File: autoconf.info,  Node: Site Details,  Next: Transforming Names,  Prev: Option Checking,  Up: Site Configuration

15.6 Configuring Site Details
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Some software packages require complex site-specific information.  Some
examples are host names to use for certain services, company names, and
email addresses to contact.  Since some configuration scripts generated
by Metaconfig ask for such information interactively, people sometimes
wonder how to get that information in Autoconf-generated configuration
scripts, which aren't interactive.

   Such site configuration information should be put in a file that is
edited _only by users_, not by programs.  The location of the file can
either be based on the ‘prefix’ variable, or be a standard location such
as the user's home directory.  It could even be specified by an
environment variable.  The programs should examine that file at runtime,
rather than at compile time.  Runtime configuration is more convenient
for users and makes the configuration process simpler than getting the
information while configuring.  *Note Variables for Installation
Directories: (standards)Directory Variables, for more information on
where to put data files.