"configure.ac:47: error: possibly undefined macro: AC_MSG_WARN" on CentOS 7.8

[scheblein]

Describe the bug
...
autoreconf: running: /usr/bin/autoconf --force
configure.ac:47: error: possibly undefined macro: AC_MSG_WARN
If this token and others are legitimate, please use m4_pattern_allow.
See the Autoconf documentation.
autoreconf: /usr/bin/autoconf failed with exit status: 1

To Reproduce
Steps to reproduce the behavior:

1. git clone https://github.com/Mastercard/pkcs11-tools.git
2. cd pkcs11-tools
3. ./bootstrap.sh
4. See error

Expected behavior
./bootstrap.sh should exit cleanly

Operating System (please complete the following information):

• OS: CentOS Linux
• Version 7.8.2003 (Core)

[scheblein]

https://stackoverflow.com/questions/8811381/possibly-undefined-macro-ac-msg-error#37980772 <- This gets me past the ./bootstrap.sh error, but then dies again now in ./configure, probably due to the fact that i removed the brackets.

...
checking whether yytext is a pointer... no
./configure: line 4780: syntax error near unexpected token ,{' ./configure: line 4780: AX_PROG_FLEX(,{ $as_echo "$as_me:${as_lineno-$LINENO}: WARNING: GNU flex is required to regenerate lexer. Generated source code is provided, so it should be OK, until you change the lexer source file. Hint: use LEX variable to point to flex on your system." >&5'

[scheblein]

interesting - i added m4_pattern_allow([AC_MSG_WARN]) to the configure.ac file, and i'm still receiving the error in ./configure

checking whether yytext is a pointer... no
./configure: line 4781: syntax error near unexpected token ,AC_MSG_WARN' ./configure: line 4781: AX_PROG_FLEX(,AC_MSG_WARN([GNU flex is required to regenerate lexer. Generated source code is provided, so it should be OK, until you change the lexer source file. Hint: use LEX variable to point to flex on your system.]))'

[scheblein]

found the solution! the autoconf-archive package needs to be installed (h/t tpm2-software/tpm2-tss#227 (comment))

[keldonin]

@Sheblein, yes autoconf-archive must be installed. Something to add to the documentation.

[keldonin]

Documentation updated, to also add autoconf-archive to the prerequisites.