Fix comments in m4sugar.

* data/m4sugar/m4sugar.m4: Comment changes, borrowed from autoconf. Signed-off-by: Eric Blake <ebb9@byu.net>
2026-03-09 12:23:04 +00:00 · 2008-07-16 08:39:53 -06:00
parent 445b74704f
commit a30e920d17
2 changed files with 89 additions and 71 deletions
--- a/5
+++ b/5
@@ -1,3 +1,8 @@
+2008-08-05  Eric Blake  <ebb9@byu.net>
+
+	Fix comments in m4sugar.
+	* data/m4sugar/m4sugar.m4: Comment changes, borrowed from autoconf.
+
 2008-08-02  Joel E. Denny  <jdenny@ces.clemson.edu>

 	Update for recent .gitignore fix in Gnulib.
--- a/data/m4sugar/m4sugar.m4
+++ b/data/m4sugar/m4sugar.m4
@@ -3,8 +3,8 @@ divert(-1)#                                                  -*- Autoconf -*-
 # Base M4 layer.
 # Requires GNU M4.
 #
-# Copyright (C) 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005 Free Software
-# Foundation, Inc.
+# Copyright (C) 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007,
+# 2008 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
 #
 # 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
@@ -88,28 +88,28 @@ m4_undefine([undefine])
 # in time, but because of the space cost of 1, it's not that obvious.
 # Nevertheless, one huge difference is the handling of `$0'.  If `from'
 # uses `$0', then with 1, `to''s `$0' is `to', while it is `from' in 2.
-# The user will certainly prefer to see `to'.
+# The user would certainly prefer to see `to'.
 m4_define([m4_copy],
 [m4_define([$2], m4_defn([$1]))])


 # m4_rename(SRC, DST)
 # -------------------
-# Rename the macro SRC as DST.
+# Rename the macro SRC to DST.
 m4_define([m4_rename],
 [m4_copy([$1], [$2])m4_undefine([$1])])


 # m4_rename_m4(MACRO-NAME)
 # ------------------------
-# Rename MACRO-NAME as m4_MACRO-NAME.
+# Rename MACRO-NAME to m4_MACRO-NAME.
 m4_define([m4_rename_m4],
 [m4_rename([$1], [m4_$1])])


 # m4_copy_unm4(m4_MACRO-NAME)
 # ---------------------------
-# Copy m4_MACRO-NAME as MACRO-NAME.
+# Copy m4_MACRO-NAME to MACRO-NAME.
 m4_define([m4_copy_unm4],
 [m4_copy([$1], m4_bpatsubst([$1], [^m4_\(.*\)], [[\1]]))])

@@ -210,6 +210,9 @@ m4_define([m4_assert],
 # Report a MESSAGE to the user if the CATEGORY of warnings is enabled.
 # This is for traces only.
 # The STACK-TRACE is a \n-separated list of "LOCATION: MESSAGE".
+#
+# Within m4, the macro is a no-op.  This macro really matters
+# when autom4te post-processes the trace output.
 m4_define([_m4_warn], [])


@@ -219,7 +222,7 @@ m4_define([_m4_warn], [])
 m4_define([m4_warn],
 [_m4_warn([$1], [$2],
 m4_ifdef([m4_expansion_stack],
-         [m4_defn([m4_expansion_stack])
+	 [m4_defn([m4_expansion_stack])
 m4_location[: the top level]]))dnl
 ])

@@ -232,8 +235,8 @@ m4_location[: the top level]]))dnl

 # We also want to neutralize include (and sinclude for symmetry),
 # but we want to extend them slightly: warn when a file is included
-# several times.  This is in general a dangerous operation because
-# quite nobody quotes the first argument of m4_define.
+# several times.  This is, in general, a dangerous operation, because
+# too many people forget to quote the first argument of m4_define.
 #
 # For instance in the following case:
 #   m4_define(foo, [bar])
@@ -253,7 +256,7 @@ m4_define([m4_include($1)])])

 # m4_include(FILE)
 # ----------------
-# As the builtin include, but warns against multiple inclusions.
+# Like the builtin include, but warns against multiple inclusions.
 m4_define([m4_include],
 [m4_include_unique([$1])dnl
 m4_builtin([include], [$1])])
@@ -261,7 +264,7 @@ m4_builtin([include], [$1])])

