compat: reinstate AM_PROG_MKDIR_P, for gettext

Do not remove AM_PROG_MKDIR_P just yet.

gettext (latest from git) still AC_REQUIRE's AM_PROG_MKDIR_P via its
intl.m4 and po.m4 files, which are pulled into *many* projects.

When I try to build one of those projects (coreutils) using the latest
from automake.git/master, I see this failure:

    $ aclocal -I m4
    configure.ac:477: warning: AM_PROG_MKDIR_P is m4_require'd \
      but not m4_defun'd
    m4/po.m4:23: AM_PO_SUBDIRS is expanded from...
    m4/gettext.m4:57: AM_GNU_GETTEXT is expanded from...
    configure.ac:477: the top level

That is because AM_PROG_MKDIR_P was removed (via commit
v1.12-20-g8a1c64f) in preparation for the next release of automake.

* NEWS: Remove the paragraph that announced the removal of
AM_PROG_MKDIR_P.
* Makefile.am (dist_automake_ac_DATA): Add m4/mkdirp.m4.
* m4/mkdirp.m4: Re-add file.
* t/mkdirp-deprecation.sh: Likewise.
* t/list-of-tests.mk: Add it.
* automake.in: Restore removed code, and adjust comments, s/1.13/1.14/
to reflect new plan for removal.
* doc/automake.texi (Obsolete Macros): Restore the section, but
now with only one entry: the one for AM_PROG_MKDIR_P.

1 files changed, 40 insertions, 0 deletions

diff --git a/doc/automake.texi b/doc/automake.texi
index 7058545ec..40d3fc0b7 100644
--- a/doc/automake.texi
+++ b/doc/automake.texi
@@ -3880,6 +3880,7 @@ Automake ships with several Autoconf macros that you can use from your
 
 @menu
 * Public Macros::               Macros that you can use.
+* Obsolete Macros::             Macros that will soon be removed.
 * Private Macros::              Macros that you should not use.
 @end menu
 
@@ -4046,6 +4047,45 @@ define @code{WITH_DMALLOC} and add @option{-ldmalloc} to @code{LIBS}.
 @end table
 
 
+@node Obsolete Macros
+@subsection Obsolete Macros
+@cindex obsolete macros
+@cindex autoupdate
+
+Although using some of the following macros was required in past
+releases, you should not use any of them in new code.  @emph{All
+these macros will be removed in the next major Automake version};
+if you are still using them, running @command{autoupdate} should
+adjust your @file{configure.ac} automatically (@pxref{autoupdate
+Invocation, , Using @command{autoupdate} to Modernize
+@file{configure.ac}, autoconf, The Autoconf Manual}).
+@emph{Do it NOW!}
+
+@table @code
+
+@item AM_PROG_MKDIR_P
+@acindex AM_PROG_MKDIR_P
+@cindex @code{mkdir -p}, macro check
+@vindex MKDIR_P
+@vindex mkdir_p
+
+From Automake 1.8 to 1.9.6 this macro used to define the output
+variable @code{mkdir_p} to one of @code{mkdir -p}, @code{install-sh
+-d}, or @code{mkinstalldirs}.
+
+Nowadays Autoconf provides a similar functionality with
+@code{AC_PROG_MKDIR_P} (@pxref{Particular Programs, , Particular
+Program Checks, autoconf, The Autoconf Manual}), however this defines
+the output variable @code{MKDIR_P} instead.  In case you are still
+using the @code{AM_PROG_MKDIR_P} macro in your @file{configure.ac},
+or its provided variable @code{$(mkdir_p)} in your @file{Makefile.am},
+you are advised to switch ASAP to the more modern Autoconf-provided
+interface instead; both the macro and the variable @emph{will be
+removed} in the next major Automake release.
+
+@end table
+
+
 @node Private Macros
 @subsection Private Macros