(m4.info.gz) Intro

 
 1.1 Introduction to `m4'
 ========================
 
 `m4' is a macro processor, in the sense that it copies its input to the
 output, expanding macros as it goes.  Macros are either builtin or
 user-defined, and can take any number of arguments.  Besides just doing
 macro expansion, `m4' has builtin functions for including named files,
 running shell commands, doing integer arithmetic, manipulating text in
 various ways, performing recursion, etc....  `m4' can be used either as
 a front-end to a compiler, or as a macro processor in its own right.
 
    The `m4' macro processor is widely available on all UNIXes, and has
 been standardized by POSIX.  Usually, only a small percentage of users
 are aware of its existence.  However, those who find it often become
 committed users.  The popularity of GNU Autoconf, which requires GNU
 `m4' for _generating_ `configure' scripts, is an incentive for many to
 install it, while these people will not themselves program in `m4'.
 GNU `m4' is mostly compatible with the System V, Release 3 version,
 except for some minor differences.   Compatibility, for more
 details.
 
    Some people find `m4' to be fairly addictive.  They first use `m4'
 for simple problems, then take bigger and bigger challenges, learning
 how to write complex sets of `m4' macros along the way.  Once really
 addicted, users pursue writing of sophisticated `m4' applications even
 to solve simple problems, devoting more time debugging their `m4'
 scripts than doing real work.  Beware that `m4' may be dangerous for
 the health of compulsive programmers.
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