GNU Emacs Installation GuideCopyright (c) 1992, 1994 Free software Foundation, Inc. Permission is granted to anyone to make or distribute verbatim copies of this document as received, in any medium, provided that the copyright notice and permission notice are preserved, and that the distributor grants the recipient permission for further redistribution as permitted by this notice. Permission is granted to distribute modified versions of this document, or of portions of it, under the above conditions, provided also that they carry prominent notices stating who last changed them, and that any new or changed statements about the activities of the Free Software Foundation are approved by the Foundation.BUILDING AND INSTALLATION:(This is for a Unix or Unix-like system. For MSDOS, see below;search for MSDOG.)1) Make sure your system has enough swapping space allocated to handlea program whose pure code is 900k bytes and whose data area is atleast 400k and can reach 8Mb or more. If the swapping space isinsufficient, you will get an error in the command `temacs -batch -lloadup dump', found in `./src/Makefile.in.in', or possibly whenrunning the final dumped Emacs.Building Emacs requires about 50 Mb of disk space (including the Emacssources). Once installed, Emacs occupies about 20 Mb in the filesystem where it is installed; this includes the executable files, Lisplibraries, miscellaneous data files, and on-line documentation. Ifthe building and installation take place in different directories,then the installation procedure momentarily requires 50+20 Mb.2) Consult `./etc/MACHINES' to see what configuration name you shouldgive to the `configure' program. That file offers hints forgetting around some possible installation problems.3) In the top directory of the Emacs distribution, run the program`configure' as follows: ./configure CONFIGURATION-NAME [--OPTION[=VALUE]] ...The CONFIGURATION-NAME argument should be a configuration name givenin `./etc/MACHINES'. If omitted, `configure' will try to guess yoursystem type; if it cannot, you must find the appropriate configurationname in `./etc/MACHINES' and specify it explicitly.If you don't want X support, specify `--with-x=no'. If you omit thisoption, `configure' will try to figure out for itself whether yoursystem has X, and arrange to use it if present.The `--x-includes=DIR' and `--x-libraries=DIR' options tell the buildprocess where the compiler should look for the include files andobject libraries used with the X Window System. Normally, `configure'is able to find them; these options are necessary if you have your XWindow System files installed in unusual places.To get more attractive menus, you can specify an X toolkit when youconfigure Emacs; use the option `--with-x-toolkit=TOOLKIT', whereTOOLKIT is `athena' or `motif' (`yes' and `lucid' are synonyms for`athena'). On some systems, it does not work to use a toolkit withshared libraries.The `--with-gcc' option specifies that the build process shouldcompile Emacs using GCC. If you don't want to use GCC, specify`--with-gcc=no'. If you omit this option, `configure' will searchfor GCC in your path, and use it if present.You can build Emacs for several different machine types from a singlesource directory. To do this, you must use a version of `make' thatsupports the `VPATH' variable, such as GNU `make'. Make separatebuild directories for the different configuration types, and in eachone, run the Emacs `configure' script. `configure' looks for theEmacs source code in the directory that `configure' is in.The `--prefix=PREFIXDIR' option specifies where the installation processshould put emacs and its data files. This defaults to `/usr/local'.- Emacs (and the other utilities users run) go in PREFIXDIR/bin (unless the `--exec-prefix' option says otherwise).- The architecture-independent files go in PREFIXDIR/share/emacs/VERSION (where VERSION is the version number of Emacs, like `19.27').- The architecture-dependent files go in PREFIXDIR/libexec/emacs/VERSION/CONFIGURATION (where CONFIGURATION is the configuration name, like mips-dec-ultrix4.2), unless the `--exec-prefix' option says otherwise.The `--exec-prefix=EXECDIR' option allows you to specify a separateportion of the directory tree for installing architecture-specificfiles, like executables and utility programs. If specified,- Emacs (and the other utilities users run) go in EXECDIR/bin, and- The architecture-dependent files go in EXECDIR/libexec/emacs/VERSION/CONFIGURATION.EXECDIR/bin should be a directory that is normally in users' PATHs.For example, the command ./configure mips-dec-ultrix --with-x11configures Emacs to build for a DECstation running Ultrix, withsupport for the X11 window system.