Using autotools HOWTO

Following is autotools buildsystem example/introduction that can be used to create build system that:

- creates libraries
- creates binaries
- creates tests
- executes tests

It is intended for C/C++ project.

Following directory structure used:

project/ +-- reconfig.sh
         +-- configure.ac
         +-- Makefile.am
         +-- src  +
             tests+
             lib/libname/

project/reconfig.sh :

#!/bin/sh
# after editing configure.ac and|or Makefile.am
aclocal
autoheader
autoconf
automake -a
./configure

project/Automake.am :

SUBDIRS = lib/libname src tests  

project_pre = 1.0

project/configure.ac :

AC_PREREQ(2.59)

AC_INIT(src/project.h)

AM_INIT_AUTOMAKE(project,1.0)

AC_CONFIG_HEADER([config.h])

# Checks for programs.
AC_PROG_CXX
AC_PROG_CC

# Checks for libraries.
AC_PROG_RANLIB
# Checks for header files.

# Checks for typedefs, structures, and compiler characteristics.
AC_C_CONST

# Checks for library functions.
AC_HEADER_STDC
AC_CHECK_FUNCS([memset])

AC_OUTPUT([Makefile src/Makefile
           lib/libname/Makefile
           tests/Makefile])

project/src/Makefile.am

bin_PROGRAMS = project
clones_SOURCES = main.cpp 

clones_LDADD = ../lib/libname/libname.a

#clones_LIBADD = ../lib/libname/libname.a

AM_CPPFLAGS = -I$(top_srcdir)/lib/libname/ -I$(top_builddir)/lib/libname/

project/src/libname/Makefile.am:

noinst_LIBRARIES = libname.a
libname_a_SOURCES = libname.c

project/tests/Makefile.am:

bin_PROGRAMS = libname_test test_test
libname_test_SOURCES = libname_test.c
test_test_SOURCES = test_test.c

critbit_test_LDADD = ../lib/libname/libname.a

check_PROGRAMS = libname_test test_test

TESTS = $(check_PROGRAMS)

AM_CPPFLAGS = -I$(top_srcdir)/lib/libname/ -I$(top_builddir)/lib/libname/

To try this example:

- create directory structure;
- create .sh , .in and .ac files described above
- Create .c files with names defined in .am files above in corresponding dirs.


reconfig.sh should create makefiles that could be used.

make - creates binaries
make check - performs tests

another introduction could be found there:
http://www.gnu.org/software/automake/manual/html_node/Creating-amhello.html#Creating-amhello