Operation modes:¶

-h, --help

print this help, then exit

-V, --version

print version number, then exit

-v, --verbose

verbosely report processing

-d, --debug

don't remove temporary files

-o, --output=FILE

save output in FILE (defaults to `-', stdout)

-f, --force

don't rely on cached values

-W, --warnings=CATEGORY

report the warnings falling in CATEGORY

-l, --language=LANG

specify the set of M4 macros to use

-C, --cache=DIRECTORY

preserve results for future runs in DIRECTORY

--no-cache

disable the cache

-m, --mode=OCTAL

change the non trace output file mode (0666)

-M, --melt

don't use M4 frozen files

Languages include:¶

`Autoconf'

create Autoconf configure scripts

`Autotest'

create Autotest test suites

`M4sh'

create M4sh shell scripts

`M4sugar'

create M4sugar output

Warning categories include:¶

`cross'

cross compilation issues

`gnu'

GNU coding standards (default in gnu and gnits modes)

`obsolete'

obsolete features or constructions

`override'

user redefinitions of Automake rules or variables

`portability'

portability issues (default in gnu and gnits modes)

`syntax'

dubious syntactic constructs (default)

`unsupported'

unsupported or incomplete features (default)

`all'

all the warnings

`no-CATEGORY'

turn off warnings in CATEGORY

`none'

turn off all the warnings

`error'

treat warnings as errors

The environment variables `M4' and `WARNINGS' are honored.

Library directories:¶

-B, --prepend-include=DIR

prepend directory DIR to search path

-I, --include=DIR

append directory DIR to search path

Tracing:¶

-t, --trace=MACRO[:FORMAT]

report the MACRO invocations

-p, --preselect=MACRO

prepare to trace MACRO in a future run

Freezing:¶

-F, --freeze

produce an M4 frozen state file for FILES

FORMAT defaults to `$f:$l:$n:$%', and can use the following escapes:¶

$$

literal $

$f

file where macro was called

$l

line where macro was called

$d

nesting depth of macro call

$n

name of the macro

$NUM

argument NUM, unquoted and with newlines

$SEP@

all arguments, with newlines, quoted, and separated by SEP

$SEP*

all arguments, with newlines, unquoted, and separated by SEP

$SEP%

all arguments, without newlines, unquoted, and separated by SEP

SEP can be empty for the default (comma for @ and *, colon for %), a single character for that character, or {STRING} to use a string.