What are .in files?
Clash Royale CLAN TAG#URR8PPP
up vote
22
down vote
favorite
Sometimes in the sources of projects I see "*.in" files. For example, a bunch of "Makefile.in"s. What are they for and/or what does the ".in" part mean? I assume that this has something to do with autoconf or make or something like those, but I'm not sure.
I've tried searching for ".in file extension", "autoconf .in file extension", "autoconf .in", "autoconf dot in", and other variants, with no luck.
compiling make configure autoconf
edited Jul 25 '13 at 23:23
Gilles
516k12210271555
asked Jul 25 '13 at 7:41
strugee
8,0411252100
add a comment |Â
up vote
22
down vote
favorite
Sometimes in the sources of projects I see "*.in" files. For example, a bunch of "Makefile.in"s. What are they for and/or what does the ".in" part mean? I assume that this has something to do with autoconf or make or something like those, but I'm not sure.
I've tried searching for ".in file extension", "autoconf .in file extension", "autoconf .in", "autoconf dot in", and other variants, with no luck.
compiling make configure autoconf
edited Jul 25 '13 at 23:23
Gilles
516k12210271555
asked Jul 25 '13 at 7:41
strugee
8,0411252100
If you want to know how autotools work, I suggest this series of articles: freesoftwaremagazine.com/articles/….
– Boris Burkov
Jul 25 '13 at 10:04
I found this in my google search. Kinda scary. fileinfo.com/extension/in
– Bozeyman9000
8 mins ago
add a comment |Â
up vote
22
down vote
favorite
up vote
22
down vote
favorite
Sometimes in the sources of projects I see "*.in" files. For example, a bunch of "Makefile.in"s. What are they for and/or what does the ".in" part mean? I assume that this has something to do with autoconf or make or something like those, but I'm not sure.
I've tried searching for ".in file extension", "autoconf .in file extension", "autoconf .in", "autoconf dot in", and other variants, with no luck.
compiling make configure autoconf
edited Jul 25 '13 at 23:23
Gilles
516k12210271555
asked Jul 25 '13 at 7:41
strugee
8,0411252100
Sometimes in the sources of projects I see "*.in" files. For example, a bunch of "Makefile.in"s. What are they for and/or what does the ".in" part mean? I assume that this has something to do with autoconf or make or something like those, but I'm not sure.
I've tried searching for ".in file extension", "autoconf .in file extension", "autoconf .in", "autoconf dot in", and other variants, with no luck.
compiling make configure autoconf
compiling make configure autoconf
edited Jul 25 '13 at 23:23
Gilles
516k12210271555
asked Jul 25 '13 at 7:41
strugee
8,0411252100
edited Jul 25 '13 at 23:23
Gilles
516k12210271555
asked Jul 25 '13 at 7:41
strugee
8,0411252100
edited Jul 25 '13 at 23:23
Gilles
516k12210271555
edited Jul 25 '13 at 23:23
Gilles
516k12210271555
edited Jul 25 '13 at 23:23
Gilles
516k12210271555
516k12210271555
asked Jul 25 '13 at 7:41
strugee
8,0411252100
asked Jul 25 '13 at 7:41
strugee
8,0411252100
asked Jul 25 '13 at 7:41
strugee
8,0411252100
8,0411252100
If you want to know how autotools work, I suggest this series of articles: freesoftwaremagazine.com/articles/….
– Boris Burkov
Jul 25 '13 at 10:04
I found this in my google search. Kinda scary. fileinfo.com/extension/in
– Bozeyman9000
8 mins ago
add a comment |Â
If you want to know how autotools work, I suggest this series of articles: freesoftwaremagazine.com/articles/….
– Boris Burkov
Jul 25 '13 at 10:04
I found this in my google search. Kinda scary. fileinfo.com/extension/in
– Bozeyman9000
8 mins ago
If you want to know how autotools work, I suggest this series of articles: freesoftwaremagazine.com/articles/….
– Boris Burkov
Jul 25 '13 at 10:04
If you want to know how autotools work, I suggest this series of articles: freesoftwaremagazine.com/articles/….
– Boris Burkov
Jul 25 '13 at 10:04
I found this in my google search. Kinda scary. fileinfo.com/extension/in
– Bozeyman9000
8 mins ago
I found this in my google search. Kinda scary. fileinfo.com/extension/in
– Bozeyman9000
8 mins ago
add a comment |Â
3 Answers
3
active
oldest
votes
up vote
14
down vote
accepted
it's just a convention that signifies the given file is for input; in my experience, these files tend to be a sort of generic template from which a specific output file or script results.
answered Jul 25 '13 at 7:43
Josh McGee
56836
2
Out of interest, could you cite some examples where ".in" is used in this way outside of theautoconfrealm?
