---
name: "aclocal-1.7"
section: "1"
platform: "linux"
package: "automake1.7"
version: "1.7.9-9.1+squeeze1"
release: "Debian 6.0 (Squeeze)"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/aclocal-1.7"
---

# aclocal-1.7(1)

automatically generate aclocal.m4 from configure.in

## NAME

aclocal - automatically generate aclocal.m4 from configure.in

## SYNOPSIS

**aclocal** \[ **--acdir=**DIR \] \[ **--help** \] \[ **-I** DIR \] \[ **--output=**FILE \] \[ **--verbose** \] \[ **--version** \]

## DESCRIPTION

Automake includes a number of Autoconf macros which can be used in your package; some of them are actually required by Automake in certain situations.  These macros must be defined in your  **aclocal.m4**; otherwise they will not be seen by  **autoconf**.

The  **aclocal** program will automatically generate  **aclocal.m4** files based on the contents of  **configure.in**. This provides a convenient way to get Automake-provided macros, without having to search around.  Also, the  **aclocal** mechanism is extensible for use by other packages.

At startup,  **aclocal** scans all the  **.m4** files it can find, looking for macro definitions.  Then it scans **configure.in**. Any mention of one of the macros found in the first step causes that macro, and any macros it in turn requires, to be put into **aclocal.m4**.

The contents of  **acinclude.m4**, if it exists, are also automatically included in  **aclocal.m4**. This is useful for incorporating local macros into  **configure**.

**aclocal** accepts the following options:

- **--acdir=DIR**

  Look for the macro files in DIR instead of the installation directory.  This is typically used for debugging.

- **--help**

  Print a summary of the command line options and exit.

- **-I DIR**

  Add the directory DIR to the list of directories searched for **.m4** files.

- **--output=FILE**

  Cause the output to be put into FILE instead of  **aclocal.m4**.

- **--verbose**

  Print the names of the files it examines.

- **--version**

  Print the version number of Automake and exit.

## SEE ALSO

[**automake**(1)](/automake/1.md), and the Texinfo documentation for automake

## AUTHORS

Automake was written primarily by David Mackenzie and Tom Tromey. This manpage written by Ben Pfaff \<pfaffben@pilot.msu.edu\> for the Debian GNU/Linux **automake** package.