Re: Libtool library used but 'LIBTOOL' is undefined

[Stefano Lattarini]

On 11/08/2012 07:56 PM, Bruce Korb wrote:
> automake is trying to tell me something, but I cannot make out exactly what.
> The literal meaning of the messages is pretty clear, but what they caution
> about are things that appear to me to be correct.
> 
>> autoreconf --force --install --verbose --symlink
>> autoreconf: Entering directory `.'
>> autoreconf: configure.ac: not using Gettext
>> autoreconf: running: aclocal --force -I m4
>> autoreconf: configure.ac: tracing
>> autoreconf: configure.ac: not using Libtool
>> autoreconf: running: /usr/bin/autoconf --force
>> autoreconf: running: /usr/bin/autoheader --force
>> autoreconf: running: automake --add-missing --force-missing
>> configure.ac:30: installing './compile'
>> configure.ac:11: installing './config.guess'
>> configure.ac:11: installing './config.sub'
>> configure.ac:23: installing './install-sh'
>> configure.ac:23: installing './missing'
>> doc/Makefile.am:42: installing 'doc/texinfo.tex'
>> lib/Makefile.am:31: error: Libtool library used but 'LIBTOOL' is undefined
>> lib/Makefile.am:31:   The usual way to define 'LIBTOOL' is to add 'LT_INIT'
>> lib/Makefile.am:31:   to 'configure.ac' and run 'aclocal' and 'autoconf' 
>> again.
>> lib/Makefile.am:31:   If 'LT_INIT' is in 'configure.ac', make sure
>> lib/Makefile.am:31:   its definition is in aclocal's search path.
>> lib/Makefile.am: installing './depcomp'
>> autoreconf: automake failed with exit status: 1
> 
> Yes, I see the
>   ``If 'LT_INIT' is in 'configure.ac', make sure its
>     definition is in aclocal's search path.''
> stuff, but if I google the string, I just get advice
> to add LT_INIT to my configure.ac file.  Pretty useless.
>
I'd expect its definition to be brought in by the 'libtoolize' call
issued by autoreconf; but then I see, in the output you've reported:

    autoreconf: configure.ac: not using Libtool

which means that might still be something wrong with your configure.ac,
or some bug in autoreconf.  If you want more help, you should send us
the content of your configure.ac, as well as the exact versions of the
autotools you're using.

> If someone would just be kind enough to adjust the message
> so I can determine how to put the thing into the aclocal search
> path, I would be really happy.
>
The automake manual should explain that pretty clearly already.
I don't think making the error message even longer than it already
is would be helpful in this respect.  But if you find the existing
documentation lacking or unclear, feel free to open a bug report
on that.

> Thank you!  Regards, Bruce
> 
> P.S. it is *not* defined in the m4 subdirectory, which
> is created by the gnulib-tool script.
> 

HTH,
  Stefano