– spinkus
Jul 5 '14 at 12:08
add a comment |Â
up vote
29
down vote
I believe the automake process involving a Makefile.in is something like this:
Makefile.am
|
'/
+--------------+
| automake |
+--------------+
|
'/
Makefile.in
|
'/
+--------------+ +--------------+
| ./configure |<-- | autoconf |<-- configure.in
+--------------+ +--------------+
|
'/
Makefile
Nobody actually writes a Makefile.in. The only programmer-defined file here is the Makefile.am.
answered Jul 25 '13 at 8:19
Trevor Hickey
5473713
1
Well, on occasion I've written aMakefile.in, because automake wouldn't do what I want.
– Simon Richter
Jul 25 '13 at 14:03
add a comment |Â
up vote
5
down vote
They are input files for the m4 macro preprocessor. Among other things, these files contain macros marked by @, that get expanded by m4.
answered Jul 25 '13 at 9:56
ninjalj
1,19799
1
Nope.Makefile.inis never touched by anythingm4related.
– Simon Richter
Jul 25 '13 at 14:02
add a comment |Â
3 Answers
3
active
oldest
votes
3 Answers
3
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
up vote
14
down vote
accepted
it's just a convention that signifies the given file is for input; in my experience, these files tend to be a sort of generic template from which a specific output file or script results.
answered Jul 25 '13 at 7:43
Josh McGee
56836
2
Out of interest, could you cite some examples where ".in" is used in this way outside of theautoconfrealm?
– spinkus
Jul 5 '14 at 12:08
add a comment |Â
up vote
14
down vote
accepted
it's just a convention that signifies the given file is for input; in my experience, these files tend to be a sort of generic template from which a specific output file or script results.
answered Jul 25 '13 at 7:43
Josh McGee
56836
2
Out of interest, could you cite some examples where ".in" is used in this way outside of theautoconfrealm?
– spinkus
Jul 5 '14 at 12:08
add a comment |Â
up vote
14
down vote
accepted
up vote
14
down vote
accepted
it's just a convention that signifies the given file is for input; in my experience, these files tend to be a sort of generic template from which a specific output file or script results.
answered Jul 25 '13 at 7:43
Josh McGee
56836
it's just a convention that signifies the given file is for input; in my experience, these files tend to be a sort of generic template from which a specific output file or script results.
answered Jul 25 '13 at 7:43
Josh McGee
56836
answered Jul 25 '13 at 7:43
Josh McGee
56836
answered Jul 25 '13 at 7:43
Josh McGee
56836
answered Jul 25 '13 at 7:43
Josh McGee
56836
56836
2
Out of interest, could you cite some examples where ".in" is used in this way outside of theautoconfrealm?
– spinkus
Jul 5 '14 at 12:08
add a comment |Â
2
Out of interest, could you cite some examples where ".in" is used in this way outside of theautoconfrealm?
– spinkus
Jul 5 '14 at 12:08
2
2
Out of interest, could you cite some examples where ".in" is used in this way outside of the
autoconf realm?– spinkus
Jul 5 '14 at 12:08
Out of interest, could you cite some examples where ".in" is used in this way outside of the
autoconf realm?– spinkus
Jul 5 '14 at 12:08
add a comment |Â
up vote
29
down vote
I believe the automake process involving a Makefile.in is something like this:
Makefile.am
|
'/
+--------------+
| automake |
+--------------+
|
'/
Makefile.in
|
'/
+--------------+ +--------------+
| ./configure |<-- | autoconf |<-- configure.in
+--------------+ +--------------+
|
'/
Makefile
Nobody actually writes a Makefile.in. The only programmer-defined file here is the Makefile.am.
answered Jul 25 '13 at 8:19
Trevor Hickey
5473713
1
Well, on occasion I've written aMakefile.in, because automake wouldn't do what I want.
– Simon Richter
Jul 25 '13 at 14:03
add a comment |Â
up vote
29
down vote
I believe the automake process involving a Makefile.in is something like this:
Makefile.am
|
'/
+--------------+
| automake |
+--------------+
|
'/
Makefile.in
|
'/
+--------------+ +--------------+
| ./configure |<-- | autoconf |<-- configure.in
+--------------+ +--------------+
|
'/
Makefile
Nobody actually writes a Makefile.in. The only programmer-defined file here is the Makefile.am.
answered Jul 25 '13 at 8:19
Trevor Hickey
5473713
1
Well, on occasion I've written aMakefile.in, because automake wouldn't do what I want.
