX[_STRING_H_MODULE_INDICATOR_DEFAULTS])
   dnl Make sure the shell variable for GNULIB_FREE_POSIX is initialized.
-  m4_require(GL_MODULE_INDICATOR_PREFIX[_STDLIB_H_MODULE_INDICATOR_DEFAULTS])
+  gl_STDLIB_H_REQUIRE_DEFAULTS
   AC_REQUIRE([gl_STRING_H_DEFAULTS])
 ])
 
diff --git a/m4/wchar_h.m4 b/m4/wchar_h.m4
index d69dbe67d..9529cdd05 100644
--- a/m4/wchar_h.m4
+++ b/m4/wchar_h.m4
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ dnl with or without modifications, as long as this notice is 
preserved.
 
 dnl Written by Eric Blake.
 
-# wchar_h.m4 serial 54
+# wchar_h.m4 serial 55
 
 AC_DEFUN_ONCE([gl_WCHAR_H],
 [
@@ -190,7 +190,7 @@ AC_DEFUN([gl_WCHAR_H_REQUIRE_DEFAULTS],
   ])
   m4_require(GL_MODULE_INDICATOR_PREFIX[_WCHAR_H_MODULE_INDICATOR_DEFAULTS])
   dnl Make sure the shell variable for GNULIB_FREE_POSIX is initialized.
-  m4_require(GL_MODULE_INDICATOR_PREFIX[_STDLIB_H_MODULE_INDICATOR_DEFAULTS])
+  gl_STDLIB_H_REQUIRE_DEFAULTS
   AC_REQUIRE([gl_WCHAR_H_DEFAULTS])
 ])