ac_define_sub_path

Look at varname and detect the subpath that it contains relative to $prefix/$exec_prefix. If the path is indeed relative to $prefix/$exec_prefix, then a single "./" (dotslash) is prepended, otherwise it can be seen as an absolute path that can not be moved, which you possibly do for "/etc" files, or even those ending up in "/lib/modules" or "/winnt/system".

This macro is not very intelligent, it's just a first try in this direction. It does currently just look into the current patterns, and replaces a ${prefix} with a simple dot. Amazingly, it works quite well for most packages.

Example (configure.ac):

   AC_DEFINE_DIR([EPREFIX], [exec_prefix], [--exec-prefix or default])
   AC_DEFINE_SUB_PATH([PATH_LIBDIR], [libdir], [--bindir subdir])
   AC_DEFINE_UNQUOTED([PACKAGE],"$PACKAGE", [Name of package])

Example (in C):

   static const char _libdir[] = PATH_LIBDIR; /* configure default */
   char* libdir;
   char* eprefix = getenv (PACKAGE "DIR");
   if (! eprefix) eprefix = EPREFIX; /* default */
   if (*_libdir != '.') libdir = strdup(_libdir);
   else {
      libdir = malloc(strlen(eprefix) + strlen(_libdir) + 2);
      strcpy(libdir, eprefix);
      strcat(libdir, PATH_DELIMITER_STRING);
      strcat(libdir, _libdir);
   }
   ...
   free (libdir);

The AC_DEFINE_SUB_PATHS(varnames) macro looks for the given various install-paths that largely depend on either ${prefix} or ${exec_prefix}. Just cut out the prefix and ac_define the value. The value is uppercased and PATH_ prepended ie. ac_define_sub_paths(bindir libdir pkgdatadir) will create the defines PATH_BINDIR PATH_LIBDIR PATH_PKGDATADIR - see posix' include/paths.h that creates _PATH_DEV and friends.

AC_DEFUN([AC_DEFINE_SUB_PATH],
[dnl
  test "_$prefix" = _NONE && prefix="$ac_default_prefix"
  test "_$exec_prefix" = _NONE && exec_prefix='${prefix}'
  P=`echo ifelse( $2, , [$]$1, [$]$2) | sed -e 's:^\${[a-z_]*prefix}:.:'`
  ifelse ($3, ,
    AC_DEFINE($1, $P, [sub path $2]),
    AC_DEFINE($1, $P, $3))
])

AC_DEFUN([AC_DEFINE_SUB_PATHS],
[dnl
  test "_$prefix" = _NONE && prefix="$ac_default_prefix"
  test "_$exec_prefix" = _NONE && exec_prefix='${prefix}'
  for i in $1 ; do
  P=`echo \$$i | sed -e 's:^\${[a-z_]*prefix}:.:'`
  V=`echo path_$i | sed -e 'y:abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz:ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ:'`
    AC_DEFINE($V, $P, [sub path $i]),
])

Copyright © 2006 Guido U. Draheim <guidod@gmx.de>

This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by the Free Software Foundation; either version 2 of the License, or (at your option) any later version.

This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. See the GNU General Public License for more details.

You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License along with this program; if not, write to the Free Software Foundation, Inc., 59 Temple Place - Suite 330, Boston, MA 02111-1307, USA.

As a special exception, the respective Autoconf Macro's copyright owner gives unlimited permission to copy, distribute and modify the configure scripts that are the output of Autoconf when processing the Macro. You need not follow the terms of the GNU General Public License when using or distributing such scripts, even though portions of the text of the Macro appear in them. The GNU General Public License (GPL) does govern all other use of the material that constitutes the Autoconf Macro.

This special exception to the GPL applies to versions of the Autoconf Macro released by the Autoconf Macro Archive. When you make and distribute a modified version of the Autoconf Macro, you may extend this special exception to the GPL to apply to your modified version as well.