 # m4_sinclude(FILE)
 # -----------------
-# As the builtin sinclude, but warns against multiple inclusions.
+# Like the builtin sinclude, but warns against multiple inclusions.
 m4_define([m4_sinclude],
 [m4_include_unique([$1])dnl
 m4_builtin([sinclude], [$1])])
@@ -275,15 +278,15 @@ m4_builtin([sinclude], [$1])])
 # Both `m4_ifval' and `m4_ifset' tests against the empty string.  The
 # difference is that `m4_ifset' is specialized on macros.
 #
-# In case of arguments of macros, eg $[1], it makes little difference.
+# In case of arguments of macros, eg. $1, it makes little difference.
 # In the case of a macro `FOO', you don't want to check `m4_ifval(FOO,
 # TRUE)', because if `FOO' expands with commas, there is a shifting of
 # the arguments.  So you want to run `m4_ifval([FOO])', but then you just
 # compare the *string* `FOO' against `', which, of course fails.
 #
-# So you want a variation of `m4_ifset' that expects a macro name as $[1].
+# So you want the variation `m4_ifset' that expects a macro name as $1.
 # If this macro is both defined and defined to a non empty value, then
-# it runs TRUE etc.
+# it runs TRUE, etc.


 # m4_ifval(COND, [IF-TRUE], [IF-FALSE])
@@ -529,9 +532,12 @@ m4_define([m4_dquote],  [[$@]])
 # m4_noquote(STRING)
 # ------------------
 # Return the result of ignoring all quotes in STRING and invoking the
-# macros it contains.  Amongst other things useful for enabling macro
-# invocations inside strings with [] blocks (for instance regexps and
-# help-strings).
+# macros it contains.  Amongst other things, this is useful for enabling
+# macro invocations inside strings with [] blocks (for instance regexps
+# and help-strings).  On the other hand, since all quotes are disabled,
+# any macro expanded during this time that relies on nested [] quoting
+# will likely crash and burn.  This macro is seldom useful; consider
+# m4_unquote or m4_expand instead.
 m4_define([m4_noquote],
 [m4_changequote(-=<{,}>=-)$1-=<{}>=-m4_changequote([,])])

@@ -560,13 +566,14 @@ m4_builtin([undefine], $@)])


 ## -------------------------- ##
-## 7. Implementing m4 loops.  ##
+## 8. Implementing m4 loops.  ##
 ## -------------------------- ##


 # m4_for(VARIABLE, FIRST, LAST, [STEP = +/-1], EXPRESSION)
 # --------------------------------------------------------
-# Expand EXPRESSION defining VARIABLE to FROM, FROM + 1, ..., TO.
+# Expand EXPRESSION defining VARIABLE to FROM, FROM + 1, ..., TO with
+# increments of STEP.
 # Both limits are included, and bounds are checked for consistency.
 m4_define([m4_for],
 [m4_case(m4_sign(m4_eval($3 - $2)),
@@ -589,21 +596,16 @@ m4_if($1, [$2], [],


 # Implementing `foreach' loops in m4 is much more tricky than it may
-# seem.  Actually, the example of a `foreach' loop in the m4
-# documentation is wrong: it does not quote the arguments properly,
-# which leads to undesirable expansions.
-#
-# The example in the documentation is:
+# seem.  For example, the old M4 1.4.4 manual had an incorrect example,
+# which looked like this (when translated to m4sugar):
 #
 # | # foreach(VAR, (LIST), STMT)
 # | m4_define([foreach],
-# |        [m4_pushdef([$1])_foreach([$1], [$2], [$3])m4_popdef([$1])])
+# |   [m4_pushdef([$1])_foreach([$1], [$2], [$3])m4_popdef([$1])])
 # | m4_define([_arg1], [$1])
 # | m4_define([_foreach],
-# |	       [m4_if([$2], [()], ,
-# |		     [m4_define([$1], _arg1$2)$3[]_foreach([$1],
-# |                                                        (shift$2),
-# |                                                        [$3])])])
+# |   [m4_if([$2], [()], ,
+# |     [m4_define([$1], _arg1$2)$3[]_foreach([$1], (m4_shift$2), [$3])])])
 #
 # But then if you run
 #
@@ -631,9 +633,7 @@ m4_if($1, [$2], [],
 # | m4_define([_arg1], [[$1]])
 # | m4_define([_foreach],
 # |  [m4_if($2, [()], ,
-# |	     [m4_define([$1], [_arg1$2])$3[]_foreach([$1],
-# |                                                 [(shift$2)],
-# |                                                 [$3])])])
+# |    [m4_define([$1], [_arg1$2])$3[]_foreach([$1], [(m4_shift$2)], [$3])])])
 #
 # which this time answers
 #
@@ -656,14 +656,23 @@ m4_if($1, [$2], [],
 # | m4_define([_arg1], [$1])
 # | m4_define([_foreach],
 # |  [m4_if($2, [], ,
-# |	     [m4_define([$1], [_arg1($2)])$3[]_foreach([$1],
-# |                                                   [shift($2)],
-# |                                                   [$3])])])
+# |    [m4_define([$1], [_arg1($2)])$3[]_foreach([$1], [m4_shift($2)], [$3])])])
 #
 #
 # Now, just replace the `$2' with `m4_quote($2)' in the outer `m4_if'
-# to improve robustness, and you come up with a quite satisfactory
-# implementation.
+# to improve robustness, and you come up with a nice implementation
+# that doesn't require extra parentheses in the user's LIST.
+#
+# But wait -  now the algorithm is quadratic, because every recursion of
+# the algorithm keeps the entire LIST and merely adds another m4_shift to
+# the quoted text.  If the user has a lot of elements in LIST, you can
+# bring the system to its knees with the memory m4 then requires, or trip
+# the m4 --nesting-limit recursion factor.  The only way to avoid
+# quadratic growth is ensure m4_shift is expanded prior to the recursion.
+# Hence the design below.
+#
+# The M4 manual now includes a chapter devoted to this issue, with
+# the lessons learned from m4sugar.


