Howto add a link to a library in autoconf configure script / makefile

Question

I am an autotools newb and I have difficulties figuring out howto easily link a specific library into one of the configured targets.

I have a source package that I want

Answer 1

Use ax_cxx_check_lib.m4 because boost_system does not have any extern "C" symbols (unmangled names) that can be checked with AC_CHECK_LIB:

http://ac-archive.sourceforge.net/guidod/ax_cxx_check_lib.m4

Download the file above and name it acinclude.m4, and put it in the m4 folder in your project root.

In configure.ac:

AC_LANG_PUSH([C++])

AX_CXX_CHECK_LIB([boost_system-mt],[boost::system::generic_category()],[BOOST_LIB_SUFFIX="-mt"],[BOOST_LIB_SUFFIX=""])

AC_LANG_POP([C++])

AC_SUBST(BOOST_LIB_SUFFIX)

In Makefile.am:

[artifact_name]_LDFLAGS = -lboost_system@BOOST_LIB_SUFFIX@