6.3.8.2 The Front End config-lang.in File

Each language subdirectory contains a config-lang.in file. In addition the main directory contains c-config-lang.in, which contains limited information for the C language. This file is a shell script that may define some variables describing the language:

language

This definition must be present, and gives the name of the language for some purposes such as arguments to --enable-languages.

lang_requires

If defined, this variable lists (space-separated) language front ends other than C that this front end requires to be enabled (with the names given being their language settings). For example, the Java front end depends on the C++ front end, so sets lang_requires=c++.

subdir_requires

If defined, this variable lists (space-separated) front end directories other than C that this front end requires to be present. For example, the Objective-C++ front end uses source files from the C++ and Objective-C front ends, so sets subdir_requires="cp objc".

target_libs

If defined, this variable lists (space-separated) targets in the top level Makefile to build the runtime libraries for this language, such as target-libobjc.

lang_dirs

If defined, this variable lists (space-separated) top level directories (parallel to gcc), apart from the runtime libraries, that should not be configured if this front end is not built.

build_by_default

If defined to no, this language front end is not built unless enabled in a --enable-languages argument. Otherwise, front ends are built by default, subject to any special logic in configure.ac (as is present to disable the Ada front end if the Ada compiler is not already installed).

boot_language

If defined to yes, this front end is built in stage 1 of the bootstrap. This is only relevant to front ends written in their own languages.

compilers

If defined, a space-separated list of compiler executables that will be run by the driver. The names here will each end with \$(exeext).

outputs

If defined, a space-separated list of files that should be generated by configure substituting values in them. This mechanism can be used to create a file language/Makefile from language/Makefile.in, but this is deprecated, building everything from the single gcc/Makefile is preferred.

gtfiles

If defined, a space-separated list of files that should be scanned by gengtype.c to generate the garbage collection tables and routines for this language. This excludes the files that are common to all front ends. See Type Information.