8.1.4.1 Conditional programs using configure substitutions

In this case, you must notify Automake of all the programs that can possibly be built, but at the same time cause the generated ‘Makefile.in’ to use the programs specified by configure. This is done by having configure substitute values into each _PROGRAMS definition, while listing all optionally built programs in EXTRA_PROGRAMS.

bin_PROGRAMS = cpio pax $(MT)
libexec_PROGRAMS = $(RMT)
EXTRA_PROGRAMS = mt rmt

As explained in Support for executable extensions, Automake will rewrite bin_PROGRAMS, libexec_PROGRAMS, and EXTRA_PROGRAMS, appending ‘$(EXEEXT)’ to each binary. Obviously it cannot rewrite values obtained at run-time through configure substitutions, therefore you should take care of appending ‘$(EXEEXT)’ yourself, as in ‘AC_SUBST([MT], ['mt${EXEEXT}'])’.