On Sun, 30 Nov 2003 09:56:56 -0600 (CST), Bob Friesenhahn wrote: > Perhaps because different compilers accept different options. If the > configure script supplies unsupported options, configure will fail > entirely. These are all good arguments for the formulation of a new proposal, specifically that there should be separate macros for determining the compiler optimization and debugging flags. At the very least, the macros could supply default optimization and debugging levels (the same settings that AC_PROG_CC already applies automatically to CFLAGS). Better would be for the macros to allow the caller to request, via some sort of generalized mechanism, that "low", "medium", or "high" level of optimization and/or debugging is desired, and return appropriate flags, rather than assuming that those flags must be inserted into CFLAGS. The important point is that the present-day conglomerate AC_PROG_CC (AC_PROG_CXX) check could be refactored into component parts which (1) determine the compiler, (2) determine optimization flags, (3) determine debugging flags. This would allow clients more control over which flags are placed ultimately into CFLAGS. For backward compatibility, of course, AC_PROG_CC could still perform all three steps and augment CFLAGS as a convenience. -- ES