diff --git a/bootstrap b/bootstrap
line changes: +28/-10
index a53c3d3..4f0493a
--- a/bootstrap
+++ b/bootstrap

@@ -1,11 +1,10 @@
 #! /bin/sh
 # Print a version string.
-scriptversion=2013-08-15.22; # UTC
+scriptversion=2013-12-05.23; # UTC
 
 # Bootstrap this package from checked-out sources.
 
-# Copyright (C) 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011,
-# 2012, 2013, 2014 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
+# Copyright (C) 2003-2014 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
 
 # This program is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify
 # it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by

@@ -211,7 +210,17 @@ bootstrap_sync=false
 use_git=true
 
 check_exists() {
-  ($1 --version </dev/null) >/dev/null 2>&1
+  if test "$1" = "--verbose"; then
+    ($2 --version </dev/null) >/dev/null 2>&1
+    if test $? -ge 126; then
+      # If not found, run with diagnostics as one may be
+      # presented with env variables to set to find the right version
+      ($2 --version </dev/null)
+    fi
+  else
+    ($1 --version </dev/null) >/dev/null 2>&1
+  fi
+
   test $? -lt 126
 }
 

@@ -409,7 +418,7 @@ sort_ver() { # sort -V is not generally available
 get_version() {
   app=$1
 
-  $app --version >/dev/null 2>&1 || return 1
+  $app --version >/dev/null 2>&1 || { $app --version; return 1; }
 
   $app --version 2>&1 |
   sed -n '# Move version to start of line.

@@ -468,7 +477,7 @@ check_versions() {
     if [ "$req_ver" = "-" ]; then
       # Merely require app to exist; not all prereq apps are well-behaved
       # so we have to rely on $? rather than get_version.
-      if ! check_exists $app; then
+      if ! check_exists --verbose $app; then
         warn_ "Error: '$app' not found"
         ret=1
       fi

@@ -552,6 +561,14 @@ if ! printf "$buildreq" | check_versions; then
   fi
 fi
 
+# Warn the user if autom4te appears to be broken; this causes known
+# issues with at least gettext 0.18.3.
+probe=$(echo 'm4_quote([hi])' | autom4te -l M4sugar -t 'm4_quote:$%' -)
+if test "x$probe" != xhi; then
+  warn_ "WARNING: your autom4te wrapper eats stdin;"
+  warn_ "if bootstrap fails, consider upgrading your autotools"
+fi
+
 echo "$0: Bootstrapping from checked-out $package sources..."
 
 # See if we can use gnulib's git-merge-changelog merge driver.

@@ -591,8 +608,8 @@ case ${GNULIB_SRCDIR--} in
   # Note that $use_git is necessarily true in this case.
   if git_modules_config submodule.gnulib.url >/dev/null; then
     echo "$0: getting gnulib files..."
-    git submodule init || exit $?
-    git submodule update || exit $?
+    git submodule init -- "$gnulib_path" || exit $?
+    git submodule update -- "$gnulib_path" || exit $?
 
   elif [ ! -d "$gnulib_path" ]; then
     echo "$0: getting gnulib files..."

@@ -621,13 +638,14 @@ case ${GNULIB_SRCDIR--} in
       # This fallback allows at least git 1.5.5.
       if test -f "$gnulib_path"/gnulib-tool; then
         # Since file already exists, assume submodule init already complete.
-        git submodule update || exit $?
+        git submodule update -- "$gnulib_path" || exit $?
       else
         # Older git can't clone into an empty directory.
         rmdir "$gnulib_path" 2>/dev/null
         git clone --reference "$GNULIB_SRCDIR" \
           "$(git_modules_config submodule.gnulib.url)" "$gnulib_path" \
-          && git submodule init && git submodule update \
+          && git submodule init -- "$gnulib_path" \
+          && git submodule update -- "$gnulib_path" \
           || exit $?
       fi
     fi