`configure' doesn't do any compilation or installationitself. It just creates the files that influence those things:`./Makefile', `lib-src/Makefile', `oldXMenu/Makefile',`lwlib/Makefile', `src/Makefile', and `./src/config.h'. For detailson exactly what it does, see the section called `CONFIGURATION BYHAND', below.When it is done, `configure' prints a description of what it did andcreates a shell script `config.status' which, when run, recreates thesame configuration. If `configure' exits with an error afterdisturbing the status quo, it removes `config.status'. `configure'also creates a file `config.cache' that saves the results of its teststo make reconfiguring faster, and a file `config.log' containing compileroutput (useful mainly for debugging `configure'). You can give`configure' the option `--cache-file=FILE' to use the results of thetests in FILE instead of `config.cache'. Set FILE to `/dev/null' todisable caching, for debugging `configure'.The work of `configure' can be done by editing various files in thedistribution, but using `configure' is supposed to be simpler. Seethe section called "CONFIGURATION BY HAND" below if you want to do theconfiguration yourself.4) Look at `./lisp/paths.el'; if some of those values are not rightfor your system, edit the file `./lisp/site-init.el' containing EmacsLisp code to override them; you probably don't want to edit paths.elitself. YOU MUST USE THE LISP FUNCTION `setq' TO ASSIGN VALUES,rather than `defvar', as used by `./lisp/paths.el'. For example, (setq news-inews-program "/usr/bin/inews")is how you would override the default value of the variablenews-inews-program (which is "/usr/local/inews").Note that, on some systems, the code you place in site-init.el mustnot use expand-file-name or any other function which may looksomething up in the system's password and user information database.See `./PROBLEMS' for more details on which systems this affects.5) Put into `./lisp/site-init.el' or `./lisp/site-load.el' any EmacsLisp code you want Emacs to load before it is dumped out. Usesite-load.el for additional libraries if you arrange for theirdocumentation strings to be in the etc/DOC file (seesrc/Makefile.in.in if you wish to figure out how to do that). For allelse, use site-init.el.If you set load-path in site-init.el or site-load.el, Emacs will use*precisely* the resulting path when it starts up again. If you do this,you are on your own!Note that, on some systems, the code you place in site-init.el mustnot use expand-file-name or any other function which may looksomething up in the system's password and user information database.See `./PROBLEMS' for more details on which systems this affects.The `site-*.el' files are nonexistent in the distribution. You do notneed to create them if you have nothing to put in them.6) Refer to the file `./etc/TERMS' for information on fields you maywish to add to various termcap entries. The files `./etc/termcap.ucb'and `./etc/termcap.dat' may already contain appropriately-modifiedentries.7) Run `make' in the top directory of the Emacs distribution to finishbuilding Emacs in the standard way. The final executable file will benamed `src/emacs'. If you want to have Emacs's executable programsand data files installed as well, run `make install'.By default, Emacs installs its files in the following directories:`/usr/local/bin' holds the executable programs users normally run - `emacs', `etags', `ctags', `b2m', `emacsclient', and `rcs-checkin'.`/usr/local/share/emacs/VERSION/lisp' holds the Emacs Lisp library; `VERSION' stands for the number of the Emacs version you are installing, like `18.59' or `19.27'. Since the lisp library changes from one version of Emacs to another, including the version number in the path allows you to have several versions of Emacs installed at the same time; this means that you don't have to make Emacs unavailable while installing a new version. Emacs searches for its lisp files in `/usr/local/share/emacs/site-lisp', then in this directory.`/usr/local/share/emacs/VERSION/etc' holds the Emacs tutorial, the DOC file, the `yow' database, and other architecture-independent files Emacs might need while running. VERSION is as specified for `.../lisp'.