AC_INIT([petratc], [1.0]) AC_CONFIG_SRCDIR([petratc.c]) AC_PROG_CC #what if i have pdcurses or just curses and not ncurses idk #this will be useful only when i decide to port it to widnows CURSES_LIB="" AC_CHECK_LIB([ncurses], [initscr], [CURSES_LIB="-lncurses"]) AS_IF([test "x$CURSES_LIB" = "x"], [AC_CHECK_LIB([curses], [initscr], [CURSES_LIB="-lcurses"])]) AS_IF([test "x$CURSES_LIB" = "x"], [AC_CHECK_LIB([pdcurses], [initscr], [CURSES_LIB="-lpdcurses"])]) AS_IF([test "x$CURSES_LIB" = "x"], [AC_MSG_ERROR([no curses library found (ncurses, curses, pdcurses)])]) #in mac having -ltinfo in your makefile gives you a linker error #whereas in linux you need it AC_CHECK_LIB([tinfo], [setupterm], [CURSES_LIB="$CURSES_LIB -ltinfo"]) AC_SUBST([CURSES_LIB]) AC_CONFIG_FILES([Makefile]) AC_OUTPUT