Cannot build merit core according to instructions on Ubuntu Bionic and Alpine Linux

[DoubleMalt]

Cannot build merit core according to instructions on Ubuntu Bionic

The call of ./autogen.sh ends with an error

configure.ac:331: error: possibly undefined macro: AC_CHECK_LIB
      If this token and others are legitimate, please use m4_pattern_allow.
      See the Autoconf documentation.
configure.ac:927: error: possibly undefined macro: PKG_CHECK_MODULES
configure.ac:957: error: possibly undefined macro: AC_CHECK_HEADER
autoreconf: /usr/bin/autoconf failed with exit status: 1

Can you reliably reproduce the issue?

This error occurs every time if I build it on my local machine (Bionic Beaver) as well as in Docker containers based on Alpine Linux and Ubuntu Bionic

If so, please list the steps to reproduce below:

1. Install prerequisits

apt-get update -y && apt-get install -y build-essential
apt-get install -y autoconf
apt-get install -y automake
apt-get install -y libtool
apt-get install -y pkg-config

Additionally

apt-get install -y autoconf-archive

2. Run ./autogen.sh

Expected behaviour

autogen should generate configure script

Actual behaviour

Stops with above mentioned error

What version of merit-core are you using?

Both master 7792dfc and m0.5.3 2fb6e1f show the same symptom.

Machine specs:

• OS: Ubuntu Bionic
• CPU: Intel
• autoconf 2.69-11
• libtool 2.4.6-2
• pkg-config 0.29.1-0ubuntu2

[DoubleMalt]

I am a step further ... apparently it also needs autoconf-archive installed. However, this makes it trip up at AC_CHECK_LIB.

(Will edit my error description with the new info)