 # m4_foreach(VARIABLE, LIST, EXPRESSION)
@@ -710,7 +719,7 @@ m4_define([m4_foreach_w],


 ## --------------------------- ##
-## 8. More diversion support.  ##
+## 9. More diversion support.  ##
 ## --------------------------- ##


@@ -761,7 +770,7 @@ m4_builtin([divert], _m4_divert([$1]))dnl
 # When we pop the last value from the stack, we divert to -1.
 m4_define([m4_divert_pop],
 [m4_ifndef([_m4_divert_diversion],
-           [m4_fatal([too many m4_divert_pop])])dnl
+	   [m4_fatal([too many m4_divert_pop])])dnl
 m4_if([$1], [], [],
      [$1], m4_defn([_m4_divert_diversion]), [],
      [m4_fatal([$0($1): diversion mismatch: ]_m4_divert_n_stack)])dnl
@@ -787,22 +796,23 @@ m4_divert_pop([$1])dnl

 # m4_divert_once(DIVERSION-NAME, CONTENT)
 # ---------------------------------------
-# Output once CONTENT into DIVERSION-NAME (which may be a number
-# actually).  An end of line is appended for free to CONTENT.
+# Output CONTENT into DIVERSION-NAME once, if not already there.
+# An end of line is appended for free to CONTENT.
 m4_define([m4_divert_once],
 [m4_expand_once([m4_divert_text([$1], [$2])])])


 # m4_undivert(DIVERSION-NAME)
 # ---------------------------
-# Undivert DIVERSION-NAME.
+# Undivert DIVERSION-NAME.  Unlike the M4 version, this only takes a single
+# diversion identifier, and should not be used to undivert files.
 m4_define([m4_undivert],
 [m4_builtin([undivert], _m4_divert([$1]))])


-## -------------------------------------------- ##
-## 8. Defining macros with bells and whistles.  ##
-## -------------------------------------------- ##
+## --------------------------------------------- ##
+## 10. Defining macros with bells and whistles.  ##
+## --------------------------------------------- ##

 # `m4_defun' is basically `m4_define' but it equips the macro with the
 # needed machinery for `m4_require'.  A macro must be m4_defun'd if
@@ -826,8 +836,8 @@ m4_define([m4_undivert],
 # the previous macros (by Axel Thimm).
 #
 #
-# The first idea: why using diversions?
-# -------------------------------------
+# The first idea: why use diversions?
+# -----------------------------------
 #
 # When a macro requires another, the other macro is expanded in new
 # diversion, GROW.  When the outer macro is fully expanded, we first
@@ -840,7 +850,7 @@ m4_define([m4_undivert],
 # | m4_defun([TEST3], [Test...3])
 #
 # Because m4_require is not required to be first in the outer macros, we
-# must keep the expansions of the various level of m4_require separated.
+# must keep the expansions of the various levels of m4_require separated.
 # Right before executing the epilogue of TEST1, we have:
 #
 #	   GROW - 2: Test...3
@@ -903,14 +913,14 @@ m4_define([m4_undivert],
 # i.e., TEST2a is expanded after TEST3 although the latter required the
 # former.
 #
-# Starting from 2.50, uses an implementation provided by Axel Thimm.
+# Starting from 2.50, we use an implementation provided by Axel Thimm.
 # The idea is simple: the order in which macros are emitted must be the
-# same as the one in which macro are expanded.  (The bug above can
-# indeed be described as: a macro has been AC_PROVIDE'd, but it is
-# emitted after: the lack of correlation between emission and expansion
-# order is guilty).
+# same as the one in which macros are expanded.  (The bug above can
+# indeed be described as: a macro has been AC_PROVIDE'd before its
+# dependent, but it is emitted after: the lack of correlation between
+# emission and expansion order is guilty).
 #
-# How to do that?  You keeping the stack of diversions to elaborate the
+# How to do that?  You keep the stack of diversions to elaborate the
 # macros, but each time a macro is fully expanded, emit it immediately.
 #
 # In the example above, when TEST2a is expanded, but it's epilogue is
@@ -1182,25 +1192,26 @@ m4_define([$1],

