1 | GNU `m4' is an implementation of the traditional Unix macro |
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2 | processor. It is mostly SVR4 compatible, although it has some |
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3 | extensions (for example, handling more than 9 positional parameters |
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4 | to macros). `m4' also has built-in functions for including files, |
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5 | running shell commands, doing arithmetic, etc. Autoconf needs GNU |
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6 | `m4' for generating `configure' scripts, but not for running them. |
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7 | |
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8 | GNU `m4' has been originally written by Rene' Seindal, from Denmark. |
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9 | This release is to be considered as stable. |
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10 | |
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11 | If GNU `m4' is meant to serve GNU `autoconf', beware that `m4' |
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12 | should be fully installed *prior to* configuring `autoconf' itself. |
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13 | |
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14 | In the subdirectory `examples' you will find various m4 files, ranging |
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15 | from trivial test files to rather advanced macros. If you intend to |
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16 | use m4 seriously, you might find useful material down there. |
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17 | |
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18 | See file `BACKLOG' for a summary of pending mail and articles. |
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19 | See file `COPYING' for copying conditions. |
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20 | See file `INSTALL' for compilation and installation instructions. |
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21 | See file `NEWS' for a list of major changes in the current release. |
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22 | See file `THANKS' for a list of contributors. |
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23 | |
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24 | By using `./configure --enable-changeword', you get an experimental |
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25 | feature which allows for changing the syntax of what is a "word" in |
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26 | `m4'. This might go away, so don't count on it yet. |
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27 | |
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28 | Send bug reports to `bug-gnu-utils@prep.ai.mit.edu'. A bug report is |
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29 | an adequate description of the problem: your input, what you expected, |
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30 | what you got, and why this is wrong. Diffs are welcome, but they only |
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31 | describe a solution, from which the problem might be uneasy to infer. |
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