`/usr/local/com/emacs/lock' contains files indicating who is editing what, so Emacs can detect editing clashes between users.`/usr/local/libexec/emacs/VERSION/CONFIGURATION-NAME' contains executable programs used by Emacs that users are not expected to run themselves. `VERSION' is the number of the Emacs version you are installing, and `CONFIGURATION-NAME' is the argument you gave to the `configure' program to identify the architecture and operating system of your machine, like `mips-dec-ultrix' or `sparc-sun-sunos'. Since these files are specific to the version of Emacs, operating system, and architecture in use, including the configuration name in the path allows you to have several versions of Emacs for any mix of machines and operating systems installed at the same time; this is useful for sites at which different kinds of machines share the file system Emacs is installed on.`/usr/local/info' holds the on-line documentation for Emacs, known as "info files". Many other GNU programs are documented using info files as well, so this directory stands apart from the other, Emacs-specific directories.`/usr/local/man/man1' holds the man pages for the programs installed in `/usr/local/bin'.If these directories are not what you want, you can specify where toinstall Emacs's libraries and data files or where Emacs should searchfor its lisp files by giving values for `make' variables as part ofthe command. See the section below called `MAKE VARIABLES' for moreinformation on this.8) Check the file `dir' in your site's info directory (usually/usr/local/info) to make sure that it has a menu entry for the Emacsinfo files.9) If your system uses lock files to interlock access to mailer inbox files,then you might need to make the movemail program setuid or setgidto enable it to write the lock files. We believe this is safe.10) You are done!MAKE VARIABLESYou can change where the build process installs Emacs and its datafiles by specifying values for `make' variables as part of the `make'command line. For example, if you type make install bindir=/usr/local/gnubinthe `bindir=/usr/local/gnubin' argument indicates that the Emacsexecutable files should go in `/usr/local/gnubin', not`/usr/local/bin'.Here is a complete list of the variables you may want to set.`bindir' indicates where to put executable programs that users can run. This defaults to /usr/local/bin.`datadir' indicates where to put the architecture-independent read-only data files that Emacs refers to while it runs; it defaults to /usr/local/share. We create the following subdirectories under `datadir': - `emacs/VERSION/lisp', containing the Emacs lisp library, and - `emacs/VERSION/etc', containing the Emacs tutorial, the DOC file, and the `yow' database. `VERSION' is the number of the Emacs version you are installing, like `18.59' or `19.0'. Since these files vary from one version of Emacs to another, including the version number in the path allows you to have several versions of Emacs installed at the same time; this means that you don't have to make Emacs unavailable while installing a new version.`sharedstatedir' indicates where to put architecture-independent data files that Emacs modifies while it runs; it defaults to /usr/local/com. We create the following subdirectories under `sharedstatedir': - `emacs/lock', containing files indicating who is editing what, so Emacs can detect editing clashes between users.`libexecdir' indicates where to put architecture-specific data files that Emacs refers to as it runs; it defaults to `/usr/local/libexec'. We create the following subdirectories under `libexecdir': - `emacs/VERSION/CONFIGURATION-NAME', containing executable programs used by Emacs that users are not expected to run themselves. `VERSION' is the number of the Emacs version you are installing, and `CONFIGURATION-NAME' is the argument you gave to the `configure' program to identify the architecture and operating system of your machine, like `mips-dec-ultrix' or `sparc-sun-sunos'. Since these files are specific to the version of Emacs, operating system, and architecture in use, including the configuration name in the path allows you to have several versions of Emacs for any mix of machines and operating systems installed at the same time; this is useful for sites at which different kinds of machines share the file system Emacs is installed on.`infodir' indicates where to put the info files distributed with Emacs; it defaults to `/usr/local/info'.