(flex.info.gz) M4 Dependency

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 A.3 M4 Dependency
 =================
 
 The macro processor `m4'(1) must be installed wherever flex is
 installed.  `flex' invokes `m4', found by searching the directories in
 the `PATH' environment variable. Any code you place in section 1 or in
 the actions will be sent through m4. Please follow these rules to
 protect your code from unwanted `m4' processing.
 
    * Do not use symbols that begin with, `m4_', such as, `m4_define',
      or `m4_include', since those are reserved for `m4' macro names. If
      for some reason you need m4_ as a prefix, use a preprocessor
      #define to get your symbol past m4 unmangled.
 
    * Do not use the strings `[[' or `]]' anywhere in your code. The
      former is not valid in C, except within comments and strings, but
      the latter is valid in code such as `x[y[z]]'. The solution is
      simple. To get the literal string `"]]"', use `"]""]"'. To get the
      array notation `x[y[z]]', use `x[y[z] ]'. Flex will attempt to
      detect these sequences in user code, and escape them. However,
      it's best to avoid this complexity where possible, by removing
      such sequences from your code.
 
 
    `m4' is only required at the time you run `flex'. The generated
 scanner is ordinary C or C++, and does _not_ require `m4'.
 
    ---------- Footnotes ----------
 
    (1) The use of m4 is subject to change in future revisions of flex.
 It is not part of the public API of flex. Do not depend on it.
 

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