However, it is not a *known* (to the configure script developer) dependency. The failure is due to an indirect dependency.
In which case we are no worse off than we are now, but where things are known, we are better off.
Yes, indeed.
Your ideas will be best furthered by studying how Autoconf works and providing patches which implement a proposed solution. Probably a new macro is required in order to check if there is information available regarding the missing package, and present the information in a nice format.
It may be that you have set your goals several orders of magnitute too low. Perhaps it is best to develop an entirely new application which consults a system-wide knowledge-base, or a server over the Internet, in order to obtain the most current package information. If your application is installed, then Autoconf macros could make use of it to provide enhanced information to the user.
The 'pkg-config' program is an example of an external application which is often used by configure scripts.
Bob ====================================== Bob Friesenhahn bfriesen@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx, http://www.simplesystems.org/users/bfriesen/ GraphicsMagick Maintainer, http://www.GraphicsMagick.org/
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