autoproject - create a skeleton source package for a new program
autoproject [options] [name]
autoproject simplifies the creation of a source package for a new program.
The idea is that you execute autoproject just once when you
start a new project. It will create a new directory and populate it
with standard files, customized for the new project.
autoproject asks for the name of the new program (unless it is given on
the command line), a program description and other data. It then creates
a subdirectory and populates it with a C program with command line
parsing, a simple manual page and texinfo page, and other standard
files. The package is intended to follow the GNU programming standards.
It uses autoconf(1) to configure itself, and automake(1) to
create the Makefile.
The new program will always support the options "--help" and "--version",
and will optionally support certain standard options such as
"--quiet".
Optionally, autoproject can set the new project up to use the argp command
line parsing interface that is included in GNU C library 2.1.
Alternatively, the new project can use a command line parser generator.
autoproject will create an appropriate options description file, and
the generated Makefile will include the commands to invoke the parser
generator as needed. Currently, autogen(1) and clig(1) are supported.
The version number for the new program is initialized as 0.1.0, and is
set in configure.in (only). It is available in C programs as the macro
VERSION, and in the Makefile as $(VERSION).
If, after populating the new directory, there exists an executable file
named postinst, then it is executed. If it executes successfully, then
autoproject deletes it. Currently, autoproject does not supply a file
postinst. However, a user can install one to perform any necessary
actions. (See CUSTOMIZATION, below.)
If the GNU version of getopt(1) is installed, autoproject will accept
the following options. Otherwise, autoproject will use getopts(1) to
parse its arguments, and it will not longer accept long options or
options with optional arguments. If autoproject is used to generate a
shell-based project, it will still be dependent on GNU getopt.
-a, --author name
Supply the name of the new program's author.
-e, --email addr
Supply the email address of the author.
-o, --option opt
Add opt to the list of long options accepted by the program.
Only these standard options are accepted here: dry-run no-warn
output brief quiet verbose directory cd interactive.
-d, --description text
Supply the short program description
-i, --interface type
Specify the type of user interface. The default is cli, for
command line interface. (Currently, only cli is supported.)
-l, --language lang
Add lang to the list of languages used. These languages are
supported to some extent: c sh c++ fortran lex yacc awk. auto-
project supports languages in two ways. It assumes the first
language mentioned will be used for the main program, and
searches for a skeleton program file in the corresponding section
of the library. At present autoproject supports main programs
only in c, sh, or c++. For other languages mentioned,
autoproject only adds macros in configure.in so autoconf(1) will
look for the relevant compilers. (You may add skeleton files
supporting other languages. See CUSTOMIZATION, below.)
-L[DIR]
Prepend DIR to the list of directories to search for skeleton
files. (See CUSTOMIZATION, below.) If DIR is missing, then the
path is cleared.
-n, --name name
Specify the name of the new program.
-p, --parser prog
Use the external command line parser or parser generator prog.
Currently, these are supported: argp, autogen(1) and clig(1).
--debug
Leave intermediate files.
-h, --help
Show summary of options.
-v, --version
Show version of program.
The autoproject package includes a set of skeleton files which are usually
installed under /usr/local/share/autoproject. It selects which
subdirectories to use based on the interface type, primary language,
and parser generator chosen by the user.
The user may create a similar directory tree under $HOME/.autoproject,
and populate it with additional files and/or replacements for the standard
files. The system administrator may create a similar tree under
/etc/autoproject. autoproject searches in $HOME/.autoproject first,
then /etc/autoproject, and finally in the standard tree. It uses only
the first file it finds of a given name.
For example, if a user wants to add a paragraph to every README file
that points to his web page, he could copy /usr/local/share/autopro-
ject/all/all/all/README to ~/.autoproject/all/all/all/README and make
that change. Of course, any file overridden in this way will not
inherit updates when the next version of autoproject is installed.
If a skeleton file contains any of these variables, autoproject will
substitute the corresponding value:
#NAME# Program name in lower case.
#CAPNAME#
Program name in all caps.
#DESCRIPTION#
A short description of the program.
#AUTHOR#
Program author.
#EMAIL#
Author's email address.
#EEMAIL#
Author's email address with the `@' doubled (necessary in a
.texinfo file).
#DATE# Today's date, in this format: "November 24, 2001".
#ISODATE#
Today's date, in ISO 8601 format: "2001-11-24".
#YEAR# The four digit year.
Note that these substitutions are made when autoproject runs. Substitutions
can also be made at program configuration or build time by
suitable makefile commands (for example, using the makefile variable
VERSION, or the output of date(1)).
If you write a generally applicable skeleton file, such as a main program
for a language currently not supported, please consider contributing
it to autoproject.
$HOME/.autoproject
/etc/autoproject
/usr/local/share/autoproject
Directory trees containing skeleton files.
autoconf(1), automake(1), autogen(1), clig(1), `Parsing Program Options
with Argp' in `The GNU C Library Reference Manual' (type `info libc
argp')
James R. Van Zandt <[email protected]>.
December 12, 2000 AUTOPROJECT(1)
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