– Simon Richter
Jul 25 '13 at 14:03
add a comment |Â
up vote
29
down vote
up vote
29
down vote
I believe the automake process involving a Makefile.in is something like this:
Makefile.am
|
'/
+--------------+
| automake |
+--------------+
|
'/
Makefile.in
|
'/
+--------------+ +--------------+
| ./configure |<-- | autoconf |<-- configure.in
+--------------+ +--------------+
|
'/
Makefile
Nobody actually writes a Makefile.in. The only programmer-defined file here is the Makefile.am.
answered Jul 25 '13 at 8:19
Trevor Hickey
5473713
I believe the automake process involving a Makefile.in is something like this:
Makefile.am
|
'/
+--------------+
| automake |
+--------------+
|
'/
Makefile.in
|
'/
+--------------+ +--------------+
| ./configure |<-- | autoconf |<-- configure.in
+--------------+ +--------------+
|
'/
Makefile
Nobody actually writes a Makefile.in. The only programmer-defined file here is the Makefile.am.
answered Jul 25 '13 at 8:19
Trevor Hickey
5473713
edited Jul 25 '13 at 8:29
answered Jul 25 '13 at 8:19
Trevor Hickey
5473713
answered Jul 25 '13 at 8:19
Trevor Hickey
5473713
answered Jul 25 '13 at 8:19
Trevor Hickey
5473713
5473713
1
Well, on occasion I've written aMakefile.in, because automake wouldn't do what I want.
– Simon Richter
Jul 25 '13 at 14:03
add a comment |Â
1
Well, on occasion I've written aMakefile.in, because automake wouldn't do what I want.
– Simon Richter
Jul 25 '13 at 14:03
1
1
Well, on occasion I've written a
Makefile.in, because automake wouldn't do what I want.– Simon Richter
Jul 25 '13 at 14:03
Well, on occasion I've written a
Makefile.in, because automake wouldn't do what I want.– Simon Richter
Jul 25 '13 at 14:03
add a comment |Â
up vote
5
down vote
They are input files for the m4 macro preprocessor. Among other things, these files contain macros marked by @, that get expanded by m4.
answered Jul 25 '13 at 9:56
ninjalj
1,19799
1
Nope.Makefile.inis never touched by anythingm4related.
– Simon Richter
Jul 25 '13 at 14:02
add a comment |Â
up vote
5
down vote
They are input files for the m4 macro preprocessor. Among other things, these files contain macros marked by @, that get expanded by m4.
answered Jul 25 '13 at 9:56
ninjalj
1,19799
1
Nope.Makefile.inis never touched by anythingm4related.
– Simon Richter
Jul 25 '13 at 14:02
add a comment |Â
up vote
5
down vote
up vote
5
down vote
They are input files for the m4 macro preprocessor. Among other things, these files contain macros marked by @, that get expanded by m4.
answered Jul 25 '13 at 9:56
ninjalj
1,19799
They are input files for the m4 macro preprocessor. Among other things, these files contain macros marked by @, that get expanded by m4.
answered Jul 25 '13 at 9:56
ninjalj
1,19799
answered Jul 25 '13 at 9:56
ninjalj
1,19799
answered Jul 25 '13 at 9:56
ninjalj
1,19799
answered Jul 25 '13 at 9:56
ninjalj
1,19799
1,19799
1
Nope.Makefile.inis never touched by anythingm4related.
– Simon Richter
Jul 25 '13 at 14:02
add a comment |Â
1
Nope.Makefile.inis never touched by anythingm4related.
– Simon Richter
Jul 25 '13 at 14:02
1
1
Nope.
Makefile.in is never touched by anything m4 related.– Simon Richter
Jul 25 '13 at 14:02
Nope.
Makefile.in is never touched by anything m4 related.– Simon Richter
Jul 25 '13 at 14:02
add a comment |Â
Sign up or log in
StackExchange.ready(function ()
StackExchange.helpers.onClickDraftSave('#login-link');
);
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Post as a guest
StackExchange.ready(
function ()
StackExchange.openid.initPostLogin('.new-post-login', 'https%3a%2f%2funix.stackexchange.com%2fquestions%2f84380%2fwhat-are-in-files%23new-answer', 'question_page');
);
Post as a guest
Sign up or log in
StackExchange.ready(function ()
StackExchange.helpers.onClickDraftSave('#login-link');
);
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Post as a guest
Sign up or log in
StackExchange.ready(function ()
StackExchange.helpers.onClickDraftSave('#login-link');
);
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Post as a guest
Sign up or log in
StackExchange.ready(function ()
StackExchange.helpers.onClickDraftSave('#login-link');
);
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
If you want to know how autotools work, I suggest this series of articles: freesoftwaremagazine.com/articles/….
– Boris Burkov
Jul 25 '13 at 10:04
I found this in my google search. Kinda scary. fileinfo.com/extension/in
– Bozeyman9000
8 mins ago