bug#16623: [PATCH] docs: improve description of ${PACKAGE}, ${VERSION}, and similar variables

[Stefano Lattarini]

In particular, suggesting that $PACKAGE and $VERSION should be aliases of
the $PACKAGE_TARNAME and $PACKAGE_VERSION definitions coming from AC_INIT,
and not be defined via an obsolete 2-argument invocation of AM_INIT_AUTOMAKE;
and why that is the best default, given all our historical baggage.

See discussion in http://debbugs.gnu.org/16623 for more information and
background.

* doc/automake.texi: Adjust.
* THANKS: Update.

Signed-off-by: Stefano Lattarini <address@hidden>
---
 Will push this tomorrow evening (CET).

 THANKS            |  1 +
 doc/automake.texi | 31 +++++++++++++++++++++----------
 2 files changed, 22 insertions(+), 10 deletions(-)

diff --git a/THANKS b/THANKS
index 6be803e..7f84850 100644
--- a/THANKS
+++ b/THANKS
@@ -156,6 +156,7 @@ Ian Lance Taylor                address@hidden
 Ignacy Gawedzki                 address@hidden
 Илья Н. Голубев                 address@hidden
 Imacat                          address@hidden
+Infirit                         address@hidden
 Inoue                           address@hidden
 Jack Kelly                      address@hidden
 James Amundson                  address@hidden
diff --git a/doc/automake.texi b/doc/automake.texi
index 736d61d..913dee4 100644
--- a/doc/automake.texi
+++ b/doc/automake.texi
@@ -3914,12 +3914,15 @@ This usage is mostly obsolete because the @var{package} 
and @var{version}
 can be obtained from Autoconf's @code{AC_INIT} macro.  However,
 differently from what happens for @code{AC_INIT} invocations, this
 @code{AM_INIT_AUTOMAKE} invocation supports shell variables' expansions
-in the @code{PACKAGE} and @code{VERSION} arguments, and this can be
-still be useful in some selected situations.  Our hope is that future
-Autoconf versions will improve their support for package versions
-defined dynamically at configure runtime; when (and if) this happens,
-support for the two-args @code{AM_INIT_AUTOMAKE} invocation will likely
-be removed from Automake.
+in the @code{PACKAGE} and @code{VERSION} arguments (which otherwise
+defaults, respectively, to the @code{PACKAGE_TARNAME} and
address@hidden defined via the @code{AC_INIT} invocation;
address@hidden, , The @code{AC_INIT} macro, autoconf, The Autoconf Manual});
+and this can be still be useful in some selected situations.
+Our hope is that future Autoconf versions will improve their support
+for package versions defined dynamically at configure runtime; when
+(and if) this happens, support for the two-args @code{AM_INIT_AUTOMAKE}
+invocation will likely be removed from Automake.
 
 @anchor{Modernize AM_INIT_AUTOMAKE invocation}
 If your @file{configure.ac} has:
@@ -8381,9 +8384,13 @@ We recommend that you follow this same set of heuristics 
in your
 The @code{dist} rule in the generated @file{Makefile.in} can be used
 to generate a gzipped @code{tar} file and other flavors of archive for
 distribution.  The file is named based on the @code{PACKAGE} and
address@hidden variables defined by @code{AM_INIT_AUTOMAKE}
-(@pxref{Macros}); more precisely the gzipped @code{tar} file is named
address@hidden@address@hidden
address@hidden variables automatically defined by either the
address@hidden invocation or by a @emph{deprecated} two-arguments
+invocation of the @code{AM_INIT_AUTOMAKE} macro (see @ref{Public Macros}
+for how these variables get their values, from either defaults or explicit
+values -- it's slightly trickier than one would expect).
+More precisely the gzipped @code{tar} file is named
address@hidden@address@hidden@address@hidden
 @vindex GZIP_ENV
 You can use the @command{make} variable @code{GZIP_ENV} to control how gzip
 is run.  The default setting is @option{--best}.
@@ -10151,7 +10158,11 @@ brittle.
 @opindex no-define
 This option is meaningful only when passed as an argument to
 @code{AM_INIT_AUTOMAKE}.  It will prevent the @code{PACKAGE} and
address@hidden variables from being @code{AC_DEFINE}d.
address@hidden variables from being @code{AC_DEFINE}d.  But notice
+that they will remain defined as shell variables in the generated
address@hidden, and as make variables in the generated
address@hidden; this is deliberate, and required for backward
+compatibility.
 
 @item @option{no-dependencies}
 @cindex Option, @option{no-dependencies}
-- 
2.1.3