GNU bug report logs - #75940
GNU Automake will generate corrupt Makefile if variable containing line breaks.

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Message #5 received at submit <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: 陈 溢飞 <wushengwuxi-msctinoulk <at> outlook.com>
To: "bug-automake <at> gnu.org" <bug-automake <at> gnu.org>
Subject: GNU Automake will generate corrupt Makefile if variable containing
 line breaks.
Date: Thu, 30 Jan 2025 02:25:20 +0000

Hi,

GNU Automake will generate a broken Makefile when configuring if some variables containing line
breaks.

If variable A is defined as:

```autoconf
A=$(cat a.txt)`
AC_SUBST([A])
```

And `a.txt` contains:

```text
line 1
  line 2
```

Then the generated `Makefile.in` will contain:

```makefile
A=@A@
```

And the generated `Makefile` will contain:

```makefile
A=line 1
  line 2
```

When configuring, `config.status` will report:

```text
config.status: executing depfiles commands
config.status: error: in '/workspaces/a':
config.status: error: Something went wrong bootstrapping makefile fragments
    for automatic dependency tracking.  If GNU make was not used, consider
    re-running the configure script with MAKE="gmake" (or whatever is
    necessary).  You can also try re-running configure with the
    '--disable-dependency-tracking' option to at least be able to build
    the package (albeit without support for automatic dependency tracking).
See 'config.log' for more details
```

`config.log`:

```text
config.status:1191: executing depfiles commands
config.status:1268: cd srclib       && sed -e '/# am--include-marker/d' Makefile         | make -f - am--depfiles
/tmp/GmXRgxDy:359: *** missing separator.  Stop.
config.status:1273: $? = 2
config.status:1277: error: in '/workspaces/a':
config.status:1279: error: Something went wrong bootstrapping makefile fragments
    for automatic dependency tracking.  If GNU make was not used, consider
    re-running the configure script with MAKE="gmake" (or whatever is
    necessary).  You can also try re-running configure with the
    '--disable-dependency-tracking' option to at least be able to build
    the package (albeit without support for automatic dependency tracking).
See 'config.log' for more details
```

Thanks,

Message #8 received at 75940 <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: Karl Berry <karl <at> freefriends.org>
To: wushengwuxi-msctinoulk <at> outlook.com
Cc: 75940 <at> debbugs.gnu.org
Subject: Re: bug#75940: GNU Automake will generate corrupt Makefile if variable
 containing line breaks.
Date: Thu, 30 Jan 2025 14:43:21 -0700

    GNU Automake will generate a broken Makefile when configuring if
    some variables containing line breaks.

Thanks for the report. I'm not sure what Automake can do about it,
though. It's just doing what it's been told, seems to me?

Admittedly the error message is less than ideal, although the second
message
/tmp/GmXRgxDy:359: *** missing separator.  Stop.
is a clue. --best, karl.

Message #13 received at 75940-done <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: Karl Berry <karl <at> freefriends.org>
To: wushengwuxi-msctinoulk <at> outlook.com
Cc: 75940 <at> debbugs.gnu.org
Subject: Re: bug#75940: GNU Automake will generate corrupt Makefile if
 variable containing line breaks.
Date: Mon, 24 Feb 2025 10:02:42 -0700

I'm going to close this for lack of any apparent way forward, but feel
free to reply/reopen or open a new issue if desired. --thanks, karl.

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