`mandir' indicates where to put the man pages for Emacs and its utilities (like `etags'); it defaults to `/usr/local/man/man1'.`manext' gives the extension the man pages should be installed with. It should contain a period, followed by the appropriate digit. It defaults to `.1'. For example given the default values for `mandir' and `manext', the Emacs man page would be installed as `/usr/local/man/man1/emacs.1'.`prefix' doesn't give a path for any specific part of Emacs; instead, its value is used to determine the defaults for all the architecture-independent path variables - `datadir', `sharedstatedir', `infodir', and `mandir'. Its default value is `/usr/local'; the other variables add on `lib' or `man' to it by default. For example, suppose your site generally places GNU software under `/usr/users/software/gnusoft' instead of `/usr/local'. By including `prefix=/usr/users/software/gnusoft' in the arguments to `make', you can instruct the build process to place all of the Emacs data files in the appropriate directories under that path.`exec_prefix' serves the same purpose as `prefix', but instead determines the default values for the architecture-dependent path variables - `bindir' and `libexecdir'.The above variables serve analogous purposes in the makefiles for allGNU software; here are some variables specific to Emacs.`lispdir' indicates where Emacs installs and expects its lisp library. Its default value, based on `datadir' (see above), is `/usr/local/lib/emacs/VERSION/lisp' (where `VERSION' is as described above).`locallisppath' indicates where Emacs should search for lisp files specific to your site. It should be a colon-separated list of directories; Emacs checks them in order before checking `lispdir'. Its default value, based on `datadir' (see above), is `/usr/local/lib/emacs/site-lisp'.`lisppath' is the complete list of directories Emacs should search for its lisp files; its default value is the concatenation of `lispdir' and `locallisppath'. It should be a colon-separated list of directories; Emacs checks them in the order they appear.`etcdir' indicates where Emacs should install and expect the rest of its architecture-independent data, like the tutorial, DOC file, and yow database. Its default value, based on `datadir' (which see), is `/usr/local/lib/emacs/VERSION/etc'.`lockdir' indicates the directory where Emacs keeps track of its locking information. Its default value, based on `sharedstatedir' (which see), is `/usr/local/lib/emacs/lock'.`archlibdir' indicates where Emacs installs and expects the executable files and other architecture-dependent data it uses while running. Its default value, based on `libexecdir' (which see), is `/usr/local/lib/emacs/VERSION/CONFIGURATION-NAME' (where VERSION and CONFIGURATION-NAME are as described above).Remember that you must specify any variable values you need each timeyou run `make' in the top directory. If you run `make' once to buildemacs, test it, and then run `make' again to install the files, youmust provide the same variable settings each time. To make thesettings persist, you can edit them into the `Makefile' in the topdirectory, but be aware that running the `configure' program erases`Makefile' and rebuilds it from `Makefile.in'.The top-level Makefile stores the variable settings it used in theMakefiles for the subdirectories, so you don't have to specify themwhen running make in the subdirectories.CONFIGURATION BY HANDInstead of running the `configure' program, you have to perform thefollowing steps.1) Copy `./src/config.h.in' to `./src/config.h'.2) Consult `./etc/MACHINES' to see what configuration name you shoulduse for your system. Look at the code of the `configure' script tosee which operating system and architecture description files from`src/s' and `src/m' should be used for that configuration name. Edit`src/config.h', and change the two `#include' directives to includethe appropriate system and architecture description files.2) Edit `./src/config.h' to set the right options for your system. Ifyou need to override any of the definitions in the s/*.h and m/*.hfiles for your system and machine, do so by editing config.h, not bychanging the s/*.h and m/*.h files. Occasionally you may need toredefine parameters used in `./lib-src/movemail.c'.3) Create src/Makefile and lib-src/Makefile from the corresponding`Makefile.in.in' files. First copy `Makefile.in.in' to `Makefile.in',then edit in appropriate substituions for the @...