From 48254f9d061d4215881a19a2896eb8947c80e5a8 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Viktor Szakats <commit@vsz.me>
Date: Fri, 1 Aug 2025 02:56:47 +0200
Subject: [PATCH] autotools try fix 2

---
 acinclude.m4    | 11 ++++++++---
 configure.ac    | 20 +++++++++-----------
 src/Makefile.am | 18 +++++++++++++++++-
 3 files changed, 34 insertions(+), 15 deletions(-)

diff --git a/acinclude.m4 b/acinclude.m4
index e10e4a01e0..105874fbe0 100644
--- a/acinclude.m4
+++ b/acinclude.m4
@@ -1284,9 +1284,14 @@ AS_HELP_STRING([--without-ca-embed], [Don't embed a default CA bundle in the cur
 
   CURL_CA_EMBED=''
   if test "x$want_ca_embed" != "xno" -a "x$want_ca_embed" != "xunset" -a -f "$want_ca_embed"; then
-    CURL_CA_EMBED="$want_ca_embed"
-    AC_SUBST(CURL_CA_EMBED)
-    AC_MSG_RESULT([$want_ca_embed])
+    if test -n "$PERL"; then
+      CURL_CA_EMBED="$want_ca_embed"
+      AC_SUBST(CURL_CA_EMBED)
+      AC_MSG_RESULT([$want_ca_embed])
+    else
+      AC_MSG_RESULT([no])
+      AC_MSG_WARN([perl was not found. Will not do CA embed.])
+    fi
   else
     AC_MSG_RESULT([no])
   fi
diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index 7cce097794..83b3b25a89 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -280,6 +280,11 @@ AS_HELP_STRING([--with-rustls=PATH],[where to look for Rustls, PATH points to th
   fi
 ])
 
+AC_PATH_PROG(PERL, perl,,
+  $PATH:/usr/local/bin/perl:/usr/bin/:/usr/local/bin)
+AC_SUBST(PERL)
+AM_CONDITIONAL(PERL, test -n "$PERL")
+
 TEST_NGHTTPX=nghttpx
 AC_ARG_WITH(test-nghttpx,dnl
 AS_HELP_STRING([--with-test-nghttpx=PATH],[where to find nghttpx for testing]),
@@ -1056,7 +1061,10 @@ AS_HELP_STRING([--disable-docs],[Disable documentation]),
     AC_MSG_RESULT(yes)
     BUILD_DOCS=1
 )
-
+if test -z "$PERL" -a "x$BUILD_DOCS" != "x0"; then
+  AC_MSG_WARN([perl was not found. Will not build documentation.])
+  BUILD_DOCS=0
+fi
 
 dnl ************************************************************
 dnl disable C code generation support
@@ -4218,16 +4226,6 @@ fi
 
 CURL_CHECK_NONBLOCKING_SOCKET
 
-AC_PATH_PROG(PERL, perl,,
-  $PATH:/usr/local/bin/perl:/usr/bin/:/usr/local/bin)
-AC_SUBST(PERL)
-
-if test "x$BUILD_DOCS" != "x0" -o "x$USE_MANUAL" != "x0" -o "x$CURL_CA_EMBED" != "x"; then
-  if test -z "$PERL"; then
-    AC_MSG_ERROR([perl was not found, needed for docs, manual and CA embed])
-  fi
-fi
-
 dnl set variable for use in automakefile(s)
 AM_CONDITIONAL(BUILD_DOCS, test x"$BUILD_DOCS" = x1)
 
diff --git a/src/Makefile.am b/src/Makefile.am
index f4f977bcd5..fa8afabb50 100644
--- a/src/Makefile.am
+++ b/src/Makefile.am
@@ -132,14 +132,16 @@ HUGEIT_0 = @echo "  HUGE    " $@;
 HUGEIT_1 =
 HUGEIT_ = $(HUGEIT_0)
 
-curl_CPPFLAGS = $(AM_CPPFLAGS) -DUSE_MANUAL
+curl_CPPFLAGS = $(AM_CPPFLAGS)
 
 if USE_MANUAL
 # Here are the stuff to create a built-in manual
+curl_CPPFLAGS += -DUSE_MANUAL
 
 $(ASCIIPAGE):
 	cd $(top_builddir)/docs && $(MAKE)
 
+if PERL
 if HAVE_LIBZ
 # This generates the tool_hugehelp.c file in both uncompressed and
 # compressed formats.
@@ -162,6 +164,20 @@ $(HUGE): $(ASCIIPAGE) $(MKHELP)
 	echo '#include "tool_setup.h"' >> $(HUGE);                 \
 	$(PERL) $(MKHELP) < $(ASCIIPAGE) >> $(HUGE) )
 endif
+else # PERL
+$(HUGE):
+	(if [ -f "$(srcdir)/tool_hugehelp.c" ]; then \
+	  cp -p "$(srcdir)/tool_hugehelp.c" .; \
+	else \
+	  echo '/* !checksrc! disable COPYRIGHT all */' > $(HUGE); \
+	  echo '#include "tool_hugehelp.h"' >> $(HUGE);            \
+	  echo 'void hugehelp(void) {}' >> $(HUGE);                \
+	  echo 'void showhelp(const char *trigger, const char *arg, const char *endarg)' >> $(HUGE); \
+	  echo '{' >> $(HUGE);                                     \
+	  echo '  (void)trigger; (void)arg; (void)endarg;' >> $(HUGE); \
+	  echo '}' >> $(HUGE); \
+	fi)
+endif
 
 else # USE_MANUAL
 # built-in manual has been disabled, make a blank file