Linux From Scratch - Version 6.1.1

Chapter 6. Installing Basic System Software

6.24. M4-1.4.3

The M4 package contains a macro processor.

Approximate build time: 0.1 SBU
Required disk space: 2.8 MB
Installation depends on: Bash, Binutils, Coreutils, Diffutils, GCC, Gettext, Glibc, Grep, Make, Perl, and Sed

6.24.1. Installation of M4

Prepare M4 for compilation: 

./configure --prefix=/usr

Compile the package: 

make

To test the results, issue: make check.

Install the package: 

make install

6.24.2. Contents of M4

Installed program: m4

Short Descriptions

m4

copies the given files while expanding the macros that they contain. These macros are either built-in or user-defined and can take any number of arguments. Besides performing macro expansion, m4 has built-in functions for including named files, running Unix commands, performing integer arithmetic, manipulating text, recursion, etc. The m4 program can be used either as a front-end to a compiler or as a macro processor in its own right.