[PATCH 0/1] INSTALL: Document new dependency for configure

[PATCH 0/1] INSTALL: Document new dependency for configure

[Andrew Hamilton]

Since commit 1a5417f39, configure.ac uses a macro called
AX_CHECK_LINK_FLAG which is defined in a macro provided by
the GNU Autoconf Archive package (autoconf-archive). Without
this package installed, the following error is observed when
running configure:

configure.ac:1800: error: possibly undefined macro: AC_LANG_SOURCE
      If this token and others are legitimate, please use m4_pattern_allow.
      See the Autoconf documentation.
autoreconf: error: /usr/bin/autoconf failed with exit status: 1
./bootstrap: autoreconf failed

Add the autoconf-archive dependency to the INSTALL instructions.

Andrew Hamilton (1):
  INSTALL: Add new requirement for configure

 INSTALL | 1 +
 1 file changed, 1 insertion(+)

-- 
2.43.0


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[PATCH 1/1] INSTALL: Add new requirement for configure

[Andrew Hamilton]

Since commit 1a5417f39, configure.ac uses a macro called
AX_CHECK_LINK_FLAG which is defined in a macro provided by
the GNU Autoconf Archive package (autoconf-archive).

Add the new dependency to the INSTALL instructions to avoid
errors when running configure.

Signed-off-by: Andrew Hamilton <adhamilt@gmail.com>
---
 INSTALL | 1 +
 1 file changed, 1 insertion(+)

diff --git a/INSTALL b/INSTALL
index 7e5397f58..bcfa9513f 100644
--- a/INSTALL
+++ b/INSTALL
@@ -56,6 +56,7 @@ need the following.
 * Python 3 (NOTE: python 2.6 should still work, but it's not tested)
 * Autoconf 2.64 or later
 * Automake 1.14 or later
+* Autoconf Archive macros (autoconf-archive)
 
 Your distro may package cross-compiling toolchains such as the following
 incomplete list on Debian: gcc-aarch64-linux-gnu, gcc-arm-linux-gnueabihf,
-- 
2.43.0


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Re: [PATCH 1/1] INSTALL: Add new requirement for configure

[Daniel Kiper via Grub-devel]

On Sun, Dec 21, 2025 at 09:43:35AM -0600, Andrew Hamilton wrote:
> Since commit 1a5417f39, configure.ac uses a macro called
> AX_CHECK_LINK_FLAG which is defined in a macro provided by
> the GNU Autoconf Archive package (autoconf-archive).
>
> Add the new dependency to the INSTALL instructions to avoid
> errors when running configure.
>
> Signed-off-by: Andrew Hamilton <adhamilt@gmail.com>
> ---
>  INSTALL | 1 +
>  1 file changed, 1 insertion(+)
>
> diff --git a/INSTALL b/INSTALL
> index 7e5397f58..bcfa9513f 100644
> --- a/INSTALL
> +++ b/INSTALL
> @@ -56,6 +56,7 @@ need the following.
>  * Python 3 (NOTE: python 2.6 should still work, but it's not tested)
>  * Autoconf 2.64 or later
>  * Automake 1.14 or later
> +* Autoconf Archive macros (autoconf-archive)

Similar patch from Gleen is in now. Though thank you for taking a stab at
the issue.

Daniel

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Re: [PATCH 1/1] INSTALL: Add new requirement for configure

[Andrew Hamilton]

Oh wonderful, thank you!

