[New-bugs-announce] [issue7997] http://www.python.org/dev/faq/ doesn't seem to explain how to regenerate "configure"

[Dave Malcolm]

New submission from Dave Malcolm <dmalcolm at redhat.com>:

http://www.python.org/dev/faq/ doesn't seem to explain how to regenerate "configure"
Here's an attempt at answering that question; I hope the following is appropriate and factually correct:

How to regenerate the "configure" script (e.g. to add a new configuration parameter)

Python's "configure" script is generated from "configure.in" from autoconf.  Do not edit "configure"; instead, edit "configure.in" and run "autoreconf".  You should run "./configure --help" to verify that your changes are documented as expected.

Python's "configure.in" script typically requires a specific version of autoconf.  At the moment, this reads:
    version_required(2.61)

If the system copy of autoconf does not match this version, you will need to install your own copy of autoconf and use this.
1. Go to http://ftp.gnu.org/gnu/autoconf/ and download the version of autoconf matching the one in configure.in
   For example:
       $ wget http://ftp.gnu.org/gnu/autoconf/autoconf-2.61.tar.bz2
2. Unpack the tarball:
       $ tar -jxf autoconf-2.61.tar.bz2 
3. Build the specified version of autoconf and install it to a writable location (e.g. within your home directory):
$ pushd autoconf-2.61.tar.bz2
$ ./configure --prefix=$HOME/autoconf-2.6.1
$ make ; make install

This drops a copy of the appropriate version of autoconf into ~/autoconf-2.6.1

4. Go back to the python source and rerun autoconf, pointing PATH at the specific copy of autoconf:
   $ popd
   $ PATH=~/autoconf-2.6.1/bin:$PATH autoreconf

5. "autoconf" should now have updated your local copy of "configure" to reflect your changes.

6. Run "./configure --help" to verify that your changes have been applied

----------
assignee: georg.brandl
components: Documentation
messages: 99882
nosy: dmalcolm, georg.brandl
severity: normal
status: open
title: http://www.python.org/dev/faq/ doesn't seem to explain how to regenerate "configure"

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<http://bugs.python.org/issue7997>
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