Re: require M4 1.4.5 or later

[Paul Eggert]

Eric Blake <address@hidden> writes:

>       * m4/m4.m4: Reject M4 1.4 through 1.4.4 as broken.

Thanks for doing that.  I added the following to clean up the
documentation in this area a bit.

2007-02-03  Paul Eggert  <address@hidden>

        * doc/autoconf.texi (Introduction, Why GNU M4): Clarify M4 version
        requirements.
        * README: Likewise.

Index: doc/autoconf.texi
===================================================================
RCS file: /cvsroot/autoconf/autoconf/doc/autoconf.texi,v
retrieving revision 1.1129
diff -u -p -r1.1129 autoconf.texi
--- doc/autoconf.texi   29 Jan 2007 01:26:12 -0000      1.1129
+++ doc/autoconf.texi   4 Feb 2007 02:46:30 -0000
@@ -690,9 +690,11 @@ for more information.
 Autoconf imposes some restrictions on the names of macros used with
 @code{#if} in C programs (@pxref{Preprocessor Symbol Index}).

-Autoconf requires @acronym{GNU} M4 in order to generate the scripts.  It uses
-features that some versions of M4, including @acronym{GNU} M4 1.3,
-do not have.  You should use version 1.4.7 or later of @acronym{GNU} M4.
+Autoconf requires @acronym{GNU} M4 version 1.4.5 or later in order to
+generate the scripts.  It uses features that some versions of M4,
+including @acronym{GNU} M4 1.3, do not have.  Autoconf works better
+with @acronym{GNU} M4 version 1.4.8 or later, though this is not
+required.

 @xref{Autoconf 1}, for information about upgrading from version 1.
 @xref{History}, for the story of Autoconf's development.  @xref{FAQ},
@@ -18838,7 +18840,7 @@ __file__
 __line__
 @end example

-Autoconf requires version 1.4.7 or later of @acronym{GNU} M4.
+Autoconf requires version 1.4.5 or later of @acronym{GNU} M4.

 Since only software maintainers need to use Autoconf, and since @acronym{GNU}
 M4 is simple to configure and install, it seems reasonable to require
Index: README
===================================================================
RCS file: /cvsroot/autoconf/autoconf/README,v
retrieving revision 1.27
diff -u -p -r1.27 README
--- README      26 Sep 2006 06:04:35 -0000      1.27
+++ README      4 Feb 2007 02:46:30 -0000
@@ -11,15 +11,16 @@ operating system features that the packa
 macro calls.

 Producing configuration scripts using Autoconf requires GNU M4 and
-Perl.  You should install GNU M4 (version 1.4.7 or later) and Perl
-(5.005_03 or later) before configuring Autoconf, so that Autoconf's
-configure script can find them.  The configuration scripts produced by
-Autoconf are self-contained, so their users do not need to have
-Autoconf (or GNU M4, Perl, etc.).
+Perl.  You should install GNU M4 (version 1.4.5 or later is required;
+1.4.8 or later is recommended) and Perl (5.005_03 or later) before
+configuring Autoconf, so that Autoconf's configure script can find
+them.  The configuration scripts produced by Autoconf are
+self-contained, so their users do not need to have Autoconf (or GNU
+M4, Perl, etc.).

-You can get GNU M4 1.4.7 here:
+You can get GNU M4 here:

-ftp://ftp.gnu.org/gnu/m4/m4-1.4.7.tar.gz
+ftp://ftp.gnu.org/gnu/m4/

 The file INSTALL should be distributed with packages that use
 Autoconf-generated configure scripts and Makefiles that conform to the
@@ -41,7 +42,7 @@ similarly for the other mailing lists.
 -----

 Copyright (C) 1992, 1993, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004,
-2005, 2006 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
+2005, 2006, 2007 Free Software Foundation, Inc.

 This file is part of GNU Autoconf.