Problem: writing autoconf macros is boring

Solution: import macros to check for compiler options from
autoconf-archive into the m4 subdir.

configure.ac

@@ -13,6 +13,9 @@ AC_CONFIG_MACRO_DIR(config)
 AC_CONFIG_HEADERS([src/platform.hpp])
 AM_INIT_AUTOMAKE(foreign subdir-objects tar-ustar dist-zip)
 
+m4_pattern_allow([AC_PROG_CC_C99])
+m4_include([m4/ax_check_compile_flag.m4])
+m4_include([m4/ax_cxx_compile_stdcxx_11.m4])
 m4_ifdef([AM_SILENT_RULES], [AM_SILENT_RULES([yes])])
 
 # This lets us use PACKAGE_VERSION in Makefiles

m4/ax_check_compile_flag.m4

+# ===========================================================================
+#   http://www.gnu.org/software/autoconf-archive/ax_check_compile_flag.html
+# ===========================================================================
+#
+# SYNOPSIS
+#
+#   AX_CHECK_COMPILE_FLAG(FLAG, [ACTION-SUCCESS], [ACTION-FAILURE], [EXTRA-FLAGS], [INPUT])
+#
+# DESCRIPTION
+#
+#   Check whether the given FLAG works with the current language's compiler
+#   or gives an error.  (Warnings, however, are ignored)
+#
+#   ACTION-SUCCESS/ACTION-FAILURE are shell commands to execute on
+#   success/failure.
+#
+#   If EXTRA-FLAGS is defined, it is added to the current language's default
+#   flags (e.g. CFLAGS) when the check is done.  The check is thus made with
+#   the flags: "CFLAGS EXTRA-FLAGS FLAG".  This can for example be used to
+#   force the compiler to issue an error when a bad flag is given.
+#
+#   INPUT gives an alternative input source to AC_COMPILE_IFELSE.
+#
+#   NOTE: Implementation based on AX_CFLAGS_GCC_OPTION. Please keep this
+#   macro in sync with AX_CHECK_{PREPROC,LINK}_FLAG.
+#
+# LICENSE
+#
+#   Copyright (c) 2008 Guido U. Draheim <guidod@gmx.de>
+#   Copyright (c) 2011 Maarten Bosmans <mkbosmans@gmail.com>
+#
+#   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 3 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, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+#
+#   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 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.
+
+#serial 3
+
+AC_DEFUN([AX_CHECK_COMPILE_FLAG],
+[AC_PREREQ(2.59)dnl for _AC_LANG_PREFIX
+AS_VAR_PUSHDEF([CACHEVAR],[ax_cv_check_[]_AC_LANG_ABBREV[]flags_$4_$1])dnl
+AC_CACHE_CHECK([whether _AC_LANG compiler accepts $1], CACHEVAR, [
+  ax_check_save_flags=$[]_AC_LANG_PREFIX[]FLAGS
+  _AC_LANG_PREFIX[]FLAGS="$[]_AC_LANG_PREFIX[]FLAGS $4 $1"
+  AC_COMPILE_IFELSE([m4_default([$5],[AC_LANG_PROGRAM()])],
+    [AS_VAR_SET(CACHEVAR,[yes])],
+    [AS_VAR_SET(CACHEVAR,[no])])
+  _AC_LANG_PREFIX[]FLAGS=$ax_check_save_flags])
+AS_IF([test x"AS_VAR_GET(CACHEVAR)" = xyes],
+  [m4_default([$2], :)],
+  [m4_default([$3], :)])
+AS_VAR_POPDEF([CACHEVAR])dnl
+])dnl AX_CHECK_COMPILE_FLAGS

