13.2 The two parts of install

Automake generates separate install-data and install-exec targets, in case the installer is installing on multiple machines which share directory structure--these targets allow the machine-independent parts to be installed only once. install-exec installs platform-dependent files, and install-data installs platform-independent files. The install target depends on both of these targets. While Automake tries to automatically segregate objects into the correct category, the `Makefile.am' author is, in the end, responsible for making sure this is done correctly.

Variables using the standard directory prefixes `data', `info', `man', `include', `oldinclude', `pkgdata', or `pkginclude' (e.g. `data_DATA') are installed by `install-data'.

Variables using the standard directory prefixes `bin', `sbin', `libexec', `sysconf', `localstate', `lib', or `pkglib' (e.g. `bin_PROGRAMS') are installed by `install-exec'.

Any variable using a user-defined directory prefix with `exec' in the name (e.g. `myexecbin_PROGRAMS' is installed by `install-exec'. All other user-defined prefixes are installed by `install-data'.