- Andrew

On Mon, Dec 22, 2025 at 3:20 AM Daniel Kiper <daniel.kiper@oracle.com> wrote:
>
> On Sun, Dec 21, 2025 at 09:43:35AM -0600, Andrew Hamilton wrote:
> > Since commit 1a5417f39, configure.ac uses a macro called
> > AX_CHECK_LINK_FLAG which is defined in a macro provided by
> > the GNU Autoconf Archive package (autoconf-archive).
> >
> > Add the new dependency to the INSTALL instructions to avoid
> > errors when running configure.
> >
> > Signed-off-by: Andrew Hamilton <adhamilt@gmail.com>
> > ---
> >  INSTALL | 1 +
> >  1 file changed, 1 insertion(+)
> >
> > diff --git a/INSTALL b/INSTALL
> > index 7e5397f58..bcfa9513f 100644
> > --- a/INSTALL
> > +++ b/INSTALL
> > @@ -56,6 +56,7 @@ need the following.
> >  * Python 3 (NOTE: python 2.6 should still work, but it's not tested)
> >  * Autoconf 2.64 or later
> >  * Automake 1.14 or later
> > +* Autoconf Archive macros (autoconf-archive)
>
> Similar patch from Gleen is in now. Though thank you for taking a stab at
> the issue.
>
> Daniel

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Re: [PATCH 1/1] INSTALL: Add new requirement for configure

[Radoslav Kolev via Grub-devel]

On Mon, Dec 22, 2025 at 11:21 AM Daniel Kiper via Grub-devel
<grub-devel@gnu.org> wrote:
> Similar patch from Gleen is in now. Though thank you for taking a stab at
> the issue.

I run into the same issue and I was thinking of proposing adding
something like this to configure.ac:

m4_ifndef([AX_CHECK_LINK_FLAG], [m4_fatal([autoconf-archive is
missing. please install it via your distro's package manager.])])

While in an ideal world everyone keeps up to date with the
documentation that might save a bit of time for some peopIe.
If you think it's a good idea let me know and I'll prepare a patch.

Best regards,
Radoslav

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Re: [PATCH 1/1] INSTALL: Add new requirement for configure

[Daniel Kiper]

On Thu, Jan 08, 2026 at 11:26:53AM +0200, Radoslav Kolev via Grub-devel wrote:
> On Mon, Dec 22, 2025 at 11:21 AM Daniel Kiper via Grub-devel
> <grub-devel@gnu.org> wrote:
> > Similar patch from Gleen is in now. Though thank you for taking a stab at
> > the issue.
>
> I run into the same issue and I was thinking of proposing adding
> something like this to configure.ac:
>
> m4_ifndef([AX_CHECK_LINK_FLAG], [m4_fatal([autoconf-archive is
> missing. please install it via your distro's package manager.])])
>
> While in an ideal world everyone keeps up to date with the
> documentation that might save a bit of time for some peopIe.
> If you think it's a good idea let me know and I'll prepare a patch.

I think it is good idea. Please go ahead and send a patch.

Daniel

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[PATCH] configure: print a more helpful error if autoconf-archive is not installed

[Radoslav Kolev via Grub-devel]

Because an undefined macro receives another macro as parameter autoconf
is not smart enough to produce a useful error message.

Signed-off-by: Radoslav Kolev <radoslav.kolev@suse.com>
---
 configure.ac | 3 +++
 1 file changed, 3 insertions(+)

diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index a282bf7bf..6c66a8ea9 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -1792,6 +1792,9 @@ LIBS=""
 # Defined in acinclude.m4.
 grub_ASM_USCORE
 grub_PROG_TARGET_CC
+#the error message produced by autoconf if autoconf-archive is not installed is
+#quite misleading and not very helpful, so try point people in the right direction
+m4_ifndef([AX_CHECK_LINK_FLAG], [m4_fatal([autoconf-archive is missing. You must install it to generate the configure script.])])
 if test "x$TARGET_APPLE_LINKER" != x1 ; then
 AX_CHECK_LINK_FLAG([-Wl,--image-base,0x400000],
     [TARGET_IMG_BASE_LDOPT="-Wl,--image-base"],
-- 
2.51.1


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Re: [PATCH] configure: print a more helpful error if autoconf-archive is not installed

[Daniel Kiper]

On Tue, Jan 13, 2026 at 10:04:22AM +0200, Radoslav Kolev wrote:
> Because an undefined macro receives another macro as parameter autoconf
> is not smart enough to produce a useful error message.
>
> Signed-off-by: Radoslav Kolev <radoslav.kolev@suse.com>

Reviewed-by: Daniel Kiper <daniel.kiper@oracle.com>

Daniel

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