m4/ax_cxx_compile_stdcxx_11.m4

+# ============================================================================
+#  http://www.gnu.org/software/autoconf-archive/ax_cxx_compile_stdcxx_11.html
+# ============================================================================
+#
+# SYNOPSIS
+#
+#   AX_CXX_COMPILE_STDCXX_11([ext|noext],[mandatory|optional])
+#
+# DESCRIPTION
+#
+#   Check for baseline language coverage in the compiler for the C++11
+#   standard; if necessary, add switches to CXXFLAGS to enable support.
+#
+#   The first argument, if specified, indicates whether you insist on an
+#   extended mode (e.g. -std=gnu++11) or a strict conformance mode (e.g.
+#   -std=c++11).  If neither is specified, you get whatever works, with
+#   preference for an extended mode.
+#
+#   The second argument, if specified 'mandatory' or if left unspecified,
+#   indicates that baseline C++11 support is required and that the macro
+#   should error out if no mode with that support is found.  If specified
+#   'optional', then configuration proceeds regardless, after defining
+#   HAVE_CXX11 if and only if a supporting mode is found.
+#
+# LICENSE
+#
+#   Copyright (c) 2008 Benjamin Kosnik <bkoz@redhat.com>
+#   Copyright (c) 2012 Zack Weinberg <zackw@panix.com>
+#   Copyright (c) 2013 Roy Stogner <roystgnr@ices.utexas.edu>
+#   Copyright (c) 2014 Alexey Sokolov <sokolov@google.com>
+#
+#   Copying and distribution of this file, with or without modification, are
+#   permitted in any medium without royalty provided the copyright notice
+#   and this notice are preserved. This file is offered as-is, without any
+#   warranty.
+
+#serial 4
+
+m4_define([_AX_CXX_COMPILE_STDCXX_11_testbody], [[
+  template <typename T>
+    struct check
+    {
+      static_assert(sizeof(int) <= sizeof(T), "not big enough");
+    };
+
+    struct Base {
+    virtual void f() {}
+    };
+    struct Child : public Base {
+    virtual void f() override {}
+    };
+
+    typedef check<check<bool>> right_angle_brackets;
+
+    int a;
+    decltype(a) b;
+
+    typedef check<int> check_type;
+    check_type c;
+    check_type&& cr = static_cast<check_type&&>(c);
+
+    auto d = a;
+    auto l = [](){};
+]])
+
+AC_DEFUN([AX_CXX_COMPILE_STDCXX_11], [dnl
+  m4_if([$1], [], [],
+        [$1], [ext], [],
+        [$1], [noext], [],
+        [m4_fatal([invalid argument `$1' to AX_CXX_COMPILE_STDCXX_11])])dnl
+  m4_if([$2], [], [ax_cxx_compile_cxx11_required=true],
+        [$2], [mandatory], [ax_cxx_compile_cxx11_required=true],
+        [$2], [optional], [ax_cxx_compile_cxx11_required=false],
+        [m4_fatal([invalid second argument `$2' to AX_CXX_COMPILE_STDCXX_11])])
+  AC_LANG_PUSH([C++])dnl
+  ac_success=no
+  AC_CACHE_CHECK(whether $CXX supports C++11 features by default,
+  ax_cv_cxx_compile_cxx11,
+  [AC_COMPILE_IFELSE([AC_LANG_SOURCE([_AX_CXX_COMPILE_STDCXX_11_testbody])],
+    [ax_cv_cxx_compile_cxx11=yes],
+    [ax_cv_cxx_compile_cxx11=no])])
+  if test x$ax_cv_cxx_compile_cxx11 = xyes; then
+    ac_success=yes
+  fi
+
+  m4_if([$1], [noext], [], [dnl
+  if test x$ac_success = xno; then
+    for switch in -std=gnu++11 -std=gnu++0x; do
+      cachevar=AS_TR_SH([ax_cv_cxx_compile_cxx11_$switch])
+      AC_CACHE_CHECK(whether $CXX supports C++11 features with $switch,
+                     $cachevar,
+        [ac_save_CXXFLAGS="$CXXFLAGS"
+         CXXFLAGS="$CXXFLAGS $switch"
+         AC_COMPILE_IFELSE([AC_LANG_SOURCE([_AX_CXX_COMPILE_STDCXX_11_testbody])],
+          [eval $cachevar=yes],
+          [eval $cachevar=no])
+         CXXFLAGS="$ac_save_CXXFLAGS"])
+      if eval test x\$$cachevar = xyes; then
+        CXXFLAGS="$CXXFLAGS $switch"
+        ac_success=yes
+        break
+      fi
+    done
+  fi])
+
+  m4_if([$1], [ext], [], [dnl
+  if test x$ac_success = xno; then
+    for switch in -std=c++11 -std=c++0x; do
+      cachevar=AS_TR_SH([ax_cv_cxx_compile_cxx11_$switch])
+      AC_CACHE_CHECK(whether $CXX supports C++11 features with $switch,
+                     $cachevar,
+        [ac_save_CXXFLAGS="$CXXFLAGS"
+         CXXFLAGS="$CXXFLAGS $switch"
+         AC_COMPILE_IFELSE([AC_LANG_SOURCE([_AX_CXX_COMPILE_STDCXX_11_testbody])],
+          [eval $cachevar=yes],
+          [eval $cachevar=no])
+         CXXFLAGS="$ac_save_CXXFLAGS"])
+      if eval test x\$$cachevar = xyes; then
+        CXXFLAGS="$CXXFLAGS $switch"
+        ac_success=yes
+        break
+      fi
+    done
+  fi])
+  AC_LANG_POP([C++])
+  if test x$ax_cxx_compile_cxx11_required = xtrue; then
+    if test x$ac_success = xno; then
+      AC_MSG_ERROR([*** A compiler with support for C++11 language features is required.])
+    fi
+  else
+    if test x$ac_success = xno; then
+      HAVE_CXX11=0
+      AC_MSG_NOTICE([No compiler with C++11 support was found])
+    else
+      HAVE_CXX11=1
+      AC_DEFINE(HAVE_CXX11,1,
+                [define if the compiler supports basic C++11 syntax])
+    fi
+
+    AC_SUBST(HAVE_CXX11)
+  fi
+])