@ constructs,and then copy the shell commands near the end of `configure'that run cpp to construct `Makefile'.4) Create `Makefile' files in various other directoriesfrom the corresponding `Makefile.in' files. This isn't so hard,just a matter of substitution.The `configure' script is built from `configure.in' by the `autoconf'program. You need version 2.0 or newer of `autoconf' to rebuild `configure'.BUILDING GNU EMACS BY HANDOnce Emacs is configured, running `make' in the top directory performsthe following steps.1) Run `make src/paths.h' in the top directory. This produces`./src/paths.h' from the template file `./src/paths.h.in', changingthe paths to the values specified in `./Makefile'.2) Go to directory `./lib-src' and run `make'. This createsexecutables named `ctags' and `etags' and `wakeup' and `make-docfile'and `digest-doc' and `test-distrib'. And others.3) Go to directory `./src' and Run `make'. This refers to files inthe `./lisp' and `./lib-src' subdirectories using names `../lisp' and`../lib-src'.This creates a file `./src/emacs' which is the runnable Emacs,which has another name that contains a version number.Each time you do this, that version number increments in the last place.It also creates a file in `./etc' whose name is `DOC' followed by thecurrent Emacs version. This file contains documentation strings forall the functions in Emacs. Each time you run make to make a newemacs, a new DOC file with a new name is made. You must keep the DOCfile for an Emacs version as long as you keep using that Emacsversion.INSTALLATION BY HANDThe steps below are done by running `make install' in the maindirectory of the Emacs distribution.1) Copy `./lisp' and its subdirectories, `./etc', and the executablesin `./lib-src' to their final destinations, as selected in `./src/paths.h'.Strictly speaking, not all of the executables in `./lib-src' need be copied.- The programs `cvtmail', `emacsserver', `fakemail', `hexl', `movemail', `profile', `rcs2log', `timer', `vcdiff', `wakeup', and `yow' are used by Emacs; they do need to be copied.- The programs `etags', `ctags', `emacsclient', `b2m', and `rcs-checkin' are intended to be run by users; they are handled below.- The programs `make-docfile' and `test-distrib' were used in building Emacs, and are not needed any more.- The programs `digest-doc' and `sorted-doc' convert a `DOC' file into a file for users to read. There is no important reason to move them.2) Copy the files in `./info' to the place specified in`./lisp/site-init.el' or `./lisp/paths.el'. Note that if thedestination directory already contains a file named `dir', youprobably don't want to replace it with the `dir' file in the Emacsdistribution. Instead, you should make sure that the existing `dir'file contains an appropriate menu entry for the Emacs info.3) Create a directory for Emacs to use for clash detection, named asindicated by the PATH_LOCK macro in `./src/paths.h'.4) Copy `./src/emacs' to `/usr/local/bin', or to some other directoryin users' search paths. `./src/emacs' has an alternate name`./src/emacs-EMACSVERSION'; you may wish to make a symbolic link named`/usr/local/bin/emacs' pointing to that alternate name, as an easy wayof installing different versions.You can delete `./src/temacs'.5) Copy the programs `b2m', `emacsclient', `ctags', `etags', and`rcs-checkin' from `./lib-src' to `/usr/local/bin'. These programs areintended for users to run.6) Copy the man pages in `./etc' for emacs, ctags, and etags into theappropriate man directories.7) The files in the `./src' subdirectory, except for `emacs', are notused by Emacs once it is built. However, it is very desirable to keepthe source on line for debugging.PROBLEMSSee the file PROBLEMS in this directory for a list of variousproblems sometimes encountered, and what to do about them.Installation on MSDOG (a.k.a. MSDOS)To install on MSDOG, you need to have the GNU C compiler for MSDOG(also known as djgpp), GNU Make, rm, mv, chmod, and sed. Type thesecommands:config msdosmake installTo save disk space, Emacs is built with the idea that you will executeit from the same place in the file system where you built it. As the/usr/local/ subtree does not exist on most MSDOG systems, theexecutables are placed in /emacs/bin/.MSDOG is a not a multitasking operating system, so Emacs features suchas asynchronous subprocesses that depend on multitasking will notwork. Synchronous subprocesses do work.