AUTOSCAN(1) User Commands AUTOSCAN(1)

# [NAME](#NAME)

autoscan - Generate a preliminary configure.ac

# [SYNOPSIS](#SYNOPSIS)

**autoscan** \[*OPTION*]... \[*SRCDIR*]

# [DESCRIPTION](#DESCRIPTION)

Examine source files in the directory tree rooted at SRCDIR, or the current directory if none is given. Search the source files for common portability problems, check for incompleteness of 'configure.ac', and create a file 'configure.scan' which is a preliminary 'configure.ac' for that package.

[**-h**, **--help**](#h)

print this help, then exit

[**-V**, **--version**](#V)

print version number, then exit

[**-v**, **--verbose**](#v)

verbosely report processing

[**-d**, **--debug**](#d)

don't remove temporary files

## [Library directories:](#Library_directories:)

[**-B**, **--prepend-include**=*DIR*](#B)

prepend directory DIR to search path

[**-I**, **--include**=*DIR*](#I)

append directory DIR to search path

# [AUTHOR](#AUTHOR)

Written by David J. MacKenzie and Akim Demaille.

# [REPORTING BUGS](#REPORTING_BUGS)

Report bugs to [bug-autoconf@gnu.org](mailto:bug-autoconf@gnu.org), or via Savannah: [https://savannah.gnu.org/support/?group=autoconf](https://savannah.gnu.org/support/?group=autoconf).

# [COPYRIGHT](#COPYRIGHT)

Copyright © 2026 Free Software Foundation, Inc. License GPLv3+/Autoconf: GNU GPL version 3 or later <https://gnu.org/licenses/gpl.html>, <https://gnu.org/licenses/exceptions.html>  
This is free software: you are free to change and redistribute it. There is NO WARRANTY, to the extent permitted by law.

# [SEE ALSO](#SEE_ALSO)

[**autoconf**(1)](/man/os/autoconf/autoconf.1), [**automake**(1)](/man/os/autoconf/automake.1), [**autoreconf**(1)](/man/os/autoconf/autoreconf.1), [**autoupdate**(1)](/man/os/autoconf/autoupdate.1), [**autoheader**(1)](/man/os/autoconf/autoheader.1), [**autoscan**(1)](/man/os/autoconf/autoscan.1), [**config.guess**(1)](/man/os/autoconf/config.guess.1), [**config.sub**(1)](/man/os/autoconf/config.sub.1), [**ifnames**(1)](/man/os/autoconf/ifnames.1), [**libtool**(1)](/man/os/autoconf/libtool.1).

The full documentation for Autoconf is maintained as a Texinfo manual. To read the manual locally, use the command

**info autoconf**

You can also consult the Web version of the manual at [https://gnu.org/software/autoconf/manual/](https://gnu.org/software/autoconf/manual/).

April 2026 GNU Autoconf 2.73

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Document: autoscan(1) from autoconf 2.73-r0 (Chainguard OS)
Source: https://git.savannah.gnu.org/git/autoconf.git