 # m4_pattern_forbid(ERE, [WHY])
 # -----------------------------
-# Declare that no token matching the extended regular expression ERE
-# should be seen in the output but if...
+# Declare that no token matching the forbidden extended regular
+# expression ERE should be seen in the output unless...
 m4_define([m4_pattern_forbid], [])


 # m4_pattern_allow(ERE)
 # ---------------------
-# ... but if that token matches the extended regular expression ERE.
+# ... that token also matches the allowed extended regular expression ERE.
 # Both used via traces.
 m4_define([m4_pattern_allow], [])


-## ----------------------------- ##
-## Dependencies between macros.  ##
-## ----------------------------- ##
+## --------------------------------- ##
+## 11. Dependencies between macros.  ##
+## --------------------------------- ##


 # m4_before(THIS-MACRO-NAME, CALLED-MACRO-NAME)
 # ---------------------------------------------
+# Issue a warning if CALLED-MACRO-NAME was called before THIS-MACRO-NAME.
 m4_define([m4_before],
 [m4_provide_if([$2],
 	       [m4_warn([syntax], [$2 was called before $1])])])
@@ -1300,9 +1311,9 @@ m4_define([m4_provide_if],
 	  [$2], [$3])])


-## -------------------- ##
-## 9. Text processing.  ##
-## -------------------- ##
+## --------------------- ##
+## 12. Text processing.  ##
+## --------------------- ##


 # m4_cr_letters
@@ -1625,7 +1636,7 @@ m4_define([m4_qdelta],


 ## ----------------------- ##
-## 10. Number processing.  ##
+## 13. Number processing.  ##
 ## ----------------------- ##

 # m4_sign(A)
@@ -1640,8 +1651,7 @@ m4_define([m4_sign],

 # m4_cmp(A, B)
 # ------------
-#
-# Compare two integers.
+# Compare two integer expressions.
 # A < B -> -1
 # A = B ->  0
 # A > B ->  1
@@ -1672,7 +1682,7 @@ m4_define([m4_list_cmp],


 ## ------------------------ ##
-## 11. Version processing.  ##
+## 14. Version processing.  ##
 ## ------------------------ ##


@@ -1714,7 +1724,9 @@ m4_define([m4_version_compare],
 # m4_PACKAGE_STRING
 # m4_PACKAGE_BUGREPORT
 # --------------------
-#m4_include([m4sugar/version.m4]) # This is needed for Autoconf, but not Bison.
+# If m4sugar/version.m4 is present, then define version strings.  This
+# file is optional, provided by Autoconf but absent in Bison.
+m4_sinclude([m4sugar/version.m4])


 # m4_version_prereq(VERSION, [IF-OK], [IF-NOT = FAIL])
@@ -1731,13 +1743,13 @@ m4_define([m4_version_prereq],


 ## ------------------- ##
-## 12. File handling.  ##
+## 15. File handling.  ##
 ## ------------------- ##


 # It is a real pity that M4 comes with no macros to bind a diversion
 # to a file.  So we have to deal without, which makes us a lot more
-# fragile that we should.
+# fragile than we should.


 # m4_file_append(FILE-NAME, CONTENT)
@@ -1753,12 +1765,13 @@ m4_if(m4_sysval, [0], [],


 ## ------------------------ ##
-## 13. Setting M4sugar up.  ##
+## 16. Setting M4sugar up.  ##
 ## ------------------------ ##


 # m4_init
 # -------
+# Initialize the m4sugar language.
 m4_define([m4_init],
 [# All the M4sugar macros start with `m4_', except `dnl' kept as is
 # for sake of simplicity.