http://sources.redhat.com/automake/automake.html
"The special prefix ‘check_’ indicates that the objects in question should not be built until the ‘make check’ command is run. Those objects are not installed either. " It seems this is not how check_JAVA behaves currently. I added a Hello.java to the gnu Hello package and it seems to be always built when in check_JAVA. http://ftp.gnu.org/gnu/hello/ make[2]: Entering directory `/home/betelgeuse/gsoc/hello-2.6' CLASSPATH=.:./.:$CLASSPATH javac -d . Hello.java echo timestamp > classcheck.stamp make[2]: Leaving directory `/home/betelgeuse/gsoc/hello-2.6' betelgeuse@pena ~/gsoc/hello-2.6 $ grep Hello.java Makefile.am check_JAVA = Hello.java Petteri