Couldn't locate INSTALL file

[Ying Chang]

Hi, I am a biologist who doesn't know much about computers. I need to
install autoconf as it is one of the dependencies of a program that I want
to use. I downloaded the autoconf package with 'git clone git://
git.sv.gnu.org/autoconf' . The README file says that I should read BUGS and
INSTALL. But there is no INSTALL file in the package. Did I get the package
from the wrong place? What should I do? Thanks!

Ying

---------------------------------
Ying Chang
Department of Botany and Plant Pathology
Oregon State University

[Eric Blake]

Post by Ying Chang
Hi, I am a biologist who doesn't know much about computers. I need to
install autoconf as it is one of the dependencies of a program that I want
to use. I downloaded the autoconf package with 'git clone git://
git.sv.gnu.org/autoconf' .

Building from git is NOT the recommended way to casually meet a
prerequisite; git builds are intended primarily for development of
autoconf itself, rather than using autoconf for other projects.

The primary means of installing autoconf is by using a pre-built package
(if you are using a distribution), or by using a tarball
(ftp://ftp.gnu.org/gnu/autoconf/), where 2.69 is the latest release
(although I'm hoping to release 2.70 soon).

Post by Ying Chang
The README file says that I should read BUGS and
INSTALL. But there is no INSTALL file in the package.

INSTALL exists in the tarballs (it is created as part of bootstrapping
the git checkouit). When building from git, you first have to bootstrap
the package, at which point the directions in HACKING are relevant. But
note that the directions in HACKING state that you cannot bootstrap
autoconf from git unless you have _first_ installed autoconf from a
tarball (or distribution) - so you're right back to needing that
tarball. And if you are not planning on developing autoconf itself,
then why bother with bootstrapping git?

[Rudra Banerjee]

I don't know any unix which doesn't provide autotools. Please try 'sudo dnf install automake' with dnf replaced by your package manager and you are done.
This is because, if you're asked for autoconf, it will ask you for aitomake and make as well.

Sent from Alto

________________________________

Post by Ying Chang
Hi, I am a biologist who doesn't know much about computers. I need to
install autoconf as it is one of the dependencies of a program that I want
to use. I downloaded the autoconf package with 'git clone git://
git.sv.gnu.org/autoconf' .

Building from git is NOT the recommended way to casually meet a
prerequisite; git builds are intended primarily for development of
autoconf itself, rather than using autoconf for other projects.

The primary means of installing autoconf is by using a pre-built package
(if you are using a distribution), or by using a tarball
(ftp://ftp.gnu.org/gnu/autoconf/), where 2.69 is the latest release
(although I'm hoping to release 2.70 soon).

Post by Ying Chang
The README file says that I should read BUGS and
INSTALL. But there is no INSTALL file in the package.

INSTALL exists in the tarballs (it is created as part of bootstrapping
the git checkouit). When building from git, you first have to bootstrap
the package, at which point the directions in HACKING are relevant. But
note that the directions in HACKING state that you cannot bootstrap
autoconf from git unless you have _first_ installed autoconf from a
tarball (or distribution) - so you're right back to needing that
tarball. And if you are not planning on developing autoconf itself,
then why bother with bootstrapping git?

--
Eric Blake eblake redhat com [phone]
Libvirt virtualization library http://libvirt.org

[John Calcote]

Hello Ying,

You're probably running a linux distribution. If it's debian based
(such as Ubuntu), then run the following command from a command prompt
(as root):

# apt-get install autoconf

If it's a redhat-based distribution such as RHEL, SuSE, or Fedora, run
this command:

# yum install autoconf

or

# zypper install autoconf

(whichever one works on your system)

This will install autoconf from the standard repositories provide by
your linux distro.

Regards,
John

On Mon, Feb 6, 2017 at 11:50 PM, Ying Chang

Post by Ying Chang
Hi, I am a biologist who doesn't know much about computers. I need to
install autoconf as it is one of the dependencies of a program that I want
to use. I downloaded the autoconf package with 'git clone git://
git.sv.gnu.org/autoconf' . The README file says that I should read BUGS and
INSTALL. But there is no INSTALL file in the package. Did I get the package
from the wrong place? What should I do? Thanks!
Ying
---------------------------------
Ying Chang
Department of Botany and Plant Pathology
Oregon State University
_______________________________________________
Autoconf mailing list
https://lists.gnu.org/mailman/listinfo/autoconf

[Ying Chang]

Hi Eric, John and Rudra,

Thanks a lot for all the suggestions. I followed the instruction coming
with the tarballs and managed to install it onto the computer cluster I am
using. Thanks again for the kind help!

Cheers,
Ying

---------------------------------
Ying Chang
Post-doc Scholar
Department of Botany and Plant Pathology
Oregon State University

Post by John Calcote
Hello Ying,
You're probably running a linux distribution. If it's debian based
(such as Ubuntu), then run the following command from a command prompt
# apt-get install autoconf
If it's a redhat-based distribution such as RHEL, SuSE, or Fedora, run
# yum install autoconf
or
# zypper install autoconf
(whichever one works on your system)
This will install autoconf from the standard repositories provide by
your linux distro.
Regards,
John
On Mon, Feb 6, 2017 at 11:50 PM, Ying Chang

Post by Ying Chang
Hi, I am a biologist who doesn't know much about computers. I need to
install autoconf as it is one of the dependencies of a program that I

want

Post by Ying Chang
to use. I downloaded the autoconf package with 'git clone git://
git.sv.gnu.org/autoconf' . The README file says that I should read BUGS

and

Post by Ying Chang
INSTALL. But there is no INSTALL file in the package. Did I get the

package

Post by Ying Chang
from the wrong place? What should I do? Thanks!
Ying
---------------------------------
Ying Chang
Department of Botany and Plant Pathology
Oregon State University
_______________________________________________
Autoconf mailing list
https://lists.gnu.org/mailman/listinfo/autoconf